Dave Hill wrote:
On 10 Feb, 18:42, Stuart Noble
wrote:
K wrote:
Therefore writes
Hello can you help
What is the best multipurpose compost that I can buy from the garden
shops.
I am unable to find anything that does not dry out, or gets
waterlogged , is
it the composts, or me.
all help appreciated
It's partly you ;-)
All composts will get waterlogged if the drainage is not adequate. Make
sure all your containers have drainage holes.
All composts will eventually get dry if not watered. But some (the peat
based or coir based) are more difficult to get wet again. It helps if
you stand your container on a saucer or tray to catch the water that
runs straight through - you can then water it and let it stand in the
water in the tray for a few hours until the water has been soaked back up.
A lot of people prefer to avoid peat based composts on environmental
grounds, peat being a rapidly declining habitat. So that leaves loam
based composts or peat free ones based on coir or other substances
(though I gather there are concerns about coir because of the
transportation costs).
If you go peat free, soilless, the Arthur Bowers New Horizon has a good
reputation.
I think gen purpose compost is usually too compressed to be used as it
comes in the bag. Mixing in sharp sand is probably the easiest way to
break it down and make it more uniform.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

B & Q Multipurpous, Seived then add about 10% pearlite (More if you
want it for seeds) then you can add some loam if you want, and coars
sand or grit.
If you are gouin to use mole hill soil then cooking it in the
microwave first helps kill off the nasties it contains.
David Hill
Abacus Nurseries

I can't get on with perlite. I seemed to be forever sweeping it up.
Apart from the weight aspect, it doesn't seem to offer any advantage
over sand. Probably missing something (again)