Wickes GP compost 2012

Opened the Verve stuff today and that is decent quality so I may just stick with that for now.

 

If you don't handle the Verve bags carefully they'll open themselves. Drop them on the ground in a stack, throw them in the boot and they split at the seams.

 

I bought a diddy little bag (20 ltrs) of GRANDIOL Seed and Cutting compost from Lidyls a month ago. Its smashing stuff -dark and rich like a good chocolate from Trinidad. Cost - 99p! Its on offer again this week. Recommended for precious little plants,
Jenny namaste

 

Yeah in Lidls today, 99p 20Lt seed and potting compost, very dark, rich and almost like used coffee grounds, smells earthy Three pallets, two empty and the last one about sixty bags on it

I will post my question as a new thread


Jack McHammocklashing

 

I bought 4 bags of peat-free at Wickes this morning and it seems OK - reasonable compared with other P-F I have bought. Even better when cut with a bit of sharp sand and perlite. £13 for 240 litres.

I would have liked 2 bags of the peaty (which was in 70 litre bags) and two bags of the peat-free but that is Not Possible, due to the complexities of Wickes' stock control arrangements. So I wrestled with my conscience which won, on this occasion, and bought 4 bags of peat-free.

Lidl's compost sounds goodc, still works out as cheap as anything and in easy to carry home amounts.

 

What size Perlite do folk use? I have 2-5mm which I used for cuttings, but its quite rough for potting on small plants (up to say 3" / 9cm pots)

 

I did not know they sold perlite in actual stone sizes, so I just bought what was on offer at HomeBase, Managed to get four bags at quarter price due to the package fadeing and last summer stock

Could you not just crush the 5mm with a rolling pin on a marble kitchen board for smaller seedlings ?
Or can you not use Vermiculite ? ( err no vermiculite does not retain water Jack)

Jack McH

 

Lots of things I read that say to add Perlite for improved drainage say "or Vermiculite". I've never used Vermiculite for that, but mine seems to hold water (well, in the bag at least, but I suppose Perlite does too ... so "I don't know"). I only use Vermiculite to "drizzle" onto seeds to cover them until germinated, particularly slow germinating ones as it cuts down the amount of green algae muck that grows on the surface, and is light enough for tiny seedlings to push out of the way, and (I think) allows enough light to get through for seeds that need light to germinate.

I have a feeling that last time I bought Perlite I got a bag with a different size ... I ought to look in the shed really!!

 

I have just noticed something interesting to me with vermiculite

The seeds I had planted SHIRLEY were there but not showing and some of the other seeds had germinated but not grown up
I had sprinkled vermiculite on them, and actually the ones that had not seemed to germinate had two pieces of vermiculite on the top of the two seedling leaves
I knocked them off with a toothpick and they sprang up about quarter of an inch high ?

So maybe vermiculite is like two boulders on their shoulders where fine soil would drop off ?

Jack McH

 

I saw those a few days ago - they've re-printed the product signage, but it's not suitable for more than just seed sowing. According to the product information on their website the new stuff is "Suitable for cuttings, window boxes, hanging baskets and outdoor planting". Previously is was stated to be suitable for potting up (seedlings, small plants, etc.), The terrible reviews on their website continue http://www.wickes.co.uk/invt/200246..._source=RatingsAndReviews&utm_content=Default My concern is that it appears we'll only get the 'good stuff' back after all this new rubbishy stuff has been sold. Is anybody here going to buy any from them this year?

 

Shiney I bought westland MCP two weeks ago it had the little wood chips in it like the Wickes compost . Just used some B n Q MCP seems fine so I'll stick with them .

 

I don't think my seedlings, in either this year of previous year or two, have got away anything like as well as they used to. Melons have really struggled, cucumbers died (common occurrence and definitely my fault for over watering, but lack of drainage in the current compost is probably contributing). My coleus are glacially slow since pricking out - I know they are tiny seed, & seedlings and thus slow, but they are under grow lamps during the night and ought to be doing better I reckon.

I think I may have to look to something better in future ...

I've been using J Arthur Bowers Multi Purpose for years (as that is what my local garden centre sells, and I grab the 4-for-3 offers when they come around (currently 4-for-3 on 56L bags for £13)