compost from garden centre

as we have done a fair few plants this year I have got through a lot of compost, and have been buying 3 bags for £10 ish when I see it.

just bought some called Murphys and it has loads of sticks in it and quite a few largish stones, you never know what you are going to get until you start using it - anyone else noticed different quality? just bought some yesterday called goodwins - so will see how that turns out.

 

Carolyn,if I remember rightly WHICH did a compost comparison earlier in the year, and they found that B & Qs compost was the best. So, you can`t go wrong with the 3 for £10. Which is what I use.

 

B&Q or Wickes compost is what I use. Not the peat free garbage though.

 

My sentiments entirely Catztail.

 

I used B&Q's compost a few years ago and it was very good; but as I now have no local store I get Wickes compost at 4 75lt bags for £13 and its fantastic stuff :thumb:

 

To be honest i have not found a good peat free one yet except home made they all seem full of rubbish,dont hold moisture and go solid and mouldy

 

If there was a good peat-free compost, then I'd use it. But there isn't, so I don't...

 

most large garden centres have bags that are opened, so that you can see and feel what you are buying, before buying

I still seem to prefer John Innes #3 .... from what I have seen

but i'm still learning

 

thanks for all the advice - next time I go to B&Q I will get some. We don't have one that near, I would have to go to MK or Luton.

so it is the peat free that goes green - I didn't realise that, I thought it was because I used water butt water.

 

I don't have a greenhouse, so not a problem there and I do avoid using it on young plants.

 

last batch I bought was from B&Q .... called westland:
John Innes No 3 Mature Plant Compost 30L, 5023377845000

previous to that, I bought Levingtons John Innes #3 from a garden centre ...

same formula, same stuff, different name and different price ... as long as it says John Innes #3 it's all the same

 

Have used 'peat free' compost for the last twelve months with no discernible loss of effectiveness in tubs/hanging baskets/ etc. plus used succesfully for cuttings (mixed with sand).