[Goosegirl]

Just thought I would share with you what Which? has just judged to be Best Buys. For seeds and young plants Verve multi-purpose peat-free comes out top but get the 12 litre bag as other bag sizes are a different formulation and not yet tested. Next are Levingtons Original (but peat-based), Westlands Jack's Magic (peat-based and best for seeds) then Westlands MP with John Innes (peat-based for seeds and young plants) then Miracle-Gro MP enriched that is probab;y best for potting-on but too rich for seeds. Hope this helps. 

[Kevin67]

It's a massive help, thanks!

For a few years now I have gone by Which? recommendations on compost and it's served me well.

For what it's worth, get the bags now or very soon - as they put the prices up after Which? report.

[mumofstig]

Personally, I didn't rate Verve in 2014, and wonder if this year's will be any different.

I've already got some Levingtons for this year, so I find out if I agree with them about it 

[GrowinGrowinGone]

I always buy the Verve 125 litre bags purely for the quantity rather than quality.  It's dreadful stuff really, dries out so quick and hard to get it to absorb water again.  But it does for growing my spuds in containers.

[Kevin67]

I've had Verve for a couple of years now (before that it was B&Q house brand).

I screen it to separate the crud from the rough and fine compost. I can bank on half a dozen pieces of plastic of sorts and it does dry out very quickly and is difficult to re-wet - but it does the job.

I'm presently re-organising my garden to include some home-made compost to see how that goes. I don't expect it will be cheaper in total costs but it will be a more 'honest' product.

[GrowinGrowinGone]

I have also found bits of plastic and twigs in it, along with the odd bit of glass and stones.

[Kevin67]

What a Verve!

[GrowinGrowinGone]

Touche   

[fatcat1955]

Jack's Magic for me every time.

[Dantheman]

Completed compost.

[SusieB]

Goosegirl, is that the 12litre Verve peat-free?  12 litre is very small.

[Goosegirl]

I have just checked as I thought it was a typo on my part, but it definitely says 12L at a cost of £1.83 and price per litre is 15p. Why the larger bags have a different formulation which they haven't yet tested I don't know.

[bendipa]

I used Verve (125L) for the first time this year and have to say I thought it did fine. It did include some twigs, but I didn't notice bits of plastic there. I used it to grow my annuals in window boxes and they all thrived in it, so no complaints from me.

[Growster...]

We found the best results came from 'Miracle-Gro All Purpose Compost', and the local Garden Centre always has a deal on!

One of the surprises was using it for carrots which we just chucked in one late summer's day, and we're still pulling roots as sweet as a nut...

[Goosegirl]

We found the best results came from 'Miracle-Gro All Purpose Compost', and the local Garden Centre always has a deal on!

One of the surprises was using it for carrots which we just chucked in one late summer's day, and we're still pulling roots as sweet as a nut...

I used that for the first time this year and found it great. I got the one with added feed and water-retention granules. There were hardly any unwanted bits in it and it smelt like compost should.