BEST SUPPLIER OF COMPOST 2019

I am not going to touch Wickes MPC with a bargepole this year. After the mattress stuffing they sold me last year. I'll stick to Jacks Magic , not cheap , but hopefully Wickes will have it on offer this year.

 

Going to mix my own this year
I have an almost unlimited supply of very cheap compost....the feel and appearance of it looks far better than any prop mpc I usually use.
I will sieve it, use it with john innes, grit or dried manure plus fertiliser according to what plants I will be growing.
Last year I found it held moisture and nutrients better, plants grew well in it and was less prone to vine weevil attacks

 

I still have enough left to be getting on with from the compostdirect bulk bag I acquired last year to level up the borders. I posted about that in last year's thread, because I was so impressed with both its quality and the delivery (straight over the front garden wall using a HIAB truck, here within the M25). Mine was the el cheapo soil conditioner, but it's still really good quality: Soil Conditioner

 

Saw that Clare G.....looks good
The compost I am getting locally is very similar but very cheap (I fetch it myself though)

 

Yes @Verdun I'm all in favour of supporting local suppliers where I can! Less packaging and fewer transport miles = cheaper and better for the environment too!

 

I got three 60l bags of Jack's Magic for £15 from the garden centre I work at.
That will keep me going for awhile.

 

I've stopped using Black Magic and gone back to Verve. I found that seedlings and cuttings don't grow as well with Black Magic. I experimented with the same plant cuttings in both and those in BM seem to have come to a standstill while those in Verve are twice the size. I also find that BM tends to set hard after a while.

 

Bought a few bags in Morrisons 2x40 ltrs for £4. Used it last year, mixed with some peat and sharp sand.

 

As Shiney I used Clover MPC for years , super quality and price. I don't have a local supplier for this since retiring. So I am sticking to Jacks Magic this season , in fact I need to get some today

 

A bit of an experiment ....Half n half jacks magic and my own (cheap as chips) compost. Texture is great and, so far, rooted cuttings look fine.
My own compost holds moisture better, for sure, and I think it will suit summer pot plants.
Branded mpc varies so much from batch to batch and year on year....some are downright shoddy. Best to evaluate bag on bag and adjust (perlite etc) accordingly

 

When I get a bit more time, I will write a thread about the different composts available for retail, you will be shocked and surprised at some of the things these companies do, at present a bit busy getting online orders and plants ready for this season, and the talks I do to gardening clubs and associations start tomorrow night (which I talk alot about mpc v home composting and professional compost that is starting to become available to the public), so will write a thread soon.