Best and cheapest compost?

Leif

Having seen the Which car review magazine, I no longer trust Which. I've seen some of their camera reviews too, and they seemed iffy. Anyway, don't these composts vary according to what the makers can get hold of? In which case the reviews are unreliable.

Yorkie1

Compost from different brands seems to differ wildly from year to year. One year it may be great; the following year it may riddled with inorganic rubbish (e.g. plastic, glass).

That being said, I always use Clover from my allotment association - it's always done me proud.

The general comments I've heard re. peat-free are that it is rather coarse for seed sowing, and needs extra fertilisers adding for onward planting. The New Horizon peat free compost is well-regarded for growing other than seeds.

sobie

A._Badger wrote: »

Ugh! I've long thought Which? tests.... um.... idiosyncratic... but if they seriously believe that J. Arthur Bowers compost is usable for seed sowing then they must have utterly lost the plot!

20 years ago, JAB was a good reliable product. recent years have seen the anti-peat crusade and general penny-pinching turn it into something I wouldn't even want to use to top-up my raised beds, let alone sow fine seeds in!

Not that this year's B&Q (aka Verve) is much to shout about. As a previous commenter said, it has chunks of wood and other undigested materials in it.

In previous seasons on this forum some people have said the only way to ensure a good mix is to make your own. I've resisted this due to pressure of time but I'm coming round to that point of view. The commercial mixes are becoming unusable.

Nowhere does it say that JAB multipurpose got the which award for seeds - it didn't It got best buy for container compost.

JAB Seed & Cutting compost got the best buy award for seedlings.

Personally I use New Horizon (and JAB Seed & Cutting Or John Innes Seed compost for seeds cuttings & plugs) there is absolutely no need to use Peat for most garden purposes imho.

B&Q used to be manufactured by JAB (when it was good ) don't know who made it the last year or so.

One thing you really need to be aware of this year is that there is shortages of peat, last years wet harvest means that about 30% of stock is available (in comparison to what manufacturers would normally have). So get set for peat based composts to be smaller bag sizes/ more expensive, or simply not available. (In fact I've already got pallets of JAB multipurpose reduced to 56ltrs at my garden centre) If you use a lot of compost I'd recommend stocking up before the changes/ season kicks in.

If you get a bag of compost you are not happy with - complain to the manufacturer - they rely on customer feedback.

A._Badger

sobie wrote: »

Nowhere does it say that JAB multipurpose got the which award for seeds - it didn't It got best buy for container compost. .

Then that is equally facile. I've tried this year's and it is horrible.

As for complaining, yes, I've wasted seeds (and irreplaceable growing time) and got a voucher from the manufacturer, when, a few years years ago, JAB started growing grey mould for no obvious reason.

It didn't seem to have had much of an impact on their quality in subsequent years, judging by the bag I tried it recently.

This time last year ISTR we had a local 'informer' posting on this forum who had a few revealing things to say about JAB.

In passing, I completely disagree with you about peat - as does the veteran garden writer Peter Seabrook, writing in last week's Amateur Gardening. Peat worriers could do a lot worse than listen to the likes of Seabrook, who has a lifetime's experience . We are talking about 8 per cent of an easily renewable; resource in the case of Irish peat., as he explains.

forgotmyname

I used the B&Q peat based stuff for a few years good results, Then one year i didnt buy it and someone else i know did and they said it was rubbish, Nothing grew well at all.

Last year i had good results, Starting the seeds off except than damn seed compost which didnt.. But not much grew well after. Maybe neglect though.

Too many issue crept up last year and poor weather.

rolstherat

mansars wrote: »

In last months Which Gardening they did a test of composts for raising seedings

The top 3 were

J Arthur Bower’s Seed & Cutting Compost 20l Bag 91%

Verve (B&Q) Grow Your Own Growing Bag 27l Bag 91%

Verve (B&Q) Sowing & Cutting Compost 12l Bag 89%



The bottom 3 were




New Horizon Organic & Peat Free Grow Bag 33l Bag 34%

Verve Grow Your Own Peat Free Growing Bag 27l Bag 34%

New Horizon organic & peat free vegetable compost 60l Bag 46%


hth

I prefer the B&Q verve stuff. based on its texture, not very scientific

Leif

A._Badger wrote: »

We are talking about 8 per cent of an easily renewable; resource in the case of Irish peat., as he explains.

The figure for peat deposition is generally given as 1mm per year, giving 10cm in a century and 1m in 1,000 years. Peat bogs host unusual and rare flora and fauna, which is why, in the UK, organisations such as the RSPB buy land in Scotland to protect it from forestation and peat cutting. There was a trend for rich people including Terry Wogan to buy Scottish peat bogs and plant conifers for profit.

Much of the arguments put forward by the peat industry are playing with statistics, and marketing. In some countries peat extraction is destroying valuable habitats for wildlife, as was the case in the UK before people realised what was happening. Of course it is possible that in some cases peat extraction is sustainable, or at least less damaging than other activities such as forestation or industrialisation.

A._Badger

Leif wrote: »

The figure for peat deposition is generally given as 1mm per year, giving 10cm in a century and 1m in 1,000 years. Peat bogs host unusual and rare flora and fauna, which is why, in the UK, organisations such as the RSPB buy land in Scotland to protect it from forestation and peat cutting. There was a trend for rich people including Terry Wogan to buy Scottish peat bogs and plant conifers for profit.

I take it you haven't read Seabrook on the subject? He's been writing about the peat hysteria with increasing angst for the past 20 years or so (when the peat worriers began their campaign). I suggest you at least consider his well-researched views..

As he says, Ireland burns 92 per cent of the peat it uses and is quite happy to carry on selling the tiny 8 per cent to horticulturalists that many like to use. Much the same is true of Eastern European suppliers.

No one is suggesting digging-up the Somerset levels. We are talking about continuing to use a commodity we need with a product a supplier actively wants to sell us.

Leif

A._Badger wrote: »

I take it you haven't read Seabrook on the subject? He's been writing about the peat hysteria with increasing angst for the past 20 years or so (when the peat worriers began their campaign). I suggest you at least consider his well-researched views..

These people you call peat worriers were responding to a very real concern, namely the destruction of valuable habitats. It was a very real issue. A related issue is limestone pavements, which were being broken up for use in gardens and elsewhere.

I have read some of Seabrook's writing, and just because a celebrity says something does not make it true. I have not seen evidence for some of his claims.

A._Badger wrote: »

As he says, Ireland burns 92 per cent of the peat it uses and is quite happy to carry on selling the tiny 8 per cent to horticulturalists that many like to use. Much the same is true of Eastern European suppliers.

No one is suggesting digging-up the Somerset levels. We are talking about continuing to use a commodity we need with a product a supplier actively wants to sell us.

Actually drainage of the Somerset Levels is a serious problem.

The problem with peat is that I see no way to know where the peat comes from. Does it come from an area where little or no damage is caused, or is it a beautiful pristine wilderness known for wildlife?

And the fact that a country burns peat does not mean anything. It just means they burn peat.

A._Badger

Leif wrote: »

These people you call peat worriers were responding to a very real concern, namely the destruction of valuable habitats. It was a very real issue. A related issue is limestone pavements, which were being broken up for use in gardens and elsewhere.

I have read some of Seabrook's writing, and just because a celebrity says something does not make it true. I have not seen evidence for some of his claims. .

That's pretty banal. Seabrook is a hugely respected horticultural journalist with a lifetime's experience. Simply trying to brush his views aside as being just those of a 'celebrity' is ridiculous.

Leif wrote: »

The problem with peat is that I see no way to know where the peat comes from. Does it come from an area where little or no damage is caused, or is it a beautiful pristine wilderness known for wildlife?

Irish peat is under the oversight of an Irish semi-state run body, the Bord na Mona. It says where it comes from on the bag.

Leif wrote: »

And the fact that a country burns peat does not mean anything. It just means they burn peat.

Why not let the Irish decide? They have already invested heavily in reclamation and renewables. I'm sure they can do without being lectured by sanctimonious British 'Greens'