Best Supplier Of Compost 2023

Looking at the bag, it looks like it has the 3 month slow release fertiliser incorporated. I was chatting to a retired head gardener from a medium sized grower and he said compost supports the plants, it's nutrients, water, light and heat that make them grow. I told him I was going to incorporate slow release fertiliser into our peat free compost like I do for our commercial composts, he said to focus on the fertiliser we use and I will be on the right track. So, I have a meeting this week with a Yara representative to discuss slow release fertilisers and water retention products.

 

Is my thinking right, that once you add the slow release fertiliser and it gets damp, the clock starts ticking and that compost will have to be used fairly quickly.

I know all compost deteriorates over time if left in the bag, but this seems a bit more critical.

 

It is the same problem for base fertiliser, if the compost is left outside for a long period, it is exposed to all weathers, if the compost gets wet it will leach nutrients. This time of year when huge volumes of compost is sold in a short period of time it is not a problem for a retailer to have compost stocked outside. But most retailers leave compost stocked outside all year round where it could be there for weeks even months, then leaching is an issue. Our new bag design will state on the back, to store in a dry cool place, this is aimed at both the retailer and the general public.

 

When you refer to slow release I was assuming that was something like Osmacote, if so I was under the impression, rightly of wrongly that as soon as it gets damp and the temperature is right it starts releasing the fertiliser.

It's just making me wonder if the compost could actually become over fertilised while in the bag, under certain conditions.

 

Osmocote does work by temperature and is designed more for commercial growers. So if your growing and the temperature is a consistent 19c then it's called "control release". When your using it as an amateur gardening your unlikely to be growing in a controlled temperature environment, especially outside. So if temperatures are cool and below 19c, then the longevity of the fertiliser increases and if it is above 19c it decrease's. Osmocote Pro is sold as 3/4 month 5/6 month and so on, that is based on growing in a more temperature controlled environment.

As manufacturers based in England will be banned from using peat, then the alternatives like composted bark, wood fibre and PAS 100 will be warmer and will continue to decompose, right conditions and the fertiliser can start releasing. Hence why we always have told retailers to store compost under cover, which will be even more important now.

I will have to use more organic materials in the future, we intend to bring in more raw materials sooner, so it can be stored undercover. An extra 2/3 months should be enough resting time and decomposing will have slowed down considerably enough that it does not cause the fertiliser to start releasing.

 

That makes sense to me, it's how nature works when plants are in the ground.

 

I've used this today to pot on some seedlings.



Although chunky compared to peat based it was clean, no bits of metal, glass etc. I tossed out a few small twigs and any lumps broke down easily. It's very open in structure but was easy to work with. The only drawback I've found so far is the lack of water retention, it went straight through the compost and that could be a problem, suggesting the plants will need watering more often.



I'll report back in a couple of weeks on plant progress.

 

This season I have been using mainly "Westland Peat Free Multi-Purpose Compost with John Innes", for seeds in pots, which seems pretty good.

 

Was in B&M this morning and this is what the plants look like when not watered. All these discount stores, supermarkets etc etc that have a no watering policy should be banned from selling plants, what a waste. Bedding plants were £3.50 for a pack of ten, now £3 a pack

 

I was told in Wilko that the company policy was Health & Safety issue of not watering because someone may slipped over.

 

What a waste, and they are all the same, I know the supplier gets paid but the principle is totally wrong.

 

Is that the so called one with BIO3?, whatever that is, I've found that to be the best of the ones I have tried.
Its about the only one I would consider using without adding some other stuff like soil or fertilisers.

 

Yes, that's the one. Unlike rather cheaper ones (e.g. Aldi, Lidl) I have not detected what I consider to be extraneous material, or nasty niffs redolent of sewage. I must write to them and find out what does actually go into it.

 

This was a little test I did using Westland Peat Free Multi-Purpose Compost with John Innes and Clover Moss Peat Compost, both sieved and mixed 50 / 50 with vermiculite.

Peat Free is on the left-hand side.

Admittedly, only a one off test, but I was hoping for better results.

As you can see, much smaller plants from the peat free side with less germination.