Wickes GP compost 2012

Ive been using the Homebase stuff this year for all my seedlings - although it looks a bit rough things are growing as they normally would.. I do use a 3 compost - 2 JI#2 - 1 sharp sand mix for starting things from seed.

Looks to me like the majority of the cheap MP compost is coming from the same supplier this year & they have cut back on the processing time to maximise profits - hopefully when the stores notice that people are not buying as much the quality will improve.

 

Looks like Gardener's Corner has been hitting the Wickes comments section!

Is that our very own Jack with the top comment

http://reviews.wickes.co.uk/9987-en_gb/200246/reviews.htm

Funny how they state in the product description "

Suitable for seeds" yet Wickes Gardening Team clearly state "please note that this product is not suitable for planting seeds.​

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The Wickes star rating for those reviews is totally flawed as it includes all the high ratings for the previous product that deserved 5 stars, not this new rubbishy one.

 

Random day off so just had a couple of tonnes delivered and put it on my own garden. I'll attach a photo of a filled pot. I've found a few large twigs in it in the past but never anything inorganic.

 

The old recipe 75l Wickes MP compost was stated as suitable for seeds on the bags. Can somebody check what it says on the new 70l bags as, from the link above that Axl provided, Wickes are now stating it is no longer suitable for seed sowing.

 

With this latest compost/rubbish on sale me might just plant our precious plants in diced up mares tail,blight ridden plant stems and club root infected lumps and dont forget weedkiller contaminated grass.
If they cant at least run the stuff through a sieve type machine can they be trusted to heat it up sufficiently to kill the stuff everyone is getting rid of,Its not as if we can treat these things by spraying cause that is banned incase we kill something god forbid.
A lot of people are careful not get veg plants from an unkown source so as not to import club root and the like are they over cautious???
I am really concerned where this going this is not like the old days if there is a centre where all the countries green waste is going and the being shipped out again.
All manner of disease could get spread around who knows what goes in green bins??

 

Product description from their web site.

• Suitable for cuttings, window boxes, hanging baskets and outdoor planting
• A mix of 50% peat and 50% wood fibre that provides the perfect environment for root growth
• Retains moisture and requires less watering
• Drains easily to prevent waterlogging
• Promotes 50% more root development

 

The Wickes responses are amusing. The new stuff is rubbish and more expensive. To claim its a better mix is just asking for trouble. They dont even bother to explain why its now better. Perhaps they mean its better for their profits as its a smaller bag, and cheaper contents sold at a higher price.
I think thats the only possible explanation for it being a "new and improved formula".

 

This is the link I was looking at where the Wickes Gardening Team contradict the product description.

http://reviews.wickes.co.uk/9987-en_gb/200246/reviews.htm

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Multi-Purpose Compost​

"Suitable for seeds, cuttings, potting-up, window boxes, hanging baskets and outdoor planting. A peat based compost with added nutrients and lime, producing an ideal medium for seed sowing and potting. Feeds plants for up to five weeks. Absorbs water easily. Use all around the garden."​

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By Wickes Gardening Team, 09 March 2012​

"Wickes Multipurpose Compost now has a new look and feel, with a new and improved formula. We are confident that when you use this product and see the results you can achieve, you will have a much more positive opinion of it, however, please note that this product is not suitable for planting seeds."​

Just googling Wickes Compost 2012 shows not very happy bunnies.

 

I've taken screenshots of the mis-description and all those complaints together with Wickes' responses just in case anything 'disappears' as I feel Wickes may be heading for a PR disaster on this and wouldn't be surprised if it makes some consumer programme. And I haven't even added my comments to those reviews yet.

But what does it state on the new bags that this compost is suitable for?


P.S. Found another 4 x 75l bags of 'original' at the plot today that I'd forgotten all about.

 

I'm playing around with compost teas ...

one USA site states the following:

Two, find a GOOD source of compost! Ask the compost maker for documentation of the bacteria, fungi, protozoa and nematodes in the compost. If they don’t have the data, they have probably tested, and couldn’t show that their compost really is compost. Lack of data often means they can’t make the grade. You have to have the beneficials in the compost in order to make good tea. You may want to read over the compost section of this website to find out the desired levels of the different organism groups.

I very much doubt that most compost suppliers in the UK would supply this info, as their compost keeps on changing

 

I am glad I got enough for this season from Bq their 125ltr bags are ok so far,would be interested to know if this years stock is the same as they all probably originate from the same source.

Just done a search and looks like b&q dont do their own brand 125ltr with peat they only do verve