Best Supplier Of Compost 2023

Local nursery have Melcourt peat free compost 50L £7.00. Will drop in this weekend and confirm if correct.

 

Confused, according to Melcourt's website it's only available in 15 Litre & 40 Litre bags.
SylvaGrow® Multi-Purpose | Melcourt

 

Strange, but I dont think I will be buying any.

 

I might have a run out tomorrow and have a look, there is a stockist not too far from me.

 

Many people, not just gardeners care about the environment, but importing wood waste and coir from afar is also irresponsible. All countries are so hell bent in reducing national emissions only for them to be embedded in imports.

Melcourt imports coir, but also wood waste from Europe, carbon footprint.
Going by numerous sources the UK has reduced it's domestic emissions consumption by 30-40% since 1990. Sounds impressive until you take into account the UK imports twice as much than we export (tonnage) wise, then our CO2 emission reductions is only 11-15%

I don't support a blanket ban on peat, especially when it's only England & Wales that are imposing it, if I did, then I would have to support this.

Climate change: Drax's renewable energy plant is UK's biggest CO2 emitter, analysis claims | Climate News | Sky News

 

Although carbon-captures makes the headlines, the motivation behind the peat ban is the protection of a fragile and endangered habitat. Peat-bogs are very difficult to restore once lost and, in any case, the majority have already been drained and lost forever. What's left is precious.
The EU is also limiting peat extraction, notably in Ireland and the Baltic states. Supplies of peat in future, were there to be no ban in England/Wales (and Scotland too most likely), would come from Canada - giving peat a similar transport carbon footprint to coir.

 

True, but why?

The amount of peat that was and still is burned for energy is huge compared to what is used in the horticultural sector. In the past 40% of Irelands heat and electricity was generated by using peat, in the past, 6 million tonnes of peat was burnt annually. When you compare that to what is used by the horticultural sector, then you start understand what really is going on with the demise of peat bogs.

Yes the EU is also limiting peat extraction, but has that really got anything to do with the horticultural sector? Finland is moving away from burning peat as a source of energy, 90% of peat extraction went up in smoke.

‘Like an oilwell in your back yard’: Irish people turn to cutting peat to save on energy bills | Ireland | The Guardian

 

I understand the frustration. But it's a fait accompli - peat will be banned for amateur horticultural use. There's no point going over old arguments that have already been lost; the discussion should focus on how we go forward.
I believe I've found a better alternative, although it does cost more and involves a little more work on my part, and the pots are a little heavier, so I'm not 100% happy either. Times change and one has to change with them.

 

Dont count on it, government weak and who knows what may happen in the future....

 

The only Melcourt compost I could find at a so called local stockist was this, John Innes.
15 ltr bags, 2 for £10.

 

Another new one on me was this. 3 for £18, 50ltr bags.

 

From AHS Ltd. I get bagged decorative bark via them, actually collecting a full load today from J.W Jenkinson's forest products. I do not purchase the peat free compost from them, so I have no feedback I am afraid. It will be only available in 50L bags I assume?

 

Where did you get that from, please Pete?

 

Don't think this one will be rolled back as there are too many votes resting on it. Look at all the people that tick the green, environmentalist boxes, then all the wildlife and environment charities at this point you have included all but a few die hard conservative gardeners.
Also few MPs make money from potting compost companies and these tend not to be large employers anyway.