[New shoot]

Hi and welcome to the forum mrboxpiff.  We are a friendly forum and welcome diverse views and opinions, including those we don’t personally agree with, so please take a moment to review the site policies. The full document is linked below, but the start of it basically says :

SITE POLICIES

There is widespread feeling that this is one of the friendliest forum around and the Moderating Team feels very strongly about keeping it that way.  Try smiling when you type your reply ... no matter that you may disagree with an earlier post - doing so with a smile always helps.  Deliberately disrupting topics, unfriendliness or bad manners to others has no place here.  If you disagree with a subject challenge the idea, do not attack the poster !  Everyone is entitled to voice their opinion and choices without being slammed by opinions on the opposite side.

https://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=19481.msg99851#msg99851

We have forum members who are peat free like you and very happy with their results, those who don’t like peat free and a range of opinions in between.  I think you’ll find all of those views expressed here and across the forum, experiences shared and information passed around, exactly as a forum should work 

[mrboxpiff]

My apologies for any offence caused. Certainly no personal offence was intended. My reason for the post was due to the fact that the views expressed were unbalanced and I felt the contrary opinion needed to be stated. I'm not an angry person, honest :-) and I do look forward to learning from and contributing to the forum in the future.

[Potty Plotty Lotty]

My apologies for any offence caused. Certainly no personal offence was intended. My reason for the post was due to the fact that the views expressed were unbalanced and I felt the contrary opinion needed to be stated. I'm not an angry person, honest :-) and I do look forward to learning from and contributing to the forum in the future.

I'd love to have your recommendations for peat free brands that you use 

[mrboxpiff]

Hi Lotty. I've tried a number of different ones in recent years, but my favourite is Miracle Gro. However, at the beginning of the year I couldn't find a good price for it so I bought some Westland multi purpose with added John Innes. I wasn't that pleased with the results from it, so when Wickes had a deal on a while back, I went back to MG. I know there are other probably better ones out there, but they tend to be quite expensive. I'd be interested to hear others recommendations?

[MrsPea]

 I've used 'Jack's Magic ' for a few years now and find it the best for both growing and seed sowing 

[mumofstig]

I managed to get a few bags of Jack's Magic, as well, the one that still has some peat in it  Now in the shed for spring seed sowing.....

[snowdrops]

I’ve used all Sylvagrow this year with good results all across the board.

[Growster...]

I managed to get a few bags of Jack's Magic, as well, the one that still has some peat in it  Now in the shed for spring seed sowing.....

Same here Mum, our local favourite GC, High Banks, is closing next week, so everything has been at half-price!

Saved several notes on half a dozen bags of the proper peat-based Jack's Magic, but I'm so sorry to see them go - we've spent a fortune there over so many years, and they're all great friends there!

I must cover it up, as over time, it gets very wet, and almost impossible to carry - something to do with proper water retention no doubt...;0)

[mumofstig]

Yes, Growster, it makes no sense & I'm always surprised how wet it can get considering it's inside a placcy bag 

[Growster...]

Yes, Growster, it makes no sense & I'm always surprised how wet it can get considering it's inside a placcy bag 

I guess it's the tiny vent holes in the bag Mum, they need those to be able to stack each pallet without them all ballooning and exploding under the weight!

My compost heap is full with last year's plant pots and trays, which were all JM, and it all seems to be turning out nicely so far...

Hopefully, the latest lot will complement it for a few more years yet - with some added Growmore etc!