[jaws8]

Morning all,

Can anyone recommend a good nationally available general purpose compost brand as the last lot I bought was just rubbish (it even had glass in it!!) The stuff Carol tips out of a bag on Gardeners World always looks lush

Cheers.

[sunshineband]

I can highly recommend Dandy's topsoil -- not cheap but I guess you get what you pay for. Delivery was prompt, came in a huge bag like the ones sand etc is delivered in and although it didn't say so in the ad. it must be sterilised as not a single weed seedling has popped up yet, but I have weeds growing elsewhere so it's not too cold.

www.dandystopsoil.co.uk is the web address.
Brilliant stuff with lts of guts, but you can break it down for a seed bed too. Had three bags and not a single alien to be found 

[lucywil]

you weren't kidding when you said they were expensive were you?!! way out of my price range i'm afraid

[sunshineband]

What a shame!  I did buy some Westland topsoil form the garden centre last year... £10 for three 25l bags, and that seemed Ok too. My daughter bought quite a lot as well and had no rubbish or nayhitng and grew good crops of roots, spuds and beans.

Hope that helps
K

[lucywil]

i usually buy j arthur bowers, 3 bags (75l i think) for 10, you do get the odd little bit of wood (well woody plant tyoe stuff!) but not enough for it to be a problem and everything grows ok.

[Sadgit]

i usually buy j arthur bowers, 3 bags (75l i think) for 10, you do get the odd little bit of wood (well woody plant tyoe stuff!) but not enough for it to be a problem and everything grows ok.

thats what I get or any others I see on offer as I am out and about. But normally I get stuff from the garden centres for 3 for a tenner (75l)

[newgrowers]

asda got compost on offer at the minute 2 x 70 lts for £6

[jaws8]

Thanks for the advice. The Dandys stuff would be ideal but it might be more than I need. I will give the j aurther bowers compost a go this time.

[celjaci]

depends a bit on what it's for - 'multipurpose' can mean not particularly good for anything.

Have you seen the thread on 'peat-free compost' ?  Seema a lot of people have had problems with compost and found all kinds of rubbish in it.

Have you thought about mixing your own?

[MOLUSC]

shame non of you live near wrexham,i buy 5 x 75l bags of compost for £11.00 and £1.00 goes to a local charity.
Top stuff as well ,rich and moisture retentive.
Wrexhamites Pm me if you want to know where i get it from

[jaws8]

Hi celjaci,

You mentioned mixing my own compost, what should I look to do?

[celjaci]

a good potting compost for containers and growing on in pots

Equal parts by volume:-

Sterilised loam  ( helps with re-wetting and buffers nutrients )
Composted green waste ( retains moisture and gives some nutrients ) Most councils sell
Ground composted bark ( helps drainage and aeration )

Add some Blood, Fish & Bonemeal for long term nutrients
Maybe some Hoof & Horn for extra nitrogen ( Bark takes some as it decomposes )
Perhaps some dolomitic limestone if loam is at all acid

Not that expensive and better than a lot of the rubbish you buy

[jaws8]

Thanks for the advice celjaci, just might give that a go.

[themoog]

Molusc, I'm from the aforementioned godless place  - where can I get this top compost of which you speak? I too am having problems with half a forest in most peatless/reduced peat types I buy.

[Trillium]

We have the same problems here with potting soil mix. One big name brand has so many stones, large twigs and bits of paper in it that I now refuse to buy that brand anymore. The other popular brand is a bit pricier but has almost no stones, only a few small twiggy bits and no paper so I'm sticking with it from now on.

As for GW's compost, I thought they made all their own potting compost? I wonder if they just stuff some into an empty bag for apperances on telly?