Best supplier of compost 2024

But you are using your own commercial compost I'm assuming.
The stuff we buy from most garden centres is likely to be a lower standard, perhaps, and made to a price rather than quality.

 

Yes, but we are still having some of the same issues, mainly with plants that can't tolerate over watering though.

Why did a commercial grower have good success with most of their bedding, but poor results with their bedding begonias. With bedding begonias being grown in 4 cells compared to the 9 cells for the other bedding, you could say it was the water retention in the 4 cells as there is more volume of compost. If they had grown the begonias in 9 cells, which they will never do, I doubt they would of had the same issue.

Going forward, seed sowing might have to be in small modules to prevent over watering, the greater the volume of compost, then we are literally drowning them.

 

There probably will be but I doubt it will be available to the retail sector. I have and still do make compost with no nutrients for a few growers, the only thing that is added, lime. Where i get my peat from in Estonia, they offer PH adjusted peat, not only in the big 6 cube bales but they also offer it in there 225L,300L and 350L bales.

I have bagged 70L bags of PH adjusted peat in the past for a grower, not an issue but I would not do it for the retail sector if they only want a bag or two, there would need to be a minimum requirement.

 

I've just received a bag of Westland multipurpose compost from Amazon and on opening it, it's got a really horrible smell that I can only describe as "chemical". Could it be to do with how it's been stored by the seller?

I've never had compost smell like this and it's made me not want to use it, it just smells wrong!

Anyone else experienced this with shop bought compost?

 

Never had an odd smell before. I guess it could be very old stock and a long time bagged up has caused it to deteriorate. Tricky to send it back, but I would tell the seller about the problem.

 

Thanks, same here, never had a bag smell like this. Think I'll tape it up and put it in the shed until I can think of how to dispose of it!

Yes, I've informed the Seller. So annoying, I'm only a 10 minute drive from a great independent garden centre but I don't drive! Ah well.

 

I see the attraction of getting it online if you don't drive ... or find the bags a bit heavy to womanhandle. Sainsbury's stocks it, but I don't know if it is eligible for home delivery with groceries. Possibly not.

 

I just need to be more organised and make sure I get plenty of bags when I get a lift to the garden centre.

I should know by now I always use more than I think I will! ‍

 

I am very lucky - my milkman delivers compost.

 

Ooh, that's a point. I used to get occasional deliveries from the milkman at my old address. I'll have see if I can do that here. Thanks!

 

Was the compost, peat free?

For compost to have a chemical kind of smell suggests it is peat free with probably a percentage of green waste, which has went anaerobic. During commercial composting, it is important to get oxygen into the mix to stop the mix going anaerobic, when this happens the compost can smell like rotten eggs or a chemical smell, sulphur.

I purchased 26 tonnes of PAS100 composted green waste last year, so to add a percentage of it with coir and and wood fibre to make peat free compost. I put the PAS100 into one of our large polytunnels and after 2 weeks I turned it over. After about 15 minutes my eyes were watering and I ended up with a bouncing headache.

I actually will not touch PAS100 now, the smell and the carbon that it was still releasing suggest to me, that even there was an ample period of time allowed for composting, there was not enough time allowed for the curing and stable phase.

 

Yes, it's peat free.

I opened the bag up again yesterday and the smell hit me again so I've taped it up and stuck it in the shed.

I wouldn't describe the smell like sulphur. It put me in mind of paint stripper or something like that. As you say, made my eyes water.

Bit worrying, isn't it?

 

Best compost by far for growing is the Vitax 6x stuff. A lot of independent nurseries use this commercially. Combined with the Vitax fertiliser. it's awesome I also use their chicken pellets.

 

Yes! I got a bag of Vitax basket and container compost a couple of months ago from the local nursery. I'd not heard of it before, but was very impressed.

 

Suspect that its ammonia, from such as chicken pellet/manure added as nutrient. Would open in well ventilated space and soak before use (see instructions ?) Once ventilated it should be fine for potting etc. (Not seeding in enclosed propagator though !)