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Home > Archive > UK gardening > February 2008 > Potting composts
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| Therefore 2008-02-10, 1:25 pm |
| Hello can you help
What is the best multipurpose compost that I can buy from the garden shops.
I am unable to find anything that does not dry out, or gets waterlogged , is
it the composts, or me.
all help appreciated
...............Leslie
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| Robert \(Plymouth\) 2008-02-10, 1:25 pm |
|
"Therefore" <therefore@sciencefiction.com> wrote in message
news:618mbcF1sn2s6U1@mid.individual.net...
> Hello can you help
>
> What is the best multipurpose compost that I can buy from the garden
> shops.
>
> I am unable to find anything that does not dry out, or gets waterlogged ,
> is it the composts, or me.
>
> all help appreciated
>
> ...............Leslie
I like the b and q one that is a peat based mixed with John Innes. Used to
mix it myself but now I use theirs
--
Robert Brimacombe
Secretary
Rowdens Reservoir Allotments Association
www.rraa.moonfruit.com
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| David in Normandy 2008-02-10, 1:25 pm |
| Therefore says...
> Hello can you help
>
> What is the best multipurpose compost that I can buy from the garden shops.
>
> I am unable to find anything that does not dry out, or gets waterlogged , is
> it the composts, or me.
>
> all help appreciated
>
> ...............Leslie
>
>
>
>
I buy cheapo multi-purpose compost but mix about 30% of
sharp sand into it. If you are unfortunate enough to have
any moles, one benefit is the hills which consist of fine
soil. This can also be mixed with some sharp sand to give a
good potting compost. However, for seeds best to use a
reasonable quality compost - some of the cheaper ones tend
to go mouldy for some reason which encourages the seedlings
to damp off.
--
David in Normandy. DavidinNormandy@yahoo.fr
To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the
subject line, or it will be automatically deleted.
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| Therefore <therefore@sciencefiction.com> writes
>Hello can you help
>
>What is the best multipurpose compost that I can buy from the garden shops.
>
>I am unable to find anything that does not dry out, or gets waterlogged , is
>it the composts, or me.
>
>all help appreciated
It's partly you ;-)
All composts will get waterlogged if the drainage is not adequate. Make
sure all your containers have drainage holes.
All composts will eventually get dry if not watered. But some (the peat
based or coir based) are more difficult to get wet again. It helps if
you stand your container on a saucer or tray to catch the water that
runs straight through - you can then water it and let it stand in the
water in the tray for a few hours until the water has been soaked back
up.
A lot of people prefer to avoid peat based composts on environmental
grounds, peat being a rapidly declining habitat. So that leaves loam
based composts or peat free ones based on coir or other substances
(though I gather there are concerns about coir because of the
transportation costs).
If you go peat free, soilless, the Arthur Bowers New Horizon has a good
reputation.
--
Kay
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| Stuart Noble 2008-02-10, 1:25 pm |
| K wrote:
> Therefore <therefore@sciencefiction.com> writes
>
> It's partly you ;-)
>
> All composts will get waterlogged if the drainage is not adequate. Make
> sure all your containers have drainage holes.
>
> All composts will eventually get dry if not watered. But some (the peat
> based or coir based) are more difficult to get wet again. It helps if
> you stand your container on a saucer or tray to catch the water that
> runs straight through - you can then water it and let it stand in the
> water in the tray for a few hours until the water has been soaked back up.
>
> A lot of people prefer to avoid peat based composts on environmental
> grounds, peat being a rapidly declining habitat. So that leaves loam
> based composts or peat free ones based on coir or other substances
> (though I gather there are concerns about coir because of the
> transportation costs).
>
> If you go peat free, soilless, the Arthur Bowers New Horizon has a good
> reputation.
I think gen purpose compost is usually too compressed to be used as it
comes in the bag. Mixing in sharp sand is probably the easiest way to
break it down and make it more uniform.
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| Dave Hill 2008-02-10, 5:25 pm |
| On 10 Feb, 18:42, Stuart Noble <stuart_nobleNOS...@ntlworld.com>
wrote:
> K wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
at[color=darkred]
p.[color=darkred]
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> I think gen purpose compost is usually too compressed to be used as it
> comes in the bag. Mixing in sharp sand is probably the easiest way =A0to
> break it down and make it more uniform.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
B & Q Multipurpous, Seived then add about 10% pearlite (More if you
want it for seeds) then you can add some loam if you want, and coars
sand or grit.
If you are gouin to use mole hill soil then cooking it in the
microwave first helps kill off the nasties it contains.
David Hill
Abacus Nurseries
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| Dave Hill 2008-02-10, 5:25 pm |
| On 10 Feb, 21:24, Dave Hill <da...@abacus-nurseries.co.uk> wrote:
> On 10 Feb, 18:42, Stuart Noble <stuart_nobleNOS...@ntlworld.com>
> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
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e[color=darkred]
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peat[color=darkred]
up.[color=darkred]
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> B & Q Multipurpous, Seived then add about 10% pearlite (More if you
> want it for seeds) then you can add some loam if you want, and coars
> sand or grit.
> If you are gouin to use mole hill soil then cooking it in the
> microwave first helps kill off the nasties it contains.
> David Hill
> Abacus Nurseries- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
I should have added that the 150 litr bale is good value esp if bought
on a Wed with over 60 discount
David Hill
Abacus Nurseries
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| Stuart Noble 2008-02-11, 9:25 am |
| Dave Hill wrote:
> On 10 Feb, 18:42, Stuart Noble <stuart_nobleNOS...@ntlworld.com>
> wrote:
>
> B & Q Multipurpous, Seived then add about 10% pearlite (More if you
> want it for seeds) then you can add some loam if you want, and coars
> sand or grit.
> If you are gouin to use mole hill soil then cooking it in the
> microwave first helps kill off the nasties it contains.
> David Hill
> Abacus Nurseries
I can't get on with perlite. I seemed to be forever sweeping it up.
Apart from the weight aspect, it doesn't seem to offer any advantage
over sand. Probably missing something (again)
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| GemBio 2008-02-23, 5:25 pm |
| We use a multipurpose, somtimes a plain base diluted home made. The home
made stuff is pretty concentrated. Depending on the plant we'll mix it
down with sand/etc to whatevers needed.
Therefore <therefore@sciencefiction.com> wrote:
> Hello can you help
>
> What is the best multipurpose compost that I can buy from the garden shops.
>
> I am unable to find anything that does not dry out, or gets waterlogged , is
> it the composts, or me.
>
> all help appreciated
>
> ...............Leslie
--
Gemini Bioscapes
Plants & more on Ebay
http://tinyurl.com/hi6g
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| David in Normandy 2008-02-24, 1:25 pm |
| Martin says...
> In the Netherlands there are warnings about the rising number of legionella
> cases caught by people visiting garden centres
>
I'm intrigued. How do they catch it from garden centres?
--
David in Normandy. DavidinNormandy@yahoo.fr
To e-mail you must include the password FROG on the
subject line, or it will be automatically deleted.
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| Martin 2008-02-24, 1:25 pm |
| On Sun, 24 Feb 2008 19:16:08 +0100, David in Normandy <DavidinNormandy@yahoo.fr>
wrote:
>Martin says...
>I'm intrigued. How do they catch it from garden centres?
From the water in the sprays, similar to the way you can catch it from showers
in swimming pools and clubs etc.
--
Martin
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