On 14 Nov 2020 15:04, Jeff Layman wrote:
On 14/11/2020 14:39, Bob Hobden wrote:
I see Monty Don is getting a lot of flack on Social Media today from
some quarters of the trade about going completely Peat Free. The
"Trade" said they would be by about now but they aren't. Garden Centres
still stock lots of different peat based composts and few peat free.
Indeed if they do stock one it tends to be the cheap "New Horizons"
rather than Sylvagrow etc. and you certainly get what you pay for.

Thoughts?


I use Sylvagrow ericaceous (Sylvagrow recommended by you!) and find it
very good. I used to use Erin ericaceous, which contained peat, but they
then started selling "reduced peat" compost (whatever that means), and
started putting "composted material" in it (was that from green waste at
council tips?). Most certainly, although Sylvagrow isn't cheap, it
seems to be a lot denser than the cheaper composts. I much prefer it,
and won't be going back to the cheap composts.

Anyway, I also have a bale of Irish moss peat which I use to "dilute"
the Sylvagrow for some proteaceous plants.

I have used Sylvagrow with added JI this year and the results are good.
Indeed I took quite a few Pelagonium cuttings and got 100% growth. No
damping off, all took. Quite impressed actually. Unlike all those years
ago I did a back to back Levingtons and New Horizons and had to throw
all the NH plants away and start again.
I think it's the price that puts people off but I was given some
vouchers last Christmas and used those so for me free.