COMPOST REVIEW 2013

Tried a few composts in my first year of proper gardening this year.

Got some cheapo stuff from Poundstretcher, lots of hard twigs (longest was about 20cm) and bits of plastic like the line off a strimmer or bits of crisp packets.

Then got some cheapo Wilko's stuff, pretty rubbish as it held no moisture and looked pretty woody/strawy.

Finally thought sod it and bought some Erin Excel MPC for £3.99 with reduced peat, looks much better and it holding moisture VERY well. Have only found two bits of root in the bag so far. (Bought from a GC in Cott if you're reading Loli)

I've decided to not go cheap went it comes to compost now, I think it might have contributed to my poor germination rates. Certainly didn't help!

 

I seriously wonder if I should make my own next year. Just add some Sand to my compost heap (assuming that I will get the proportions reasonably right, something along the lines of JI #1). I've used compost-heap for all potting-up of Dahlias and Cannas this season (with no added sand or anything else) and that was fine - and saved a bob or two.

I saw a comparison of different composts (can't remember where/when, it was probably something like Beechgrove on BBC Scotland) and there was a staggering difference in plant sizes between Best / Worst performers ... worth having a go at getting it right.

If *Dim* was here he'd be telling us to use Bat Guano, Worm Cast compost and the like ... he may well be right but I'm not that keen on the cost given that I chug through between 3 and 4 tonnes of the stuff a year ...

 

3 or 4 years ago (I haven't gardened properly for a few years due to illness) hubby completely emptied and bagged up my two bins. He put it all in builders bags - semi-opaque - stacked and covered with a tarpaulin. They have stayed there all this time - and when I looked at them they were green - upset I said the bags were letting the light in and the weeds had grown. How wrong was I ? It was the bags green not the compost. He used a couple of bags to fill the holes in the greenhouse bases this year and it is beautiful stuff - have mixed some with my purchased stuff to pot up the larger plants - only problem now he won't let me have any more as he wants to repair the lawn with it in the Autumn.

S

 

Hello chums

I was wondering, what exactly is the problem with compost that has a load of twiggy bits in it? I can understand that for seed sowing it's not ideal, but for potting purposes? Is it that it doesn't hold nutrient?

 

Good question Freddy I was thinking the same . We add sharp sand or perlite to MPC too make it more open. Do sticks and the other lumpy bits in compost not do the same

 

After the Wickes debacle of last year (such a shame as that used to be the best MPC on the market) I've tried allsorts since. For general potting up I'm happy with Asda's 'professional' MPC at 3 bags for £10, it is slightly fibrous with soft grassy material but there are no twigs or anything and when mixed with vermiculite/perlite it makes a nice mix, well one that I'm happy with and getting good results.

In the garden for planting and mulching or general soil improvement I use my own compost out of my compost bins.

For more seed sowing this year I've used Westland's John Innes seed compost and can't fault it, excellent germination rates and healthy seedlings. I then transplant seedlings to Westland's John Innes Young Plant compost which is an excellent soft and fluffy compost giving the seedlings a great transition before going into the general MPC mix

 

I have a theory! The old grey matter was ticking over whilst I was potting on some of my tomatoes today into there final buckets.

Yes, many of us have complained this year that plants are at least four weeks behind, but I don't think it's just the weather. Having tipped the tomatoes out of their interim pots (which I don't normally use) I noticed there was next to no root growth although the plants look healthy. Right, the theory is that B&Q's Verve (peat) multi purpose is to blame. We all know that compost has not been good and I'm wondering whether there's almost a total lack of nutrients in what we have been using. The lack of root and top growth suggests this is the issue. It's not only with my tomatoes but right across the spectrum of plants that I've grown.

What do other members think, not only with Verve but other brands as well?

 

My opinion is that to be able to "rate" one compost against another you need to grow several plants, in each type of compost, side-by-side ... its a bit hard to get any "data" that is comparable otherwise.

I have been adding Perlite to the MPC that I use for several years now ... probably since the Reduced Peat thing started ... but I have not idea if the two are linked, or whether I just tried it a few years back and decided that it worked better for me

 

Last year I was in contact with Homebase regarding their compost (which was exactly the same as the Wickes ones I bought) - Afterwards I did contact them with an email comparing their compost with the Verve B & Q (although I planted the verve later - but the difference was clear - in the event even the Verve did badly with the weather to be fair) Here are the two photos:

First one Homebase which had Garden Pearl - 5 plants in a 15 litre bucket


And B & Q - which might have had more than 5 as by the time I planted I was desperate and panicking - but the root systems on the B & Q were much better than the Homebase


S