Value for money compost

glaw5

Hi, hope this hasn't been posted elsewhere this year. I'm looking for some cheap multipurpose compost to start my seeds off.

Last year I used a lot of the Asdam compost to good effect and it was the best value for money compost I could find.

But this year's compost from Asda doesn't seem quite so good and wondered if anyone could recommend the cheapest quality stuff they use.

Thanks,

Gareth

ukbill69

I found the best was the stuff the council takes in your brown bins, might be different colour in Scotland, the bin with all green stuff like grass cuttings in. Search your local council site and they should tell you where you can buy it. I buy mine from local farm shop.

A._Badger

glaw5 wrote: »

Hi, hope this hasn't been posted elsewhere this year. I'm looking for some cheap multipurpose compost to start my seeds off.

Last year I used a lot of the Asdam compost to good effect and it was the best value for money compost I could find.

But this year's compost from Asda doesn't seem quite so good and wondered if anyone could recommend the cheapest quality stuff they use.

Thanks,

Gareth

B&Q's multipurpose is usually a reasonable bet. Don't compromise too far. Poor quality compost will cost you more in heartache than you could possibly save.

Optimisticpair

I agree with A Badger, B&Q multi-purpose compost 3 x70 Litre bags for £10 is good value. I've sifted it for covering seed sown in pots and trays and used it for early spuds all are doing well.

ruby1968_2

Hi

wilkinsons have an offer on at the moment @80p per bag, I just started growing veg myself and have great sucess with this one, my neighbour also uses it and works for her too, also have tried b&q value seems fine too.

annedunlop

Hi,
someone gave me a bag of Miracle Grow compost and I thought all others would be the same, so I was quite concerned when I got a B&Q bag, to find lots of 'bits' in it. Found the same with a bag from Homebase I got today, so am I right in assuming it's ok to have bits and is it worth paying extra for the Miracle Grow compost, which I have to say to this complete novice, certainly seems a lot better?
Ta,
Rosie

A._Badger

annedunlop wrote: »

Hi,
someone gave me a bag of Miracle Grow compost and I thought all others would be the same, so I was quite concerned when I got a B&Q bag, to find lots of 'bits' in it. Found the same with a bag from Homebase I got today, so am I right in assuming it's ok to have bits and is it worth paying extra for the Miracle Grow compost, which I have to say to this complete novice, certainly seems a lot better?
Ta,
Rosie

It really depends what the bits are! Last year, some gardeners reported finding bits of wood and plastic in compost - and I've even found glass in a couple of cases!

Ideally, compost should be of an even consistency, but a few lumpy bits won't matter for potting and growing-on - after all, plants grow in the soil where there are all sorts of different sized particles, often including quite large stones.

Where you can get a problem is when sowing seeds - especially fine ones. The answer here is to buy a garden sieve and sieve the compost before use.

Hope that's some help.

LJM

i have just recently had to buy some more and oh got me b&q last year i didnt think much of it so was a bit wary but this year it is in my opinion very good better than the stuff i bought from lidls when it was on offer a while back

glaw5

Thanks for all the advice. I went to B&Q and trying the peat free stuff. Certainly smells like it'll do the trick! Anyone else tried the peat free stuff?

pookiewn

I use it all the time, it's nice compost - have used it for sewing seeds to planting out. All seem happy!

PaggleHam

Can't recommend Focus Peat Free Compost. They had it on a 3 for 2 at what I thought was a bargain price but the quality is poor, I find the odd bit of plastic in it and I'm having to feed the plants extra to keep them going.