Kitchen Garden Forum

Pa Snip wrote:Question for OH


Anybody any compost brand recommendations

I’m using Clover MPC, bought from my local allotment association trading hut. This seems to be performing well this year, as it has in the past. As with any other MPC it seems prone to drying out more easily than is ideal, and being virtually impossible to satisfactorily re-wet if totally dried out through neglect in watering – and be honest, we are all guilty of this at times . But this seems to be a problem with all MPCs.
For the last couple of years I have aided water retention by mixing the MPC with John Innes compost; 2 parts MPC to 1 part JI, adding JI seed compost to the sowing mix and JI 3 for potting on. I also add a little vermiculite or perlite to this mix to aid aeration.

Thanks Fred

Two in favour of Clover so far then

My understanding of perlite is that it is good for water retention whereas vermiculite makes good surface covering and aids aeration

Morning Pa Snip, Clover for me as well.......As Alan said, always consistent and no bits of wood or other rubbish in it....and at four bags for £12, good value as well. Like fred, i always mix it with John Innes whether it be No 1, 2, or 3, i must admit, i don't mix the seedling mix. I always just mix a 60l bag of clover with a 25l bag of what ever John Innes i need at the time....as i do a lot of potting up. It really does make a first class growing medium.

I have been working at Marston Mortaine today, very heavy clay, so got in a bit of a mess....

You guys that use Clover MP, do you buy it locally or online.

Cant seem to find any retailers of it around this area

I'm lucky, Pa Snip, i buy it from Hunters farm shop, it's about six miles away.

Clovers website tells me nothing, appears not to be working properly. Search for stockists facility appears to be NFU, and I don't mean National Farmers Union

Edit Correction, Now appears to be working but nearest stockist 20+ miles away. Might give then a call to see how much they charge.

Pa Snip wrote:You guys that use Clover MP, do you buy it locally or online.

Cant seem to find any retailers of it around this area

I get mine from my (fairly) local allotment association trading hut, who obviously buy in bulk, but I don't know whether they get it direct from Clover or via a third party.

Pa Snip wrote:You guys that use Clover MP, do you buy it locally or online.

Cant seem to find any retailers of it around this area

Though I am at the end of the world, I am lucky enough to get it from my local garden centre a couple of miles up the road

Dear Pa Snip, the compost is that nice, i'm tempted to go back outside, just so i can run my hands through it....

Laughing out loud OH.
You sure there isn't some kind of law against that, could sound kinder pervy to a judge.

A fetish on compost , that could be a first

I'm sure the judge would make an exception for me....

Thanks for the replies

Gave up on the Clover MP front. Got the website to work in the end but nearest listed 'stockist' was 18 miles away and was shown as a farm.
Tried ringing but just kept getting answerphone.

Went to the nursery I mentioned recently that's near Burnham (Bucks). Made two trips with 6 x 125lt packs each time.
£7 per pack

Now got backache as the bags are all on the plot. Raised beds are at long last completely ready and awaiting new planting season.

COMPLETELY FOXED

I know I have mentioned the signs of foxes on the allotment site before now. What baffles some of us is that we often find chicken eggs buried on our plots.
There is no great surprise about that but what does mystify us is where these eggs keep coming from, has to be one of the local houses>

What's so mysterious about that you might ask.

The eggs all have the required stamp on them (no not post office stamp thank you)
Sometimes these foxes must get confused because we find buried golf balls, but I am foxed by the occasional find as per the pic below showing something I found partially buried today

Must be a clever Fox as he or she has planted onions as well as there are none growing in the raised beds on the picture above, is there a driving range near bye