The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Growing => Vegetables => Topic started by: Shinding on January 31, 2017, 12:39:16 pm

Title: Anyone recommend a good compost
Post by: Shinding on January 31, 2017, 12:39:16 pm
Hi,

Can anyone please recommend a good organic, peat free compost?

Thanks.
Title: Re: Anyone recommend a good compost
Post by: Fleecewife on January 31, 2017, 04:41:08 pm
I used to buy New Horizon Organic Peatfree, for many years.  They must have changed the recipe after the neonicotinoid weedkillers started contaminating compost both bought and home made and I no longer buy it.   I have to admit that I've started using one which does have a small percentage of peat - very much against my principles, but given that some countries use peat in power stations, I think my little contribution won't make much difference either way.
However, if anyone comes up with a good organic peat free compost then I'll jump at it
Title: Re: Anyone recommend a good compost
Post by: DavidandCollette on January 31, 2017, 05:45:18 pm
New Horizon organic and peat free is what we use. As well as making our own
Title: Re: Anyone recommend a good compost
Post by: Fleecewife on January 31, 2017, 11:15:28 pm
D&C what's your recipe for your own compost?  I did try it one year and it worked ok, but I'm lazy enough to prefer just opening the bag  :o
Title: Re: Anyone recommend a good compost
Post by: Lesley Silvester on February 01, 2017, 12:14:51 am
I use New Horizon Organic and peat-free as well but it isn't weed-seed free and I did have a problem with slugs eating seedlings while they were still inside in a propagator so I think there must have been eggs in the compost. I'm looking for something different this year.
Title: Re: Anyone recommend a good compost
Post by: YorkshireLass on February 01, 2017, 08:22:00 am
Dalefoot..
Made from sheep fleece and bracken in the Lake District. Pricey, but then you pay more for small local producers.

https://www.dalefootcomposts.co.uk (https://www.dalefootcomposts.co.uk)
Title: Re: Anyone recommend a good compost
Post by: DavidandCollette on February 01, 2017, 09:23:05 am
FW- i am lazy also but i make sure that everything that can go on the compost heap does. Its just 4 pallets for each heap.my friend is very organic and recommends moving the heap after 4 weeks to the next 'box' process is repeated after another 4 weeks. Compost is then ready for use. He obviousl has a lot of time on his hands.  :innocent: i just bung it all in and wait for the good stuff to come out of the bottom. I always leave a bit of goood stuff in becsuse i think that it helps to start the process off again. Hope that helps
Title: Re: Anyone recommend a good compost
Post by: Fleecewife on February 01, 2017, 12:59:48 pm
FW- i am lazy also but i make sure that everything that can go on the compost heap does. Its just 4 pallets for each heap.my friend is very organic and recommends moving the heap after 4 weeks to the next 'box' process is repeated after another 4 weeks. Compost is then ready for use. He obviousl has a lot of time on his hands.  :innocent: i just bung it all in and wait for the good stuff to come out of the bottom. I always leave a bit of goood stuff in becsuse i think that it helps to start the process off again. Hope that helps


Hi D&C, I make garden compost as you do, it was seedling compost I meant, which needs to be lower in nutrients.  I made it with sieved molehill soil, sieved garden compost, seaweed meal, wood ash and sharp sand.  For growing-on compost I added sieved very well rotted manure.  I don't have a soil steriliser for the molehill soil, so my seedling compost tended to sprout weeds seedlings.  I just wondered if you had a recipe for that.
Title: Re: Anyone recommend a good compost
Post by: Lesley Silvester on February 01, 2017, 09:44:45 pm
my garden compost is added to the contents of the manure heaps so too rich for seed sowing.
Title: Re: Anyone recommend a good compost
Post by: Shinding on February 02, 2017, 09:44:39 am
Thanks for all your replies - we've only recently moved into our new place and our home made compost ready isn't yet so going to give Melcourt's SylvaGrow a try as our local garden centre is stocking it this year. Have read some good reviews about it.