Compost

Hi I have few plants to be put in new pots. I am thinking of using

 Miracle-Gro

 Levington

 Verve john innes

I check up on  Miracle grow not many people had good luck with it?

I Dont have time to make my own compost.so i will have to buy.

 plants i am repoting are shrubs and conifer and ornanental plants. I am going to buy a acer plant but not to sure what they like. Thanks Here link to b and q http://search.diy.com/search#?p=Q&s...35867&method=and&isort=score&view=grid&srt=12

Hi

Acer need ericaceous.

As for compost look on the forum topics here and it will be well, confusing, but helpful

You may find this thread informative

http://www.gardenersworld.com/forum/problem-solving/bandq-mpurpose-compost-issues/2516.html

Which compost to use at present is a sensitive subject. There was such a variation in the quality at the begining of the growing season it started off a debate amongst posters.I tried a few different one's but none this year of the one's you are suggesting.

Some GC, nurseries, DIY stores will have split bags so you can see and feel the quality. If you can see the compost and it's a good colour with little or no wood in it this is a good start.   

Read Kates link and check whether the plants/shrubs you are going to pot need an acidy compost as bjay has advised. Not all your plants will need ericaceous compost but the Acer will.    

I've used the miracle-gro for pots and containers this year (in my pots, containers and hanging baskets) with no major issues - the baskets are prone to dry out, but they are on my front porch and get the sun all day.

I'd avoid the john innes (big lumps of wood and what looks like straw in it), and I've heard REALLY bad things about the B&Q verve stuff (if you wade through the thread, not many folk have had luck with it).

Am going to try out Aldi's own compost, I've bought very cheap plants and other gardening things from there and found them brillant value and generally very healthy (as long as you get there early for the plants).  I'd like to make my own compost, but space is really an issue until I get moved and have room for a couple of bins.  I will post on the compost thread when I know what it's like.

I used Miracle Grow for the first time this year and was v. disappointed, especially as I normally use the cheapest that I can find and it works well. I make my own compost but use it on the veg. bed. But this year whatever brand I've bought there has always been some white fungal growth in it as I open the sack. I don't know if that matters.

I have a raised bed made from railway sleepers, 16' x 8'. After three years the soil has become quite heavy and I have noticed the increasing amount of bright silvery particles when digging it over.  The local builder who built the bed for me, kindly lined it with heavy duty plastic, but I am wondering if this has anything to do with my problem..........OAP 

chipsdad wrote (see)

I have a raised bed made from railway sleepers, 16' x 8'. After three years the soil has become quite heavy and I have noticed the increasing amount of bright silvery particles when digging it over.  The local builder who built the bed for me, kindly lined it with heavy duty plastic, but I am wondering if this has anything to do with my problem..........OAP 

Was it heavy duty plastic or old compost bags?

Have you added anything to the soil since the bed was made?

Raised bed lined with heavy duty plastic,

Home-made compost added each year, Fertiliser before planting.

Could the bright silvery particles have come from the compost?

You say heavy-if it lined -that is just at the sides?-I am just asking that as it may be a drainage problem?

Re brands of compost - I've been using Levingtons this year and have had no problems - in fat I've been very pleased with it. 

The raised bed is lined with plastic round the sides - 2 sleepers high, and the soil beneath was heavy clay, not a great help with drainage. It won't be easy, but I feel that my best bet is to remove the plastic? 

If the plastic is at the sides-I don't think that will make much difference to the drainage

The puzzle at the moment is the silvery bits-am stuck-perhaps you could post a picture?

If the soil beneath is heavy clay, you could do with breaking the surface up and adding a 4" - 6"layer of shingle and coarse gravel beneath the soil.  What sort of soil did you put in the bed?

Hi

ALDI compost is fab!! cheap too, and we are very happy with it.

RL