I'm talking about a bag of Homebase Multi Purpose Peat Free Compost, supposedly with 'enriched nutrients to feed plants for 6-8 weeks', and 'improved water retention'.
I knew it was rubbish as soon as I opened the bag - it looked more like mulch than compost (I even checked the bag to make sure I hadn't accidentally got the wrong stuff) but I had been given a lift to the shop to buy it, and there was no going back - I had no choice other than to use it because I had seedlings that needed pricking out.
After a week, it was obvious that the sprouts were going to die if I didn't do something quickly, as they were starting to go yellow, and hadn't grown at all. All I could do was re-use some old compost out of the pots of sweetcorn that hadn't germinated. I only had enough to do twelve of the fourteen plants, and even then I had to use the old compost sparingly to make it go far enough, but I hoped it would be enough to do the trick.
This is a photo of the plants a couple of days ago. No prizes for guessing that the two in the middle were the ones still stuck in the Homebase compost:
- Sprouts 1.JPG (124.28 KiB) Viewed 5247 times
And these are some Romanesco seedlings pricked out at the same time into the Homebase 'compost'. I can't remember exactly when I pricked them out, but they were sown back in mid-May. I have to say, I don't hold out much hope for them!!! :
- Romanesco 1.JPG (120.14 KiB) Viewed 5248 times
I wonder if Homebase will compensate me for the loss of next winter's brassicas!
And just in case anyone argues that this type of compost is really meant for larger plants, in pots and baskets, I'd like to mention that even they are struggling in the stuff, wilting badly as it is drying out too quickly. When I water, most of it is running straight through the compost!
) and the surface goes like concrete. The carrots took absolutely ages to germinate and those that did are not looking too promising. I might just tip the whole lot out and dig it into the garden because that's about all it's fit for.
