Peat free compost

Hello All

Bought some peat free compost for the first time this morning - to 'pot up' the honey lily bulbs (3 of the 24 bulbs were covered in green fungus - so I had to throw them away - ).

I was buying the peat free compost as Monty recommends it all the time. I wasn't that impressed to be honest - came out in 'clumps' that took some time to break up and was full of twigs. I suppose its like home made compost.

I do prefer the peat compost - the texture of.

Any views or experiences with regards to both types of compost would be interesting.

Last Gardeners World this Friday - Winter really is here

 

There's a 14 page thread on compost here http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/threads/compost-review-2013.49715/

 

hello Clanless , as Scrungee pointed out we start a good chat about compost on GC around February goes on for over 200 posts every year ! Joking apart its a very useful thread as the quality/ cost of the major suppliers can vary year to year. The thread will advise us on what's good quality and what is not so good. I have never been brave enough to try the peat free stuff , I suppose someday we may all have to.

 

I have never liked the 'peat free' stuff,. I have actually started to use my own leaf mould as compost (after two years it is just perfect .. I think you could eat it ) For fine seeds I still use the peaty stuff ....

 

And there was no need to throw away the bulbs with mould on them. As long as they were firm then all you need to do is sprinkle a little Sulphur dust on them or indeed any power fungicide.

 

I bought some peat free grow bags last year not impressed as mentioned above full of bits but the tomatoes were ok. I have 3 compost heaps one is always 2 years old and usually nice stuff but I have to use it sparingly hence the growbags.

 

Nearly two years on do you think peat-free compost has got any better? I'm contemplating it next year you see. I think I may do a comparison test.

Also I might top up my six raised beds with something like this (peat-free, organic and with manure):

http://www.compostdirect.com/veggie-gold-compost/p4

 

I'm thinking it may have come on quite a bit over the years despite how much people still disregard it.

 

Let us know how you get on nFrost , I have never been brave enough to try it .

 

Will you be trying it for seeds nFrost?

 

But is that only because they have improved from absolute rubbish (my observations), to semi-rubbish?

I still find they stunt/inhibit the growth of everything I grow and now completely avoid them unless using to grow/sell on when I find reduced damaged/end of line bags.

 

Yes that's the plan, I'll compare it to 'normal' compost and see how I get on. Fingers crossed for peat-free!

 

@shiney Where do you get your peat compost, because £14.56 per 300 litres sound cheap to me? Is it because you're buy it in big quantities, 33,000 litres?