"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...

A few years ago I did a back to back test of germination and seedling
raising with what was then the best Peat free compost, "New Horizons",
against my normal Levingtons Multipurpose and published the results on my
old allotment web site which unfortunately is now defunct. (due to the
hosting Co starting to charge!)
Basically the peat free was nowhere near as good, germination was slower
and it needed much more fertilizer to get plants to grow, a bit like the
difference between a good heavy loam and a sandy soil. Even with extra TLC
the resultant plants were not as good.
I concluded Peat Free was not a good enough product for me (used mainly
for veg plants).

You could try that water absorbing jelly stuff mixed in the compost next
year or even a John Innes No.3 compost which contains a lot less peat than
a normal multipurpose.


I've actually found the page so here it is....



Comparison between Levingtons Multipurpose

and J W Bowers "New Horizons" (Peat Free)

Whilst this is not a scientific experiment every effort has been made to
make it as fair and precise as possible a comparison between the two
composts, with all other possible variables between the husbandry of two
lots of seeds being kept to as near zero as possible.

PURCHASE OF COMPOSTS.....

A 75ltr bag of both Levingtons Multipurpose Compost (Peat Based) and J W
Bowers "New Horizons" (Peat Free) were purchased from Notcutts GC, Laleham
Road, Staines, Middlesex. on Tuesday 17th April 2001. Levingtons cost £4.99;
J W Bowers cost £5.99.

INITIAL REACTION.....

The peat free "New Horizons" was much more coarse textured than the
Levingtons and included a few bits of stick and wood that had not finished
composting and that had not been sieved out during manufacture. These I
removed by hand. The Levingtons peat based compost needed some rubbing
through to break up some of the compacted lumps. The "New Horizons" had a
distinctive "compost" smell.

PLANTING INFORMATION.....

On Wednesday 18th April 2001 (Day 0) the following seeds were
planted...............

Brussels Sprout.....

Trafalgar (T&M) and Icarus (T&M)

Chillies.....

Thai Dragon (T&M) and Cayenne Type (Own Seed)

Aubergines.....

Black Enorma F.1 (T&M)

Tomatoes.....

Roma Improved (Marshalls); Brigade (T&M); Pannovy (T&M);
Tigerella (Kings); Vicki (Marshalls)

Seeds were planted directly (to avoid any variation caused during pricking
out) in 5inch Rootrainers, sometimes two to a cell, with each 32 cell tray
being filled half and half with each compost i.e. 16 cells of New Horizons
and 16 of Levingtons. Half of each seed total was planted in each compost in
the same tray to eliminate variations in husbandry. Every effort was made to
ensure each seed was planted to the same depth. Other than the Chillies and
Aubergines which were kept on a top shelf initially, the trays were kept
side by side on the bench, all in a small acrylic glazed lean-to greenhouse
heated to a minimum of 50°F at the start (little mistake!) increased to 60°F
after 5 days with rises during the day to 85°F maximum depending on outside
temperature, wind and sun. Rainwater at greenhouse temperature used
throughout.

The tray containing the Brussels Sprout plants was moved to a frost free but
cool greenhouse on Day 15 to start the hardening off process and to avoid
them getting too "leggy".

Trays were watered with a fine rose just before counting which took place at
approx. 18.00 hours daily, even the slightest sign of germination/plant
growth above the compost was counted.

RESULTS.....

The table below shows the total number of seeds planted under each name,
then the days to signs of germination and total number of germinated seed
seen daily, cumulative. (Planting day was Day 0)

Levingtons results first then "New Horizons".

Trafalgar Icarus Thai Dragon Cayenne Black Enorma Roma Brigade Pannovy
Tigerella Vicki
Total

seeds
32 30 32 16 16 32 22 10 24
4**
Day 1 -/-
-/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/-
-/-
2 -/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/-
-/- -/- -/-
3 -/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/-
-/- -/- -/-
4 -/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/-
-/- -/- -/-
5 7/7
2 -/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/-
6 9/8
-/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/-
7 9/9
-/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/- -/-
8 9/12 14/10 -/- -/- -/- 7/- -/-
1/- -/- 1/-
9 10/13 14/10 -/- -/- -/- 13/8 2/-
4/1 1/- 1/-
10 10/13 14/11 -/- -/- -/- 16/14 6/5
5/5 4/2 1/-
11 10/14 15/12 1/1 -/- 1/1 16/14 8/9
5/5 9/9 1/-
12 10/14 15/12 5/2 1/3 1/1 16/14 8/10
5/5 11/10 1/-
13 10/14 15/12 7/5 4/4 4/3 16/14 8/10
5/5 11/10 1/-
14 10/14 15/12 8/7 7/5 5/5 16/14 8/10
5/5 11/11 1/-
15 10/14 15/12 9/9 7/6 5/6 16/15 8/10
5/5 11/11 1/-
16 10/14 15/12 9/10 7/6 5/6 16/15 8/10
5/5 11/11 1/-
17 10/14 15/12 9/12 7/6 6/6 16/15 8/10
5/5 11/11 1/-
18 10/14 15/12 9/12 7/6 6/6 16/15 8/10
5/5 11/11 1/-
19 10/14 15/12 9/12 7/6 6/6 16/15 8/10
5/5 11/11 1/-
20 10/14 15/12 9/12 7/6 6/6 16/15 8/10
5/5 11/11 1/-
21 10/14 15/12 9/12 7/6 6/6 16/15 8/10
5/5 11/11 1/-

Ger.

Rate
75% 90% 65% 81% 75% 97% 82% 100% 92%
25%



** total No. of free "experimental" seeds in the packet. (Excellent heavy
cropping mini-plum type)

I have included the germination rates for each seed which is interesting but
from too small a sample to be scientifically meaningful.

Observations.....

It was easily noticeable by the 12th day or even earlier, that the first
seedlings to germinate, the Brussel Sprouts, were growing much better in the
Levingtons compost, plants were stronger, taller, looked greener and
altogether more healthy than the slightly yellow looking and smaller plants
in the "New Horizons". Whilst the other seedlings did not show this
difference at first it did become very noticeable by the end of the trial,
indeed some of the tomatoes had grown twice the height in the Levingtons.

CONCLUSION.....

There does not appear to be any difference in germination rates overall
between the two composts but it was noticeable that the seeds in the peat
free "New Horizons" did tend to germinate a little later than those in the
Levingtons, this is not normally much of a problem.

The J W Bowers "New Horizons" despite being 20% dearer obviously does not
contain the fertilizer that the Levingtons does, or the compost is locking
it up as it continues to break down. This compost does therefore need to be
watered with a liquid feed soon after germination. (suggest half strength)

Going "Peat Free" is more expensive and requires more use of fertilizer to
even approach the quality of plants grown in the peat based product.

Completed 9th May 2001

by Bob Hobden

P.S. If you are wondering why I should start Brassicas in the Greenhouse
instead of a seed bed, we suffer with such bad Flea Beetle on our allotments
that on a seed bed the seedlings are totally destroyed, and even with
cloches for protection they get terribly damaged.



BobH