(26-03-2022, 10:20 PM)toomanytommytoes Wrote:

(26-03-2022, 06:02 PM)Farendwoman Wrote: Same with me Sariss. I blame the peat free for my failures,
I would normally expect to have loads of 9cm pots full of seedlings to be pricked out at this time of year. But not much at all, so starting again.
But as my other half says “A bad workman ......”

Which brand of peat free is it? I understand that green waste compost can be very high in nutrients which can inhibit seed germination. New Horizon is one brand which definitely doesn't contain green waste, in fact I don't think any of Westland's brands contain green waste.

I've never used peat to start seeds in, most things get sown in a mixture of home compost, worm castings and last year's pepper/tomato/potato/courgette potting mix. This year I did use peat free compost to start tomatoes in (mixed with worm castings) because I had tomato seeds coming up from the home made compost and I didn't want any confusion, germination was very good. Depending on what's in the peat free, it can have different watering requirements than peat based. Coir for instance can look dry on the surface but will still be holding a lot of water further down, whereas composted bark dries out quite quickly.

(27-03-2022, 07:23 PM)SarrissUK Wrote: Supagrow Organic compost is what I bought from Homebase first, lots of it.
https://www.homebase.co.uk/supagrow-peat-free-organic-garden-compost-50l/12906252.html?utm_source=ecrm-order-confirmation-store&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ecrm-order-confirmation-store&affil=thgemail&ecrmcid=6KxB25ZGjyYb3Agqd6RrpXedwk794V81&shae=u7fbvBllMFW%2FR4%2Fdv8If4sN6LkyB%2BTetTyjunWuQ01o%3D&sendTime=1643496809

It's dark and has a funny smell. When so many seeds failed to germinate, I looked closer, and it goes rock hard when the top layer dries, and nothing is thriving in it. I'm going to write to Homebase about it, because it's not great. To be fair, it doesn't say it is for seedlings, but you would've thought that if it's only good for mulch, they'd sell it as mulch?

Anyone else tried this brand?

I wouldn't normally buy peat compost, but it was such a bargain I couldn't NOT buy it. I need lots this year to put stuff into pots that I will be able to plant in the ground next year once we have the summer house in place.