[TheRowebot]

Hi all.

HNY to you all. First post on here.

Took on an allotment plot around 15 months ago and had a great first season. Moved to a bigger plot this year and got the same Senshyu sets in mid October (as per last year). Started them in trays and then around 4 weeks, planted them out into some compost the wife picked up at The Range (indifferent reviews online, real smelly).

Growth has been really slow and sporadic. Most of the 80 odd sets have green growth but very little and something just doesn’t feel right. The growth is worlds away from the same time last year.

Nothing to worry about? Could it be the compost? I added  some regular soil in case it was too rich.

Any advice would be great. Thanks in advance.

[Yorkie]

Welcome to the site and congrats on your upgraded new allotment 

It could be the compost, but is there any chance of a photo? https://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=131599.0

[TheRowebot]

Welcome to the site and congrats on your upgraded new allotment 

It could be the compost, but is there any chance of a photo? https://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=131599.0

Thank you! Yes sure. A couple of pics attached. Difficult to explain but the growth has basically been very little, or nothing at all. 30th Nov and 18th Dec are the photo dates.

[TheRowebot]

..and this was when they were first transplanted in.

I did wonder if that frost we had a while back when it got down to -6ish did some damage?

[Yorkie]

Cold doesn't usually affect them, I'd have thought.

Is there a particular reason for having them covered?

I wouldn't write them off; give it until spring and see if they get going once the soil temperature has warmed up - not much growth happens at this time of year.

[rowlandwells]

I'm getting very concerned about using some of these compost this year especially the cheaper brands because we start our onion seed of in compost and last year we had no problems with using a peat based compost after the onions where pricked out they never looked back but I have to admit they where not as big as our onions we grew from sets so I tend to agree it could be the compost used

[missmoneypenny]

Even the professionals eg RHS mouthpieces on gardeners question time admit the new composts aren’t as good, I’ve had several sowings  eg of herbs, tomato, aubergine fail to thrive, it never used to happen with peat containing compost. I fully understand the reasons for cutting right down on peat extraction, but let’s not pretend the current alternatives are as good.

[rowlandwells]

I like your reply missmoneypenny because I think your absolutely write what your saying I just can't stand these do gooder's trying to convince me  this peat free is as good as the peat based I'm using and as you said the professional eg RHS mouthpieces on garden question time admit the new composts aren't as good

according to this months RHS the Garden mag there is an article [get ready to go] Peat Free telling gardeners its about sharing knowledge and helping gardeners to successfully transition  to peat-free and that the  amount of peat based has plummeted to around  half a million tonnes annually and of cause you've  got the usual garden experts putting there two penny-worth in so don't mind the sciarid flies or the fugi and other things just use it I'm note convinced this peat free  is a good alternative to peat based although I could be wrong