miraclegro compost

anybody bought the above compost, and what are your views on it
thanks

 

Well, I bought some last year from homebase (it was 3 bag for £12 then, I think it's 2 for a £10 now), and when I got it home and opened it, it was all moudy inside. Couldn't say whether this was down to homebase or not. Took both bags back and got replacements. But even the replacements wern't too great. There were lots of sticks in the compost.
I had bought some the previous year and was very impressed with it. It had the miracle gro food pods (don't know whether that's the right term, the blue and yellow balls!), but last years had nothing, just hard lumps and sticks.
Suffice to say, I haven't bought any this year.
Hope this helps.

 

I always stick to John Innes No3 bulked up as needed with moss peat, Half these modern composts are all sawdust and a total waste of time.

 

Moss based compost!!................Sawdust?

 

Hi chums. I bought 2 bags of this, and it was the same for me, full of twiggy and fibrous bits in it. I'll wait and see though before I pass final judgement on it. How it performs and not how it looks is the main thing IMO. Cheers...freddy.

 

I recon you pay more for compost with a name like that. I would buy general purpose compost and miraclegrow (which I like) seperately. However I would always add sharp sand for drainage. And if it is for a larger plant I add soil from the garden as well, which effectively makes it a homemade John Innes mix.

I don't worry about the level of feed in the compost too much, as I will be regularly feeding anyway.

 

"I don't worry about the level of feed in the compost too much, as I will be regularly feeding anyway."

I agree with that, otherwise it becomes a nightmare to know what has fertilizer built in, and when it will run out (based on when each plant was potted on ...). Another marketing wheeze I think! Ordinary compost and feed the plants as and when appropriate!

 

Most of these composts are the same, bagged by the same company for different stores, and are just put into differently named bags (at different prices)

 

Interesting.. I have some extra of this. I'd bought some for my grapevine, but I didn't think you could use it as a general compost for veg etc??

I too find the Miracle grow stuff annoying with all the bits in it :skp:

 

"Interesting.. I have some extra of this. I'd bought some for my grapevine, but I didn't think you could use it as a general compost for veg etc?? "

Thats why I bulk it up with moss peat, although you could just as easily use grow bag compost or similar for this, on its own the No3 is a bit gritty for veg but bulked up about 60/40 its perfect.

 

A most Unhelpfully post, If you elaborate then I can reply.

 

Paul - I am not a veg grower, so have never considered what compost to use for veg. I grow mainly perennials that are going to end up in the border - so everything I grow gets potted up in my version of John Innes. I treat them rough as nature is a bit rough anyway (at least it is in Yorkshire :D).

Why would you use more peat for veg. Is it that they need more water retention ?

 

Yes Peter, the No3 alone tends to dry out a bit too quickly.

 

Thanks Paul. You learn every minute on this forum :D.

I have a few things that like lots of water, including some of Walnut's Dats and Brugs, but I am also trying to collect ones that dont need much.

 

i always tend to mix compost with soil from the garden - ie 60% soil 40% compost , sometimes ill use compost from the hanging baskets from the previous year, sometimes ill use manure compost but in the same quantities - and i always use compost when planting veg - since it retains water and also holds feed that i may give the plants, that way the feed stays at the roots of the plant im feeding and not just disperses to the surrounding un occupied soil. I am a true believer in recycling things when it comes to gardening - otherwise gardening becomes expensive and im all for produce from nothing if at all possible.

Just my take on it all - and as someone has stated - compost is compost, its just in another bag with a different name. Ok some have those added balls of feed - but if your really into balls of feed in compost - buy a cheap bag of compost and mix some feed balls into it yourself im sure this way is cheaper than buying compost with those feed balls already put in it by the bagging company.