[dexyblue]

Bought a bag of Wilkinsons seed and cutting compost absolute rubbish full of lumps of wood twigs etc that no seed could ever manage. Having to sieve it all. I will not be buying again 

[ferreter51]

One to avoid at all costs.  Focus Payless.  I asked my son to bring a bag of general purpose compost back last year.  Not knowing what to buy, he got the cheapest possible and it just stank of dog muck.  I dumped it.  It may be cheap, but it is very nasty indeed.

[Chrysalis]

Just to report that my westland with added John Innes has been great.  A bit woody, yes, but all seeds up quickly and healthily.

[sarajane]

to Johnny5  -  I bought some of the shamrock compost from Focus at the weekend  - got it for £10.20 with a 15% off coupon  -  wish I had stuck with B and Q own brand which I normally use.  Lots of lumps and sticks in it and had to sieve to sow todays seeds. On reading the back of the bag it does say it contains an amount of re cycled humus but not just how much.  Will be going to buy from B and Q again and using the shamrock for my hanging baskets and mixing with manure when growing on my tomato plants.

A bargain is not always what it seems !

[8doubles]

Has anyone tried the compost on offer at Netto at the moment,
2 x 55ltr bags for £5 is a good price if it`s good quality.

[fatbelly]

I have bought a 20L bag of John Innes No 1 for my seeds.
I didn't know that you could buy seed compost, will John Innes No 1 be good for seeds?
Thanks FB

[Zippy]

B&Q MP Peat Free - so long as its passed through a riddle for seed trays its fine.

[Windsong]

Until today, I had never bought compost before. We got the Westland w/ added John Innes (3 bags for £11.95) and we planted a few seed trays worth of seeds.

The compost had quite a few twigs in it and what looked like clumps of hair or fur. I even fished out a pebble. Is that normal?

[Doddy]

As with others posting here, I've a fondness for Wickes 70l x 4 for £13, a nice finely milled compost, no twigs or ought.

[Gravedigger]

Bought a bag of Wilkinsons seed and cutting compost absolute rubbish full of lumps of wood twigs etc that no seed could ever manage. Having to sieve it all. I will not be buying again 

I am in complete agreement....there were stones in it (and not just little ones either)

[LeeR]

Well I can add a vote to B & Q multipurpose.  3 for a £10 so I've brought loads of the stuff for the plot.  I've had a few small twigs and that's about it.  I must admit I would like to change to a peat free compost, but the results I & others have had dones't inspire me.  One thing that might be worth a mention is that I'm a memeber of which magazine and in their tests B & Q MP came out tops for seed germination and for potting on.

[8doubles]

Has anyone tried the compost on offer at Netto at the moment,
2 x 55ltr bags for £5 is a good price if it`s good quality.

Bought a couple of bags to try, Seerys is the brand and is peat free  even though it does not say so on the bag.
Heavy and dark base which i guess is composted bark also has a lot of unrotted wood chippings.
A bit too heavy looking for small seeds but ok for the big pots.

[Muffin58]

We're just starting a veg patch in our back garden this year, so we knew we'd need lots of manure & compost. We ordered Organic Multi-Purpose Compost (60 bags x 50 litres each) from a company in Wales, along with 40 bags of manure. So far, I'm worried. I have tried planting a few things in the new compost, both in the house and in the polytunnel, and most have died. Is it possible that the compost is too rich for baby plants? Do I need to mix in something to "dilute" it? I'd appreciate any help I could get, because I've got seedlings all over the house, in the polytunnel, and lean-to, and I'm scared to plant them out, for fear I'll lose the whole lot!

[Muffin58]

Well I can add a vote to B & Q multipurpose.  3 for a £10 so I've brought loads of the stuff for the plot.  I've had a few small twigs and that's about it.  I must admit I would like to change to a peat free compost, but the results I & others have had dones't inspire me.  One thing that might be worth a mention is that I'm a memeber of which magazine and in their tests B & Q MP came out tops for seed germination and for potting on.

We discovered Which Gardening magazine AFTER having ordered 60 bags of compost from Wales.
   I was surprised to find that B & Q's multi-purpose was the best buy, and tops for seeds & potting on. Up til then I was using John Innes Seed to plant, John Innes 1 to pot on, and had J.I. 2 & 3 waiting in the wings..... When I run out of all the John Innes, I'll be buying B & Q's. Still don't know what I'll do with all the raised beds full of manure & this dandy Welsh compost!    I'm so CONFUSED!!!!

[Robster]

I had a good experience with Homebase compost a couple of years ago.  Last year I bought a load more.  It was full of what looked like raw wood and was far too coarse for seeds even bean seeds and very mixed results for potting on.  It took me a while to realise my poor results were due to this compost.  So I guess it's too variable year on year and driven by increased demand and limited quality control as another poster said.  This year I have gone over to John Innes No1 for sowing and No 2 and 3 for potting on.  Everything has germinated and grown on well this year.