durstons growbags / composts

[farmer jon]

just interested if anyone has used either of the above products & if so what was the verdict compared to other well known brands? they are listed in our suppliers catalogue at very reasonable prices but would like to have some working knowledge of the products first.

[PLUMPUDDING]

I like their multi purpose with John Innes for most things. It doesn't have too many lumps - good consistency - and doesn't dry out as quickly as some. It also seems to have sufficient nutrients to keep things going until they need planting out too.

And as you say is reasonably priced.

[Westi]

That's the one I use but I've had very erratic germination - don't know if it is weather or compost! Tomatoes, Kale, all brassica's really haven't been happy. This year I've big bits of bark in it as well and it is normally lovely & fine. Maybe current economic climate has influenced production but not using anymore & have re-sown. Would normally use it as a top dressing just to get rid of it but concerned enough to leave it alone & will put in in garden waste bin for collection.

Westi

PS Any suggestions about what might be wrong welcome! (please say it is weather as otherwise those that have successfully germinated may still cause grief & bolt or be generally unsuccessful)

[farmer jon]

thanks for the feedback both of you. we have acquired one bag of multipurpose so will use it as a trial . the compost seems very black & finely milled with added fertiliser clearly visible. certainly no "planks of wood " or "branches " that the likes of new horizon, verve or wickes have in them. I use the levington professional range myself but we are looking at a fallback line for allotment sales. likewise growbags, erin have increased their prices quite substantially due to the weather affecting peat harvesting.

[PLUMPUDDING]

I'm surprised you have had poor germination Westi, do you think it was warm enough? Everything I've sown has germinated in less than a week in this compost. I cover the seeds with vermiculite though, not the compost.

[Westi]

That could be it PP! I covered with compost this year....the missing link maybe? Mice got into the vermiculite so didn't use it although had loads left was well contaminated by droppings - too ready to sow, sow, sow & also too lazy to go & get some more!

Thank You
Westi

[Ricard with an H]

I have just bought some Durstons multi-purpose and some growbags, I can't blame the compost i'm using for the failures and the odd sulking seedlings because other species appeared happy. I'm not to sure about mixing sand with it so I won't try that again.

I think my failures are down to watering, to-much much watering probably. If the surface looks dry i'm watering, I can't help myself.

The sulkers at the moment are peppers seedlings and Jalapeno, plus a few flower seedlings.

[Johnboy]

Hi Richard,
It is perfectly OK to mix sand with MP compost but it must never be builders sand so either silver sand or probably which is best is sharp sand with a fine grit texture. MP compost with sharp sand gives a very open texture and allows oxygen to the new growing roots and also improve drainage. This ultimately leads to a stronger root structure which gives the plant a very good start in life.
JB.

[Ricard with an H]

Hi Richard,
It is perfectly OK to mix sand with MP compost but it must never be builders sand

Guess-what John, it was builders sand.

At the very least i'm learning by bumping into things and failure. The story of my life is of being poor-to-average at just about everything.

So what do I do, re-pot them ? Resign to the loss and don't do it again.

I have never seen sand for sale for horticultural use locally.

[oldherbaceous]

Morning Richard, the type of sand Johnboy said not to use is, brick laying sand. The sand that is best, is sharp sand they use for screeding floors, and this can be bought at the builders merchants.

Regarding the over watering, Johnboy and myself have often commented this does more harm then slightly under-watering. If you take an over-watered plant and a slightly under-watered plant out of a pot, you will see a huge difference in the formation of the roots, the over-watered one having a far smaller root system, so stopping it from growing away well.

With the plants you have that are sulking, you could try and airate the soil a little, let them dry out a bit and see if they have picked up in a week or so.

[Ricard with an H]

So I should be aiming for what was known as sharp-sand. Here in West Wales we can only buy grit sand which is very much like washed-sand for brick-laying.

Ten years ago when we were having building work done the builder insisted on a type of sharp sand that was only available direct from a particular quarry in direct loads. Builders merchants don't have this course grade called sharp-sand that I was used to when I lived in the midlands.

This Durstons multi-purpose compost is more finely milled than the Clover stuff I bought last year and early this year and so far it seems very wet and not keen to dry out compared to Clover MP.

I just inspected the progress of some French bean sowings in peat pots, 50% of them have rotted away. I still have eight beans that have sprouted so I re-potted them. I did a lot better with these same beans last year.

[oldherbaceous]

Evening Richard, yes, coarse sand is what you need, but it is called many names, so a little confusing i must admit.

Your French beans might be victims of your eager watering-can, too.
After the initial watering when sown, they only just need to be kept slightly moist and no more.

[Ricard with an H]

Your French beans might be victims of your eager watering-can, too.

Oh-dear, I must admit to never have lost anything to drying out. I don't know if this might be a clue for me, indoors we have two pot-plants but I don't know what they are called. In both cases I water them when they sag or the leaves start to droop a little, they always come-back.

The problem with seedlings is they are often in tiny amounts of growing-medium and even as I type this text i'm reading a warning about greenhouse plants often needing watering four times a day.

OK OH, I get the message, right now is time to go and water my plants because the compost looks dry. I'll try to moderate the watering and learn.

[Johnboy]

Hi Richard,
Building sand for brick laying should not have a grit content but in some cases where stone laying is involved and lime is part of the mortar then a sharp sand is used.
What you need is a sand with a grit content. It is the grit content that will assist you.
If you have any plant nurseries in your area I should pop in and ask the boss what kind of sand he uses I am sure he/she will not mind your enquiry.
I believe in the Wyevale outlets, which seem to cover most of the country, sharp sand is obtainable in sealed bags.
Builders sand for brick laying generally makes the situation worse and prevents drainage.
In certain cases half an inch of horticultural grade grit is used in the bottom of each pot to assist drainage.
I have never had to water anything in a tunnel or greehouse four times in a day and I think that the book is not really giving you the best of advice.
It would be interested in which book it is.
JB.

[Ricard with an H]

I have never had to water anything in a tunnel or greehouse four times in a day and I think that the book is not really giving you the best of advice.
It would be interested in which book it is.
JB.

Thanks for your help in this matter because it is a serious setback in my gardening education.

I don't remember where/which publication I read, "Four times a day" watering because I do have quite a collection of reading considering i'm only in my infancy.

This morning I got back to basics and pulled out all my RHS publications, just going through the general basics and a volume dedicated to propagation the first text I come to referring to seed propagation and watering does warn about damping-off and the regular use of Cheshunt though does not illustrate the dangers of overwatering. The term, "Moist but not waterlogged" is used but to be honest this state-of-Nirvana where you have free-draining but moist can be a difficult one to achieve for the novice if the compost isn't suitable for seed or young seedlings.

After having this Durstons compost in an open tray for 48 hours it is still sodden, the grit-sand i'm using does have the desired effect of opening-up and allowing drainage though what I found is I have to come to terms with what is going-on at the roots rather than on the surface of the container.

I'm wondering if there is an idiots-guide type help for me, did I see something you stick into the pot that tells a story ? I don't get to go to these very comprehensive garden-centre type places very often and whilst I do make the effort occasionally it does involve quite a large geographic area rather than 'down-the-road'.

To be honest, I feel a bit odd in a garden centre because what I have here whilst amounting to gardening it's closer to a smallholding than what is provided for in garden centres. For example, when I bought sand I need a lot so I bought a ton. I have used half a ton already to mix with my clay-soil and that has been a success so-far assuming I haven't poisoned my soil.

Regarding the compost I buy maybe I should be spending more cash on the right stuff rather than using general-purpose for everything. The RHS guide for a seed compost was two parts milled peat to two parts sand one part sterile loam plus nutrients. For young plants it is quite different, three parts peat, two parts sand and seven parts sterile loam. For loam-less compost they recommend three parts milled peat to one part sand plus nutrients.

To be honest, I haven't been very scientific about my mixing, just kept adding sand until it felt right, how would I know what feels right ? i'll-gotten confidence Eh ?