Are there ANY good multi purpose composts?

We use Sylvagrow - but also mix it with our garden compost and vermiculite etc.

It is expensive, but you get what you pay for.

I’ve still got a stash of the older Jack’s Magic, when that’s gone I’ll buy Sylvagrow, it’s getting good reviews from our allotment users and the online allotment website I use

X post WWM2

None of my seeds have come up in that stuff.

kircubbin2000

None of my seeds have come up in that stuff.

Perhaps seed compost? Seeds really don’t need rich compost until they have developed their second true pair of leaves.

kircubbin2000

None of my seeds have come up in that stuff.

I’m using Gro-Sure Westland seed and cutting compost, germination is good

I potted up some bedding plants using peat free top soil I’d bought instead of compost.

Will they bloom or die a death as usually happens when I plant things.

Green fingers I have not I’m afraid. I’d love to be a gardener..

I have pulled apart a grow bag to sow seeds in seed trays. It's not as fine as seed compost but hopefully will work. I didn't find any twigs in it.
Evergreen is the name on the bag.

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I don't grow vegetables any more, but had good success with flower seeds using Westland Gro-sure fine seed and cutting compost. For potting on and final planting last year I was pleased with the multi purpose compost pictured so have bought the same again and had no failures so far. I usually have about 100 pots to water so I think the moisture retention helps.

Whitewavemark2

We use Sylvagrow - but also mix it with our garden compost and vermiculite etc.

It is expensive, but you get what you pay for.

I’ve been trying Sylvagrow this year for the first time, I must say it is better than any of the others I’ve tried in the last few years. The only problem I have now is that all my seedlings have come up, so I need to give some away.

I have never heard of sylvagrow, nor seen it

It’s by Melcourt, I saw it was endorsed by the RHS, then one of my favourite YouTube gardeners recommended it, so I decided to give it a go, you can get the full range of types. My local garden centre (which is a large, independent one) stocks it,

The only answer might be to sow seeds later, pot on once and quickly put in the ground

I am about to re-sow my squash, they came up, then I potted on and now they are yellow

I’m never in a hurry with squash and won’t be sowing mine for a few days yet. When you say potting on do you mean pricking out? I don’t pot my veg plants on at all - just prick out and grow them to a size suitable for planting out.

I agree about the quality of Westland compost. I usually sieve it then mix it with my own sieved compost.

I found sylvagrow and can visit to get some.

I normally use Sylvagrow and really recommend it. I couldn't get any this week and the garden centre lady recommended Godwins multipurpose with John Innes. Also seems good to use but obviously I haven't seen the results yet.

None are quite as good as those that contain peat unless you make your own compost and mix with leaf mould.

We have excellent compost sold by our recycling centre. Trouble is it comes with lots of tiny black flies. Outside use only .

Our gardening club had a talk from a well known garden writer and he says: choose a general compost and get to know it. Because there is no peat content, be very careful watering. Stick your figure down the side of the pot and if it is damp below do not water. These composts dry out on the top but can remain very most below. Avoid those that are the cheapest as they use compost from your garden waste which can contain anything as people are not to careful what they put in their brown bins

It is still early for seeds. Easter snow is not unknown and unless you have a heated greenhouse, beware. Yellowing often happens when seedlings get cold with damp roots. They like a nice warm bed!

25Avalon

None are quite as good as those that contain peat unless you make your own compost and mix with leaf mould.

If only I could make as much as I need. Leaf mould gives so small a result for the number of leaves it requires.

I started using Jack's Magic last year .
I have no complaints.
I prefer to grow flowers and not vegetables,salad nor fruit mainly because I don't have enough space due to doing a lot of propagating.
I like Vitax Q4 for fertilising and have used it for about a decade .

Yesterday I managed to source the last 5 bags of peat -based compost, much liked by the local gardeners and made in my county, that was the last of it, forever. I will store that in my garage and will be very frugal with it. The westland that I stored will be spread onto my allotment beds. In future it will be sylvagrow +/- a bit of peat based

I too like Q4, my fruit blossom is fully out on all my bushes and apple trees, they look very healthy. I add potash at the appropriate time too

I upended my 2 squash plants, the roots look excellent, I replanted in a bit more compost and they will survive. I take them outside on every opportune day. My tomatoes are looking very sturdy too

I got three bags from the supermarket like I usually do It’s dire lots of bits of wood and crxx in it , the seeds aren’t growing but blxxdy toadstools are
I m so annoyed never again

I m in a difficult situation I don’t drive so can’t get to garden centres etc it’s supermarket or nothing really 😢😢😢

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Taken 2 minutes ago. Result from sylvagrow+ moisture of garden compost.

Thats lettuce, calabrese, cauliflower and cabbage, elephant and ordinary garlic, Chinese cabbage -for stirfry. Other stuff is equally as successful