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?


--
Regards.
Bob Hobden

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.

--

Jeff

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.

On 14 Nov 2020 15:26, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Sat, 14 Nov 2020 14:39:57 +0000, 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 grow many ericaceous plants that require an acid compost. Most
peat-free composts are not naturally acid. The composts that I go for
are peat-based, such as Humax ericaceous and Vitax ericaceous. I don't
know what bulk coir looks like, but if it's anything like the fibrous
stuff on the outside of a coconut, I don't see how it can hold
moisture in the same way that peat does. The RHS has an article on
this: https://tinyurl.com/y4vfpfzc

Yes that is a problem. I have a number of Citrus trees and they prefer
ericaceous compost although it's not essential for them. Sylvagrow do
an ericaceous compost.

--
Regards.
Bob Hobden

On 14/11/2020 15:43, Bob Hobden wrote:
On 14 Nov 2020 15:26, Chris Hogg wrote:
On Sat, 14 Nov 2020 14:39:57 +0000, 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 grow many ericaceous plants that require an acid compost. Most
peat-free composts are not naturally acid. The composts that I go for
are peat-based, such as Humax ericaceous and Vitax ericaceous. I don't
know what bulk coir looks like, but if it's anything like the fibrous
stuff on the outside of a coconut, I don't see how it can hold
moisture in the same way that peat does. The RHS has an article on
this: https://tinyurl.com/y4vfpfzc

Yes that is a problem. I have a number of Citrus trees and they prefer
ericaceous compost although it's not essential for them. Sylvagrow do
an ericaceous compost.

There are quite a few suppliers of Sylvagrow in Cornwall if Chris can't
get his usual Vitax/Humax:
https://www.melcourt.co.uk/where-to-buy/

--

Jeff

Jeff Layman wrote:

https://www.melcourt.co.uk/where-to-buy/

Vegan bark mulch, whatever next?

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?



We have been peat free for over 20 years now and have tried many brands
but find even the better ones perform better if you add soil (we add
about a third by volume) Presently using Melcourts Nursery Stock compost

--
Charlie Pridham
Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk

On 14/11/2020 14:39, Bob Hobden wrote:
it tends to be the cheap "New Horizons"

I discovered by chance and mismanagement that it improves with age.

Andy