[Lardman]

I've blamed everything for my poor results this year so I thought Id try a little comparison.

I started with 2 Dorset Naga plants, both raised from seed in exactly the same conditions - 1 was potted on in West+ Compost the other in B&Q Growbag compost.

Both have been kept in greenhouse, with the pots next to each other.

After 10 days even with my poor camera skills you can start to see a difference. What you can't see unfortunately is the yellowing on the leaves of the B&Q plant.

[8doubles]

The B & Q multi got a good write up in Which magazine as the best seed compost but seed composts are not very rich in nutrients and need to be fed if you are growing on in them so the yellowing leaves just mean the plants have grown fast and used it all up.
A bit of BFB should bring the colour back.

[DavidT]

Lardman growbags have very little nutrient compared to a specialist compost. So I am not surprised at your findings. Use B&Q COMPOST if you are doing a comparison.

[Lardman]

Lardman growbags have very little nutrient compared to a specialist compost. So I am not surprised at your findings. Use B&Q COMPOST if you are doing a comparison.

I do have a Naga in MP but it wasn't potted on at the same time - it has displayed exactly the same poor growth habits. 

I've used both B&Q MP & B&Q growbags this year, and if theres any difference between the contents I'll eat a bag ! I will however stuff another Naga in MP so the test is 'fair'.

A bit of BFB should bring the colour back.

But I shouldn't have to - the plants certainly aren't pot bound, those are flower buckets. I would expect any growing medium to have enough nutrients to support the initial development of the plants - this simply isn't the case.

I would never normally feed peppers until they have set fruit and certainly not less than a fortnight from potting on into 10/15litre? pots.

Its been said before, this years budget (its far from cheap) compost is little more than whatever rubbish they can find stuffed in a bag. Its just ballast for the pots.

edit : Having just checked.

The growbags instructions are "Feed when fruit appear" and the MP "Sufficient nutrients to sustain healthy growth for 6 weeks".

Cobblers !

[Christine]

Too many people wanting compost because they have jumped on the grow your own bandwagon is at the root of your problems sir. As suppliers can't keep up with demand they are stuffing far too many sweepings or badly composted items in bags and selling it as compost.

[diggerjoe]

I purchased a couple of bags of Arthur Bowers from the site shop last week and its the best compost I have had in years rich and dark and not a lump in site and it cost less than shop bought! I would love to use this next year at home for starting off but not sure I would get a bag in my trolley unless i did it bit by bit.

[Lardman]

Well this is interesting (if you need to get out more like me )

Despite clearly giving the plant a better start the West+ isn't looking so good any more.

[Livinhope]

I purchased a couple of bags of Arthur Bowers from the site shop last week and its the best compost I have had in years rich and dark and not a lump in site and it cost less than shop bought! I would love to use this next year at home for starting off but not sure I would get a bag in my trolley unless i did it bit by bit.

This is odd.  I bought a couple of bags of Arthur Bowyers, finishing the last one now.  There were lumps of what looked like fairly fresh horse poo, bits of coal-like substance, twigs, fibre, and some very dodgy looking stuff I wouldn't like to guess at.  Also bits of plastic and a piece of glass.