[boybeck]

Is there such a thing as bad compost?

I bought a 70 ltr bag of peat free multi purpose from B&Q for £3.98 and my radish and rocket seedlings really don't look well.

I have planted another pot using a peat based multi-purpose and they're looking much healthier.

[MikeyandAnnie]

I had a similar experience with some (very) cheap compost from Tesco, whilst some equally cheap stuff from Netto was good.

[sandygreen]

I bought three bags of B & Q peat free compost.  Whilst nothing has exactly died stuff hasn't looked very happy all summer either.  Think I will stick to peat based compost in future.

[anndy]

b&q compost i got a bag about a mouth ago when i opened it ,,
 lots of shedded plastic in  very poor compost

[peapod]

B&Q compost was terrible this year, most of my seeds didnt even germinate until I changed to another brand
I wont be buying it ever again - its fair ruined my growing year up to a point

[boybeck]

Well it looks like it's the compost then and not my gardening skills.  This is the first year I've grown veg and I was beginning to wonder if it was something I have been doing wrong. 

[mumofstig]

Well it looks like it's the compost then and not my gardening skills.

Yes a lot of us have come to the same conclusion this year.........the worry for me..is what to buy next year

[AlotArds]

I bought the Been & Qued stuff and it was terrible - not a lot tok in it, I changed to that Miracle stuff things came up fine, but I have to admit the quality of the stuff wasn't great as I found a lot of un-rotted stuff in each bag

[Christine]

I've said it before around here and I'll say it again  - the quality of bought in compost this year has been bad to worse.

Number of things come to mind:

• The number of people joining the grow your own movement has raised the demand for compost to a point where there is not enough decent stuff to go round
• The Aminopyralid in manure problem has lessened the safe sources from which we can get compost as manure is a component in made up compost in some cases
• The council produced compost from household waste is not going to be totally reliable as people put all the things they don't want to compost into their waste bins or the skip at the community tip
• Compostable material is actually a finite resource and if care is not taken by the manufacturer then rubbish will be included in the contents of the bags sold

I have no answer to being able to buy good compost as I can see some of the problems in making it.

I'm trying to get down to only needing compost for seedlings but that will take a lot of magic as I can't make enough annually to be able to work into a third or a quarter of the allotment as John and others suggest.

[Beetroot queen]

You really should do a letter of complaint to B and Q you may get some free vouchers to buy other stuff with.

I am a great believer of complaining and try to do it on a daily basis, hubby is worse than me