Best Supplier Of Compost 2023

Discussion in 'Compost, Fertilisers & Recycling' started by wiseowl, Jan 1, 2023.

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If You Had A Choice Of Compost Which Of These Are You Likely To Prefer?

  1. 1: 100% peat based compost

    14 vote(s)
    51.9%
  2. 2: peat reduced compost 50/50

    6 vote(s)
    22.2%
  3. 3: peat free

    7 vote(s)
    25.9%
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  1. gks

    gks Total Gardener

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    Households in Ireland would burn on average between 10 to 13 tons of peat annually. When you then take into account as many as 1 in 7 households burnt peat for heat, then burning peat for domestic heat is estimated to be over a million tonnes annually.

    The ban on peat in the UK will make no difference to climate change, some of the largest deposits of peat are in the tropical rain forests and scientist's have underestimated how much carbon is below the ground.

    Russia is home to the largest deposits of peat, the Siberian lowland is home to 60 billion tonnes of peat, a huge carbon sink. But it is also known as the Siberian petroleum basin due to large deposits of gas and oil. Scientists assumed the largest peat lands were in northern hemisphere yet 10 years ago nobody knew of peat lands in the Congo basin. The cuvette centrale peatlands is supposed to be the second largest peat deposit in the world and they are intending to drain an area of it to drill for oil, there could be enough oil to quadruple their oil reserves.

    Colossal peat bog discovered in Congo - BBC News

    In Congo, a carbon sink like no other risks being carved up for oil (mongabay.com)
     
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    • pete

      pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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      Well had a bit of a wander and couldn't find moss peat but came home with this.
      Composted bark, I've only ever come across bark before, but this is smaller and patially rotted.
      I was think it should be acidic and not contain any artificial fertiliser, might be good for adding to compost to open it up and improve drainage.
      Might be good for making up orchid compost.
      DSC03810.JPG DSC03811.JPG
       
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      • trogre

        trogre Gardener

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        Popped into Morrison’s today for some shopping and they are selling Levingtond peat free MPC without John Innes 3 bags of 50L for £12. I did not buy any but a bag with a tear in it was enough to see it look nice & dark. As one of the members pointed out it is not what it looks like that determines if it is any good but what is added to compost.

        Must admit never worried about bits of wood small stones etc as when I plant plants in border it is full of all sorts and never seems to make any difference. I will no doubt buy wickes 100L bags for my pots & baskets as seem to get general good reviews. Then again I am torn between the 100L bags which are too heavy or their 50L peat free which is more manageable and works out cheaper.

        I have for years used Wilko seed & cutting compost and always found it excellent to use and it seems even better this year.
         
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        • pete

          pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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          Just come back from B&Q, I was buying paint, but noticed they are selling 3 50ltr bags of Verve peat free for £18
           
        • wiseowl

          wiseowl Admin Staff Member

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          Good afternoon I went to my local the other day Garden Centre where they had at a special price £3.50p per 50 Litre bag purchased 6 bags I don't know what its like as I haven't used it before:smile:

          Jack’s Magic All Purpose Compost 50:50 is a new and improved blend now enriched with BIO3, our revolutionary new peat alternative. The new and improved formulation not only looks different, but performs differently too. This makes it our most sustainable Jack’s yet – but with even bigger and better results.

          Jack’s Magic All Purpose Compost 50:50 is still a gardener’s favourite.

          • New and improved blend – enriched with BIO3
          • Stronger roots, more flowers and foliage
          • Great for use all around the garden
          • Perfect for seed sowing*, potting, planting and containers
          • Still great magical results
          Jack’s Magic New and Improved blend is now enriched with BIO3, our revolutionary new peat free alternative. This new blend now looks different, but also performs differently resulting in bigger and better results.

          [​IMG]

          Screenshot 2023-04-21 122033.png
           
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          • infradig

            infradig Total Gardener

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            IMHO thats more than its worth!! Its the absolute worst I have ever seen.
             
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            • Spruce

              Spruce Glad to be back .....

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              thats another brand I cant find for sale by me ... I like this as well
               
            • Spruce

              Spruce Glad to be back .....

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              it stinks lol as well
               
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              • gks

                gks Total Gardener

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                We have used the very same bark to mix in with our compost, we call it bark fines and is also known as arb fines, to expensive from that supplier now for us. We used to use at a ratio of 70% peat and 30% bark fines, never had an issue.
                 
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                • gks

                  gks Total Gardener

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                  I have been looking for some alternative suppliers of composted green waste and bark fine suppliers as my current supplier has been letting me down lately. It has not been easy, some do not have enough, echoing what I have been saying about biomass and some are just asking stupid money for trade.

                  Anyways, I came across this site that lists who are composting green waste to PAS 100 and have a certificate. Just zoom in on the map to see if there is anyone local to you, then google the supplier to see if they have a website or contact details.

                  Overview - CCS (qualitycompost.org.uk)

                  I now have a few contacts that I am going to follow up. I actually had my son call into one green waste company in Northumberland today which they sent back a sample. I was impressed with the sample and will be planning to visit the site myself next week with the other few that are within close proximity but also in price, between £8 and £16 per cube.

                  The site might be of interest to some of you if your looking at filling raised beds or wanting a soil conditioner.

                  Of the ones I plan to visit, I put the postcode of the site in to google maps to see an aerial view of the site. The rows of green waste make it worth me following it up, plus they are all farmers who are shredding the green waste mainly to go back on the land.
                   
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                  • gks

                    gks Total Gardener

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                    This is the sample of green waste that they sent and has passed through a 10mm trommel screen. I would sell it as it is as a soil conditioner but for compost I will be blending 50/50 with coir.

                    sample.jpg
                     
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                    • shiney

                      shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                      One of those sites on the map is not too far from me and I'll look in there if passing. It's a well known local garden centre and organic fruit and veg farm. The organic fruit and veg shop has been there for years but the garden centre is much more recent.
                       
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                      • pete

                        pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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                        There appears to be one near me but if it's sold by the cubic metre and they don't deliver i might have problems getting it in to the back of the Focus .;)
                         
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                        • HarryS

                          HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

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                          I am using Jacks Magic with BIO3 (?). I can buy 50L bags at £4.99 at a nursery 6 miles away. Local GC's are charging £9 !! My pricked out seedlings and plug plants seem to be progressing fine. Must admit like the majority on here I find the peat versus peat free variants quite confusing. As every bag of compost guarantees spectacular results! To keep it simple I am just using Jacks magic this year and keeping my fingers crossed.:dunno:
                           
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                          • pete

                            pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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                            I've got the ordinary Westland compost with BIO3, I've not opened it yet, but i had some towards the end of last year which I used and found grew things quite well and over a reasonable amount of time before feeding.
                             
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