Best supplier of Compost 2015/2016

Bought some levington seed compost yesterday. Feels pretty good hardly any twigs.

 

After fungal gnat issues with B & Q's multi-purpose compost last year and the year before, does anyone know whether they've sorted the problem please?

 

Yes, I meant the Verve multi-purpose John. You were lucky! I didn't know they were in the compost until I used it for my houseplants, it's taken me eighteen months to get rid of the gnats indoors.

I've bought the Westland Gro-Sure today to start my seeds off. I bought it at a local nursery and the owner said he uses it for all his seeds and showed me the consistency of it, no rubbish in it that I could see and a good texture. The only draw back is the price, I found it a little expensive at £5.99 for 30 litres and larger bags aren't/weren't available.

While I was there I checked out Murphy's and also Westlands 'Jack Magic' mpc. Although I didn't get to see it I prodded and pushed the soil around in the bag and couldn't feel any debris or lumps. Both for around £6.50 for 150 litres. The nursery owner said they were pretty good for potting on but wouldn't recommend them for seeds/seedlings.

If the prices seem a little excessive to members, I'd like to point out that living here the prices get pushed up because of shipping costs.

 

I used the Verve MPC for most of last year ,it was really good stuff , and I also got some fungus gnats for free ! While I was windowsill gardening during March , I used these Vapona fly killers stuck on the windows. They worked really well
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150591083757

 

The Vapona stickers are a good idea but they don't kill the larvae in the soil. I tried watering in bi-carb but that almost killed the plants as it burnt the roots and it didn't work on the larvae. I also tried changing to a different soil, so I washed all the roots of the plants in the process, still no luck.

The flies were driving me mad, so with one final option and putting the plants at risk, I took all the plants out of their pots, got rid of the soil, washed the roots again and put them all in a bucket of water for three weeks, indoors of course. I then disinfected the pots. It takes two weeks for the flies to die so at the end of the three weeks soaking in a bucket, I bought a different brand of compost and re-potted the plants. Bingo! No more flies and the plants survived.

 

Fungus gnats are a pain in the a*** , annoying little devils. Seems like you had a huge job to get rid of them . Does anyone know of a magic way of getting rid of them ? ( without killing the plant ! ) Is there a magic concoction you can water on which will get rid of the varmints

 

There are chemicals available but they're expensive and not guaranteed to work, which is why I went down the cheaper road as above.

 

I have used Gnat Off - can say that it works but it is £17.95 this year - the sticky traps I am not keen on since it caught a large moth -
Sheal, would the vapona ones stick on the wall do you think (as opposed to window) near where my lights are - which is where the problem is ?

E2A - I will be using B & Q Verve Multi Compost again this year.

S.

 

Provado vine weevil pesticide works

 

Fungus Gnats are usually a sign the compost is too wet and not drying out on the surface before re-watering.
A top dressing of something like grit should get rid of them, but I dont like that much myself, as it then becomes difficult to know when the pots are dry without delving through the grit.

I used to use Malathion, but the ec, (note the small lettering ), have banned that, in their infinite wisdom.

So you could try a drench of anything that might be available at the moment, it will probably be banned before it dries out though.

 

Oh should have said, try watering from the bottom.

 

@sumbody I think the Vapona things would stick to a smoothish surface at £1.89 cheaper than the Gnat Off !
As pete said I do water from the bottom , also luckily this year I do not have a problem with gnats. if I do get a problem I think Spruces Provado may be worth a try.
Maybe two or three of these beauties , roaming free would solve the Gnat problem

 

......I'd rather have gnats!

 

H

I used it late last year , its what the Begonia show people use , and it did work , only used a little in each pot all around the top.