I think I'm done with peat free compost

[nahthatsnotforme]

I've tried I really have.

It's just so lumpy, too fibrous and full of stones and just rubbish.

I've tried loads of different brands but it's all the same.

Can anyone suggest anything else.. not too wildly expensive please

The only alternative to peat free compost is compost with peat, which a) has peat in it and b) there isn’t a lot of about.

You could try one of the ones with peat that’s been harvested from filtration plants - Moorland Gold is one.

Which? Have just done their report on the best ones to buy this year. They recommend

• Coco & Coir all purpose for seeds and cuttings
• Easy grow or T&M Incredipeatfree for young plants
• Sylvagrow tub and basket or T&M incredipeatfree for containers

They are undoubtedly more tricky than peat, which we were very spoiled by. I always sieve whatever I’m using for seeds. But I;ve been using Sylvagrow with added john innes for ages now and have always had good results.

I mix it half and half with either garden compost or bagged well rotted manure. I do have some Westlands which isn't too bad for seed sowing, but most of them are just like dust.

I'm glad I saw this. My mum gets Which so I will have to read the report.

I really really want to keep peat free but hardly anything grows in it.

Thank you @olderbutwiser

You're right, the old peat based stuff isn't around (and yes I know that's right). It spells the end of all my pots and tubs though, annuals anyway. I use bags and the rest is just too pricey. I may as well buy the ready planted pots.

Is a bit sad really 🙁

Sylvagrow is the best of them but I still mix it with garden compost.

Peat based was obviously much better but the environmental costs are too much for it to be possible anymore.

I also reuse old spent compost as a soil improver or mix it well with garden compost and chicken manure for using in troughs etc.

I use Sylvagrow. I do find I have to start using plant feed to help growth at an earlier stage.

Peat Free seems to be full of plastic bits, fabric, twigs and dust. I’ve heard from gardeners that it’s got lawn cuttings with weed killer in it which is why nothing grows in it.

Compost with peat works.

I get my compost from a random man who sells it from the back of a van. I ask no questions…..

Check your local recycling centre/tidy tip or council - in ours we can buy bags of compost made from the food waste/garden waste bin scheme and it is not like the commercial stuff.

I mix 'zoopoo' with coconut coir. No good for seeds but otherwise seems to work well.
For seeds I use the finally sifted soil from mole hills (we have a lot of moles!) and add vermiculite. Seems to work well...but you do need a mole or two in your garden!

Melcourt's Sylvagrow is the one I use. I do mix with a little topsoil for anything that's going to be in a pot for a while. The best seed compost I have come across is Fertile Fibre. Haven't bought peat for 20 plus years.