Forum home Talkback
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Compost

I recently purchased three bags of Gardenline muti-purpose compost from Aldi.

It contains shredded plastic, pieces of masonry, bits of glass and today I've just found bits of somebody's old sunglasses to say nothing of the twigs, pebbles and woody material. Germination rates are also very poor.  When compost is constituted from council rubbish tips, should it not be made clear on the packaging?

You get what you pay for!!

 

«13

Posts

  • JdeVJdeV Posts: 7

    To anyone else looking for a review I can confirm my Aldi compost bought a couple of months ago has lots of shredded plastic and idk what else! Terrible.

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,139

    Contact their head office with photographs of the compost - or  contact your local Trading Standards office for advice.

    It is not fit for purpose.


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445

    That sounds like your average bag of compostimage

    What I've had so far this year has been better than last. I buy whatever is on special offer to the 'garden club members' at our local GC



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • JdeVJdeV Posts: 7

    Good plan Dove! I will tell Aldi. Thanks.

    Incidentally I am now using some far better compost (Erin) that my friend had spare when he moved into a flat, but it is a peat-based compost so I will keep tabs on what else is good when the time comes to buy some more.

    Cheers nutcutlet, from what I am reading composts have become much more variable in quality and generally worse!

  • I bought a bag of the peat free compost two days ago from Aldi,i to have say it was fine,i stopped buying the multi-purpose because of the same reasons as above now i just make my own image they do have compost bins for sale now for £18 which i think is a good price.

  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190

    Erin is nice compost but so free draing you will need to keep an eye on the watering.

     

    I am using now a fantastic compost, Bulrush professional,, pricey but good.

    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • We had a similar problem with some cheap compost we bought a couple of years ago, I think it was Homebase or Focus.  However, we just bought 3 bags of Homebase Multi purpose extra and all looks good so far.  It was just to put on the raised beds to top them up and was dug in and mixed well with the existing earth.  Must say, not one foreign object found.

  • BiljeBilje Posts: 811

    For the first time I've bought Aldi compost. I have to say what I've bought in the NE is excellent. Well graded no foreign bodies and not soaking wet. I can't say how well the seedlings will grow as it's too soon. Excellent price compared to known brands.

  • Kevin daleKevin dale Posts: 135

    Well when all else fails make your own then you know what's gone in to it 

  • JdeVJdeV Posts: 7

    Nice one Kevin, that's a neat answer! image

    From other feedback maybe with the Aldi bag I was just unlucky (although tbh the other compost in comparison was simply a revelation).

    And Lyn, Erin sure is very free draining, and spongy when wet rather than claggy  - I'm using some, a bit hopefully, to save a rather waterlogged sage plant - so will bear that point in mind especially with some of the late germinators. Ideally I will find a consistently good peat-free mix or follow Kevin's suggestion.

Sign In or Register to comment.