Anywhere that stocks Peat- free compost?

muckyhands

Hi all

A good point was made to me recently that peat- free composts are hard to come by so thought maybe if anyone knows garden centres or nurserys that stock it, they might post here?

Thanks.

magicbastarder

you can buy bags of well rotted manure, which should provide a similar function.

muckyhands

Came across this:

http://www.ipcc.ie/compwildpeatfreeirl.html

as will anyone looking for peat- free compost and wondered if there is anyone who has actually come across these products or used them/ what they thought of them and if they are kept regularly enough in stock in your area?

Peat 'reduced' composts are all I can seem to find in my local garden centres except for Wests + peat free in Homebase and thats on the website but my actual local one doesn' t have it. :mad:

dardevle

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so would you still consider them to be "widely available" or are they hard to come by???





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muckyhands

dardevle wrote: »

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so would you still consider them to be "widely available" or are they hard to come by???





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When your' e wrong, your' e wrong- what can I say.

muckyhands

muckyhands wrote: »

Hi all

A good point was made to me recently that peat- free composts are hard to come by so thought maybe if anyone knows garden centres or nurserys that stock it, they might post here?

Thanks.

Which is why I started this thread.

dardevle

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just confusing to read a post in another thread that says these products are now widely available.... and then this thread is started alongside it that says they are hard to come by - may have been better to keep it to the same thread for clarity.....

while reduced peat products are available i would not say that peat free products are widely available because the appetite for them is not there.

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muckyhands

dardevle wrote: »

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just confusing to read a post in another thread that says these products are now widely available.... and then this thread is started alongside it that says they are hard to come by - may have been better to keep it to the same thread for clarity.....



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The other thread was started by another member and it was about something totally different i.e. What is 'moss' / 'peat' etc...

This thread is about 'peat- free compost' and whether or not people are able to get it in their local garden centres or wherever... because it was pointed out to me by another member that for them its not as widely available...

So I started this thread in the hopes people could post where they know peat- free is stocked and it may then be of some use/ benefit for others.

I take your point though.

I think the title speaks for itself and I made it quite clear- 'Anywhere that stocks peat- free compost'.

And whether other people are easily able to get it or not...

Outkast_IRE

muckyhands wrote: »

The other thread was started by another member and it was about something totally different i.e. What is 'moss' / 'peat' etc...

This thread is about 'peat- free compost' and whether or not people are able to get it in their local garden centres or wherever... because it was pointed out to me by another member that for them its not as widely available...

So I started this thread in the hopes people could post where they know peat- free is stocked and it may then be of some use/ benefit for others.

I take your point though.

I couldnt find any at my local centre recently , i had to settle on a reduced peat one .

muckyhands

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

I couldnt find any at my local centre recently , i had to settle on a reduced peat one .

My local Woodies used to stock it but it didn' t sell so they only have peat- reduced now too.

Found out today B&Q in Liffeyvalley have their own brand peat- free 60 litre/ 3 for 10euro or 125 litre @ 8.80 each and B &Q Airside have Shamrock peat- free 60 litre 3 bags for 10euro in stock.

Johnstown Garden Centre in Naas has Westland peat- free 60 litre 7.99 each or 2 for 14euro in stock.

dardevle

muckyhands wrote: »

My local Woodies used to stock it but it didn' t sell so they only have peat- reduced now too.

Found out today B&Q in Liffeyvalley have their own brand peat- free 60 litre/ 3 for 10euro or 125 litre @ 8.80 each and B &Q Airside have Shamrock peat- free 60 litre 3 bags for 10euro in stock.

Johnstown Garden Centre in Naas has Westland peat- free 60 litre 7.99 each or 2 for 14euro in stock.

just wondering which of these limited availability peatfree products you use and how does it compare to the widely available peatmoss as regards seed sowing,potting on and as a general soil improver?


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muckyhands

dardevle wrote: »

just wondering which of these limited availability peatfree products you use and how does it compare to the widely available peatmoss as regards seed sowing,potting on and as a general soil improver?


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Define 'limited availability peatfree products' because I seem to have contradicted myself thus far regarding availability I should think!

Sometimes it just so happens that at the very time you want to get something in particular you cant find it anywhere- or worse still you see the person walking out with a trolley load of the very thing you set out to buy.....

so annoying don' t you think.

dardevle

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i have tried some trials with a number of these products in the past and found them to be hit and miss, certainly as regards to seed sowing, with results being not great as compared to peat based products,
this coupled with the additional costs has impacted on the demand/supply of the products....but thats just my opinion....so i wondered if there was somthing i was missing?



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muckyhands

dardevle wrote: »

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i have tried some trials with a number of these products in the past and found them to be hit and miss, certainly as regards to seed sowing, with results being not great as compared to peat based products,
this coupled with the additional costs has impacted on the demand/supply of the products....but thats just my opinion....so i wondered if there was somthing i was missing?



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Which ones were part of your trials- sounds like you might be the one who knows of quite a few products that people may or may not be aware of.....

Exactly what this thread needed.

Are they still on the market do you know?

Are there any you would recommend as being better than others?

Did you come to any conclusions or do you have any recommendations that may help improve them?

Macy0161

muckyhands wrote: »

do you have any recommendations that may help improve them?

addition of peat?

I've a convenient B&Q, and I think they stock peat free as outlined above. I think Aldi had peat free growbags/ compost a free weeks ago, so that could be worth a look. I can't really comment on the quality of either though - as I'm not averse to using it on my fire, it seems a bit hypocritical to have an issue using it in the garden.

dardevle

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Hi Mucky,

it has been a few years now and i would be sketchy as to the brand names but westland was one of 3 retail bags, there was also a coir based substitute, a homemade mix of my own (leaf mold-loam-garden compost) and a control batch of peat containing medium.

none could match the control batch for success rate in germination with the coir mix coming in a close second and my own mix next.....the retail bags i found not to be great at all..... i thought the particulate size was much too large for seed starting and while the coir based medium may have been a decent substitute, the fact that it is shipped from half a world away sort of defeats the purpose:o

( i myself use klasmann-deilmann substrates and treat it like black gold, one bag will usually last me all year.)




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kynzvart

muckyhands wrote: »

Hi all

A good point was made to me recently that peat- free composts are hard to come by so thought maybe if anyone knows garden centres or nurserys that stock it, they might post here?

Thanks.

Aldi sells peat free compost £1.99. Thats here in the UK could also sell it in Ireland

muckyhands

Support for the use of peat in horticulture is on the decline- yes the demand is still there but don' t you have to wonder why?

The 'trades people' of the horticultural world (and just to clarify I mean the producers of peat- based composts- not joe soap the landscaper- just in case I get myself in trouble again. :rolleyes:) naturally want people to believe it the the only viable option for plant production- but come on- its a little biased to say the least, given that it is how they line their pockets.



Companys like Klasmann Deilmann have realised peat- based products are losing support- and it shows as these companys try updating their image to be seen as sustainable and caring companys in line with new views and environmental awareness. :rolleyes:

But thats just my opinion...

muckyhands

dardevle wrote: »

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Hi Mucky,

it has been a few years now and i would be sketchy as to the brand names but westland was one of 3 retail bags, there was also a coir based substitute, a homemade mix of my own (leaf mold-loam-garden compost) and a control batch of peat containing medium.

none could match the control batch for success rate in germination with the coir mix coming in a close second and my own mix next.....the retail bags i found not to be great at all..... i thought the particulate size was much too large for seed starting and while the coir based medium may have been a decent substitute, the fact that it is shipped from half a world away sort of defeats the purpose:o

( i myself use klasmann-deilmann substrates and treat it like black gold, one bag will usually last me all year.)




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Dardevle

I' m not trying to dispute your experience and view of the performance of the peat- free composts you tried when compared to peat- based composts.

Mucky.

dardevle

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no bother,
i was asked for, and gave my own experience and opinion on the matter...... at the time i wanted to find a suitable alternative and still do! so i am wondering which peat free substitute you are using that achieves the same or better results than peat based strata??

or are you suggesting i should settle for lower success rates for more expense??

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ymurtagh

hope this helps, peat free compost, http://www.adverts.ie/plants-pots/top-soil-topsoil-compost-and-manure-delivered/1401295

muckyhands

dardevle wrote: »

.......
no bother,
i was asked for, and gave my own experience and opinion on the matter...... at the time i wanted to find a suitable alternative and still do! so i am wondering which peat free substitute you are using that achieves the same or better results than peat based strata??

or are you suggesting i should settle for lower success rates for more expense??

.......

The only one to bring the merits of peat- free compost versus peat based compost or even the cost of such- into a debate- is you- so I don' t know why you said that.

As for what I use- the type of things I plant/ sow for myself is the same as anybody else might- like veg or cut flowers so I usually sow/ plant direct on the plot- parsnips, potato, garlic, shallot etc. etc.

The few things I start early- like pumpkins- I use my own mix but don' t use a heated propagator- because it tends to mould quite quickly when its damp and humid.

Naturally I bought a few bags of peat- free when I was looking for them for this thread- and I have a possibly stupid idea of growing a heap of dandelions to plant up quite a large area where I will be keeping honeybees, white clover too but I am not sowing/ pricking out and planting that singly :eek: - so maybe I will do a trial of sorts of my own using variuous peat- free composts that I can get locally. :D

Imagine a field full of Jinny-joes. :D

muckyhands

ymurtagh wrote: »

hope this helps, peat free compost, http://www.adverts.ie/plants-pots/top-soil-topsoil-compost-and-manure-delivered/1401295[/QUOTE]

Thanks very much, really appreciate that.

dardevle

muckyhands wrote: »

The only one to bring the merits of peat- free compost versus peat based compost or even the cost of such- into a debate- is you- so I don' t know why you said that.

simply brought it up because in a previous thread your advice was that 'gardeners can do without.'.....a comparison seems a logical thing to suggest.

would it not have been better to actually use the product yourself first before telling others to do without???

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muckyhands

dardevle wrote: »

simply brought it up because in a previous thread your advice was that 'gardeners can do without.'.....a comparison seems a logical thing to suggest.

would it not have been better to actually use the product yourself first before telling others to do without???

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I 'do without' on my allotment using soil improvers like green manures and farmyard manure to improve the soil, and I compost.

And would it not be better if you carried out a more recent trial of peat- free products before you rubbish them? :rolleyes:

I will point out this thread title to you again, care to give some input?

dardevle

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moderate much:D


i have given my input to this thread, in particular with reference as to why peat free products are of limited availability for reasons of performance...you don't consider it relevant - i do.

i have not rubbished these products, simply compared them,makes sense to at least try something before telling others to 'do without' particularly when it seems you continue to use peat based products:rolleyes: (do as i say not as i do)

if you feel my input is not relevant then just click the report post icon and an actual moderator will deal with it.

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paddy147

I was out in Plantegan Garden Centre in Malahide this morning,and they stock and sell Westland Multi-Purpose Peat Free compost.

60 litre bag is 7 euro 99 cents or else 3 for the price of 2.




Thats my "input" to the thread,in the context of the thread "title".

Maybe others could follow suit too,with regards actual names of peat free compost and places that stock peat free compost

Regards.

muckyhands

dardevle wrote: »

.......
moderate much:D


i have given my input to this thread, in particular with reference as to why peat free products are of limited availability for reasons of performance...you don't consider it relevant - i do.

i have not rubbished these products, simply compared them,makes sense to at least try something before telling others to 'do without' particularly when it seems you continue to use peat based products:rolleyes: (do as i say not as i do)

if you feel my input is not relevant then just click the report post icon and an actual moderator will deal with it.

......

What year did you try them out in again?

For someone who says they want to find an alternative to peat you don' t seem to be able/ willing to post anywhere that stocks it.

Instead of going off on a tangeant about moderators and going on about other threads- you could have just answered the question re thread title. It couldnt be that hard.

lodris

http://www.mulch.ie/mulch-blend

I pass by this place when walking teh dog haven't tried it

muckyhands

lodris wrote: »

http://www.mulch.ie/mulch-blend

I pass by this place when walking teh dog haven't tried it

Haven't tried it myself but all their products are renewable and peat- free.

muckyhands

Popped down to mulch.ie for a look. Irish company who' s products are made in Ireland.

You can bring your garden waste (anything but soil or that was treated with preservatives) drive in or they can collect.

You can buy fine and medium grade bark mulches, soil enricher and pro grow compost(sterilised/ screened topsoil with 25% soil enricher) loose or bagged.

Renewable, organic and peat- free. Got a few bags to try it out.