I've been hearing a lot about the shift to peat-free composts to help the environment, which I think is a great move. However, I can't help but notice that the quality of these peat-free options seems to be lacking. Has anyone else experienced this? Is the terrible quality due to the lack of large-scale replacement materials? I'm also on the lookout for recommendations for better brands if you have any!
3 Answers
I've found that mixing peat-free compost with a bit of manure and topsoil definitely helps improve the quality. Peat-free options can dry out quickly and be clumpy, so a good mix can really save your plants. Also, I've started using coconut coir for my indoor plants—helps with moisture retention, plus it keeps bugs away!
Great tip! I've heard about cutting compost with coir too—it's like watching magic when it expands.
I've had good luck with Westland multipurpose compost; it's affordable and seems to do the job well! Just a heads-up, avoid Wickes though—it's pretty awful and doesn’t retain water at all. Westland has worked for me, but just be careful because I did find a rusty screw in one bag!
That's funny, I got 3 bags from B&M for £15 and they seemed decent, aside from that screw! I definitely wouldn’t recommend B&Q's Verve or Wickes—I've found shards of glass and even chunks of carpet in previous bags.
Same here! I switched to Westland recently and noticed a big improvement in seedling growth.
For something a bit pricier, I've been using Sylvagrow from Melcourt and I think it's fantastic. Although I get that it can be a bit steep, the quality has never let me down.
I agree it’s good but it’s a bit much for how much I use. Miracle Gro and Westland Gro-Sure are pretty solid alternatives and tend to be cheaper.
Do you do 100% coir or mix it with anything else?