Best Supplier Of Compost 2023

Same here, the council used to grow their own but not anymore, they used to even have open days when you could look round the greenhouses.
I'm not sure where this is heading but we dont seem to be able to afford anything anymore even though they are taxing us more than ever.

 

At one time most councils had a parks department with glass houses for growing the bedding plants.
Even as recently as 1997 Torbay council had glass houses and a nursery area for bedding plants, you could see them from the railway line. These days it's contractor Swisco, that also handles waste collection, recycling, street cleaning, arranges it. A number of areas that were bedding have been grassed over, others are now turned over to permanent planting.

 

Sorry I wasn't completely clear yesterday.
Melcourt produce All Purpose Peat Free Compost picture below and SylvaGrow Multi Purpose Peat Free.

 

When I ran the Weymouth Parks nursery we grew all our own from plugs and seed. Around 80 flower bed plus roundabouts and up to 200,000 plants for summer bedding, including carpet bedding, now there are around 20, the rest is all permanent planting and others left bare in Winter. My then assistant and now my successor doesn't even work in the nursery full time.

Nothing grew as well as in the Melcourt peat compost Coir was naff then!

 

Probably, a lack of support from both government and large retailers who would rather import to maximise their profits.

When I was in Lincoln last week I took a ton of compost down to an amateur grower and brought some primroses back as I had sold out, the amount of glasshouses sitting empty is concerning. In the past they would of grown salad crops but due to high energy costs they haven't bothered.
The same is happening in Lea Valley, it's not only lack of support, these so called politicians will not even visit or engage in a plan for the future.

‘Cucumber capital’ growers selling up as Brexit and energy crisis hits Britain’s vegetable industry | Farming | The Guardian

Lea Valley growers face extinction - Hort News

 

Surely, especially during the winter British growers are at a big disadvantage when competing with EU growers in Spain etc.
Is it any wonder that during our time in the EU we have become totally dependant on them for salad crops.
Also during our time in the EU we have become totally dependent on them for half our manual workforce.

It should never have been allowed to happen over the last 30yrs or so.

The energy prices are the main straw/log that is breaking the camel's back.
There's nothing new about farmers selling out to house builders in areas where housing is profitable, it's been happening for years around here.

 

A very big disadvantage when you also take into account the UK population has increased considerably more than other EU countries, more people, more mouths to feed. If figures are true, the UK population has grown more since 2004 than France and Germany population combined.

 

Bought these today not looked yet but the Notcutts stuff was 2 for £15 the other stuff was a bit pricey I thought at £9 a bag.

 

Took my parents out to do a food shop and a browse at what compost is going for. Aldi, Morrisons and B&Q are only doing peat free. Aldi are doing Gardenline brand in 40 litres £3.99 and £4.49 for the seaweed enriched. Morrisons, again only 40 litres, all peat free, Levington and Westlands are £5 or 3 for £12, Miracle Gro is £6. B&Q is expensive, westlands peat free John innes is £8 for 28L, brand multi are all £8 for 50L. The discount stores are all doing peat reduced compost, Home Bargains are doing Miracle Gro and Westlands @ £4.99 for 50L B&M are doing Gro Sure @ £4.99 for 50L and Poundland are doing Richmoor @ £3.50 for 40L.

 

Going to try my local supplier 3 bags 40l for a tenner.

 

What are you going to use it for?
It says on the bag it is a soil improver, when you look at the application guide it does not mention anything about sowing etc etc, but mainly to incorporate into garden soil.

Caledonian Green Goodness Compost (champfleurieestate.co.uk)

 

Thanks for that comprehensive MPC review. That will save me a lot of time searching round, I never thought of B&M and Home Bargains for MPC supply
Had to buy some MPC yesterday from our local GC. Browsing around the compost yard, which seemed to be all Westland. They were peat free except for Jacks Magic which was reduced peat ( reduced what too?) The main peat free Westland was New Horizon, the yard man said he had good reports on this. Everything was £8.99 for 50 litres ( volume goes down - price goes up ) but they do load it into your car.
Off to home bargains this week!!