Anywhere that stocks Peat- free compost?

muckyhands

Hi all

A good point was made to me recently that peat- free composts are hard to come by so thought maybe if anyone knows garden centres or nurserys that stock it, they might post here?

Thanks.

magicbastarder

you can buy bags of well rotted manure, which should provide a similar function.

muckyhands

Came across this:

http://www.ipcc.ie/compwildpeatfreeirl.html

as will anyone looking for peat- free compost and wondered if there is anyone who has actually come across these products or used them/ what they thought of them and if they are kept regularly enough in stock in your area?

Peat 'reduced' composts are all I can seem to find in my local garden centres except for Wests + peat free in Homebase and thats on the website but my actual local one doesn' t have it. :mad:

dardevle

......


so would you still consider them to be "widely available" or are they hard to come by???





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muckyhands

dardevle wrote: »

......


so would you still consider them to be "widely available" or are they hard to come by???





......

When your' e wrong, your' e wrong- what can I say.

muckyhands

muckyhands wrote: »

Hi all

A good point was made to me recently that peat- free composts are hard to come by so thought maybe if anyone knows garden centres or nurserys that stock it, they might post here?

Thanks.

Which is why I started this thread.

dardevle

......

just confusing to read a post in another thread that says these products are now widely available.... and then this thread is started alongside it that says they are hard to come by - may have been better to keep it to the same thread for clarity.....

while reduced peat products are available i would not say that peat free products are widely available because the appetite for them is not there.

......

muckyhands

dardevle wrote: »

......

just confusing to read a post in another thread that says these products are now widely available.... and then this thread is started alongside it that says they are hard to come by - may have been better to keep it to the same thread for clarity.....



......

The other thread was started by another member and it was about something totally different i.e. What is 'moss' / 'peat' etc...

This thread is about 'peat- free compost' and whether or not people are able to get it in their local garden centres or wherever... because it was pointed out to me by another member that for them its not as widely available...

So I started this thread in the hopes people could post where they know peat- free is stocked and it may then be of some use/ benefit for others.

I take your point though.

I think the title speaks for itself and I made it quite clear- 'Anywhere that stocks peat- free compost'.

And whether other people are easily able to get it or not...

Outkast_IRE

muckyhands wrote: »

The other thread was started by another member and it was about something totally different i.e. What is 'moss' / 'peat' etc...

This thread is about 'peat- free compost' and whether or not people are able to get it in their local garden centres or wherever... because it was pointed out to me by another member that for them its not as widely available...

So I started this thread in the hopes people could post where they know peat- free is stocked and it may then be of some use/ benefit for others.

I take your point though.

I couldnt find any at my local centre recently , i had to settle on a reduced peat one .

muckyhands

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

I couldnt find any at my local centre recently , i had to settle on a reduced peat one .

My local Woodies used to stock it but it didn' t sell so they only have peat- reduced now too.

Found out today B&Q in Liffeyvalley have their own brand peat- free 60 litre/ 3 for 10euro or 125 litre @ 8.80 each and B &Q Airside have Shamrock peat- free 60 litre 3 bags for 10euro in stock.

Johnstown Garden Centre in Naas has Westland peat- free 60 litre 7.99 each or 2 for 14euro in stock.

dardevle

muckyhands wrote: »

My local Woodies used to stock it but it didn' t sell so they only have peat- reduced now too.

Found out today B&Q in Liffeyvalley have their own brand peat- free 60 litre/ 3 for 10euro or 125 litre @ 8.80 each and B &Q Airside have Shamrock peat- free 60 litre 3 bags for 10euro in stock.

Johnstown Garden Centre in Naas has Westland peat- free 60 litre 7.99 each or 2 for 14euro in stock.

just wondering which of these limited availability peatfree products you use and how does it compare to the widely available peatmoss as regards seed sowing,potting on and as a general soil improver?


......

muckyhands

dardevle wrote: »

just wondering which of these limited availability peatfree products you use and how does it compare to the widely available peatmoss as regards seed sowing,potting on and as a general soil improver?


......

Define 'limited availability peatfree products' because I seem to have contradicted myself thus far regarding availability I should think!

Sometimes it just so happens that at the very time you want to get something in particular you cant find it anywhere- or worse still you see the person walking out with a trolley load of the very thing you set out to buy.....

so annoying don' t you think.

dardevle

.....

i have tried some trials with a number of these products in the past and found them to be hit and miss, certainly as regards to seed sowing, with results being not great as compared to peat based products,
this coupled with the additional costs has impacted on the demand/supply of the products....but thats just my opinion....so i wondered if there was somthing i was missing?



......

muckyhands

dardevle wrote: »

.....

i have tried some trials with a number of these products in the past and found them to be hit and miss, certainly as regards to seed sowing, with results being not great as compared to peat based products,
this coupled with the additional costs has impacted on the demand/supply of the products....but thats just my opinion....so i wondered if there was somthing i was missing?



......

Which ones were part of your trials- sounds like you might be the one who knows of quite a few products that people may or may not be aware of.....

Exactly what this thread needed.

Are they still on the market do you know?

Are there any you would recommend as being better than others?

Did you come to any conclusions or do you have any recommendations that may help improve them?

Macy0161

muckyhands wrote: »

do you have any recommendations that may help improve them?

addition of peat?

I've a convenient B&Q, and I think they stock peat free as outlined above. I think Aldi had peat free growbags/ compost a free weeks ago, so that could be worth a look. I can't really comment on the quality of either though - as I'm not averse to using it on my fire, it seems a bit hypocritical to have an issue using it in the garden.

dardevle

......
Hi Mucky,

it has been a few years now and i would be sketchy as to the brand names but westland was one of 3 retail bags, there was also a coir based substitute, a homemade mix of my own (leaf mold-loam-garden compost) and a control batch of peat containing medium.

none could match the control batch for success rate in germination with the coir mix coming in a close second and my own mix next.....the retail bags i found not to be great at all..... i thought the particulate size was much too large for seed starting and while the coir based medium may have been a decent substitute, the fact that it is shipped from half a world away sort of defeats the purpose:o

( i myself use klasmann-deilmann substrates and treat it like black gold, one bag will usually last me all year.)




.......

kynzvart

muckyhands wrote: »

Hi all

A good point was made to me recently that peat- free composts are hard to come by so thought maybe if anyone knows garden centres or nurserys that stock it, they might post here?

Thanks.

Aldi sells peat free compost £1.99. Thats here in the UK could also sell it in Ireland

muckyhands

Support for the use of peat in horticulture is on the decline- yes the demand is still there but don' t you have to wonder why?

The 'trades people' of the horticultural world (and just to clarify I mean the producers of peat- based composts- not joe soap the landscaper- just in case I get myself in trouble again. :rolleyes:) naturally want people to believe it the the only viable option for plant production- but come on- its a little biased to say the least, given that it is how they line their pockets.



Companys like Klasmann Deilmann have realised peat- based products are losing support- and it shows as these companys try updating their image to be seen as sustainable and caring companys in line with new views and environmental awareness. :rolleyes:

But thats just my opinion...

muckyhands

dardevle wrote: »

......
Hi Mucky,

it has been a few years now and i would be sketchy as to the brand names but westland was one of 3 retail bags, there was also a coir based substitute, a homemade mix of my own (leaf mold-loam-garden compost) and a control batch of peat containing medium.

none could match the control batch for success rate in germination with the coir mix coming in a close second and my own mix next.....the retail bags i found not to be great at all..... i thought the particulate size was much too large for seed starting and while the coir based medium may have been a decent substitute, the fact that it is shipped from half a world away sort of defeats the purpose:o

( i myself use klasmann-deilmann substrates and treat it like black gold, one bag will usually last me all year.)




.......

Dardevle

I' m not trying to dispute your experience and view of the performance of the peat- free composts you tried when compared to peat- based composts.

Mucky.

dardevle

.......
no bother,
i was asked for, and gave my own experience and opinion on the matter...... at the time i wanted to find a suitable alternative and still do! so i am wondering which peat free substitute you are using that achieves the same or better results than peat based strata??

or are you suggesting i should settle for lower success rates for more expense??

.......

ymurtagh

hope this helps, peat free compost, http://www.adverts.ie/plants-pots/top-soil-topsoil-compost-and-manure-delivered/1401295

muckyhands

dardevle wrote: »

.......
no bother,
i was asked for, and gave my own experience and opinion on the matter...... at the time i wanted to find a suitable alternative and still do! so i am wondering which peat free substitute you are using that achieves the same or better results than peat based strata??

or are you suggesting i should settle for lower success rates for more expense??

.......

The only one to bring the merits of peat- free compost versus peat based compost or even the cost of such- into a debate- is you- so I don' t know why you said that.

As for what I use- the type of things I plant/ sow for myself is the same as anybody else might- like veg or cut flowers so I usually sow/ plant direct on the plot- parsnips, potato, garlic, shallot etc. etc.

The few things I start early- like pumpkins- I use my own mix but don' t use a heated propagator- because it tends to mould quite quickly when its damp and humid.

Naturally I bought a few bags of peat- free when I was looking for them for this thread- and I have a possibly stupid idea of growing a heap of dandelions to plant up quite a large area where I will be keeping honeybees, white clover too but I am not sowing/ pricking out and planting that singly :eek: - so maybe I will do a trial of sorts of my own using variuous peat- free composts that I can get locally. :D

Imagine a field full of Jinny-joes. :D

muckyhands

ymurtagh wrote: »

hope this helps, peat free compost, http://www.adverts.ie/plants-pots/top-soil-topsoil-compost-and-manure-delivered/1401295[/QUOTE]

Thanks very much, really appreciate that.

dardevle

muckyhands wrote: »

The only one to bring the merits of peat- free compost versus peat based compost or even the cost of such- into a debate- is you- so I don' t know why you said that.

simply brought it up because in a previous thread your advice was that 'gardeners can do without.'.....a comparison seems a logical thing to suggest.

would it not have been better to actually use the product yourself first before telling others to do without???

.......

muckyhands

dardevle wrote: »

simply brought it up because in a previous thread your advice was that 'gardeners can do without.'.....a comparison seems a logical thing to suggest.

would it not have been better to actually use the product yourself first before telling others to do without???

.......

I 'do without' on my allotment using soil improvers like green manures and farmyard manure to improve the soil, and I compost.

And would it not be better if you carried out a more recent trial of peat- free products before you rubbish them? :rolleyes:

I will point out this thread title to you again, care to give some input?

dardevle

.......
moderate much:D


i have given my input to this thread, in particular with reference as to why peat free products are of limited availability for reasons of performance...you don't consider it relevant - i do.

i have not rubbished these products, simply compared them,makes sense to at least try something before telling others to 'do without' particularly when it seems you continue to use peat based products:rolleyes: (do as i say not as i do)

if you feel my input is not relevant then just click the report post icon and an actual moderator will deal with it.

......

paddy147

I was out in Plantegan Garden Centre in Malahide this morning,and they stock and sell Westland Multi-Purpose Peat Free compost.

60 litre bag is 7 euro 99 cents or else 3 for the price of 2.




Thats my "input" to the thread,in the context of the thread "title".

Maybe others could follow suit too,with regards actual names of peat free compost and places that stock peat free compost

Regards.

muckyhands

dardevle wrote: »

.......
moderate much:D


i have given my input to this thread, in particular with reference as to why peat free products are of limited availability for reasons of performance...you don't consider it relevant - i do.

i have not rubbished these products, simply compared them,makes sense to at least try something before telling others to 'do without' particularly when it seems you continue to use peat based products:rolleyes: (do as i say not as i do)

if you feel my input is not relevant then just click the report post icon and an actual moderator will deal with it.

......

What year did you try them out in again?

For someone who says they want to find an alternative to peat you don' t seem to be able/ willing to post anywhere that stocks it.

Instead of going off on a tangeant about moderators and going on about other threads- you could have just answered the question re thread title. It couldnt be that hard.

lodris

http://www.mulch.ie/mulch-blend

I pass by this place when walking teh dog haven't tried it

muckyhands

lodris wrote: »

http://www.mulch.ie/mulch-blend

I pass by this place when walking teh dog haven't tried it

Haven't tried it myself but all their products are renewable and peat- free.

muckyhands

Popped down to mulch.ie for a look. Irish company who' s products are made in Ireland.

You can bring your garden waste (anything but soil or that was treated with preservatives) drive in or they can collect.

You can buy fine and medium grade bark mulches, soil enricher and pro grow compost(sterilised/ screened topsoil with 25% soil enricher) loose or bagged.

Renewable, organic and peat- free. Got a few bags to try it out.

dardevle

muckyhands wrote: »

What year did you try them out in again?

For someone who says they want to find an alternative to peat you don' t seem to be able/ willing to post anywhere that stocks it.

Instead of going off on a tangeant about moderators and going on about other threads- you could have just answered the question re thread title. It couldnt be that hard.

2009 was the year that i actually took the effort to compare products.

i have 2 garden centres near me (25miles) and neither of them stock peat free compost....perhaps if i lived in a larger urban area i might be able to find a stockist.

where do you buy the peatfree product that you use?? and how does it perform?
........

edog

I used the mulch blend last week as well in our new vegetable patch, seems like the real deal. Was up there bringing back cuttings and picked it up, they'd a huge pile of the compost steaming away in the warehouse! www.mulch.ie/mulch-blend

muckyhands

dardevle wrote: »

2009 was the year that i actually took the effort to compare products.

i have 2 garden centres near me (25miles) and neither of them stock peat free compost....perhaps if i lived in a larger urban area i might be able to find a stockist.

where do you buy the peatfree product that you use?? and how does it perform?
........

I make my own compost, use green manures and farmyard manure and don' t buy bags of peat to use on my allotment. As I said already in post 22. I am quite happy with the results. I am trying out a few products at the moment and if you look back over the thread you will see where I found them to be stocked.

Thanks for the input, shame you can' t get peat- free locally where you live.

paddy147

I was in Tesco,Clarehall this evening,and I noticed that Tesco sell their "own brand" peat moss for 2 euro 50 cents a bag.

The bag size is 20 litre size and its 50% peat-reduced.

Ok,so its not peat-free.......but I suppose its a step in the right direction with it being 50% peat-reduction.


Maybe Tesco might market and sell peat-free compost in the near future?

Regards.

muckyhands

dardevle wrote: »

......
Hi Mucky,

it has been a few years now and i would be sketchy as to the brand names but westland was one of 3 retail bags, there was also a coir based substitute, a homemade mix of my own (leaf mold-loam-garden compost) and a control batch of peat containing medium.

none could match the control batch for success rate in germination with the coir mix coming in a close second and my own mix next.....the retail bags i found not to be great at all..... i thought the particulate size was much too large for seed starting and while the coir based medium may have been a decent substitute, the fact that it is shipped from half a world away sort of defeats the purpose:o

( i myself use klasmann-deilmann substrates and treat it like black gold, one bag will usually last me all year.)




.......

Just out of interest what control bach of peat- base compost did you use, if you can remember?

Was it multipurpose or was it a specific one for starting seeds?

I only ask because all of the peat- free compost I have come across are suited to multi- purpose and it only seems fair that they be tested against a similar product.....

If the peat- based control batch you used was not multipurpose- i.e it was a 50: 50 mix with peat/ sand such as is used for starting seedlings- I would prefer to mix them (the peat- free) as a 50: 50 mix of peat- free compost and horticultural sand as would be the peat- base seedling mix equivalent.

I think we would both agree there is a marked difference between compost compositions.

dardevle

muckyhands wrote: »

Just out of interest what control bach of peat- base compost did you use, if you can remember?

Was it multipurpose or was it a specific one for starting seeds?

I only ask because all of the peat- free compost I have come across are suited to multi- purpose and it only seems fair that they be tested against a similar product.....

If the peat- based control batch you used was not multipurpose- i.e it was a 50: 50 mix with peat/ sand such as is used for starting seedlings- I would prefer to mix them (the peat- free) as a 50: 50 mix of peat- free compost and horticultural sand as would be the peat- base seedling mix equivalent.

I think we would both agree there is a marked difference between compost compositions.

what makes you think i would not use like for like when conducting trials?


i think we would both agree that your post sounds fairly condescending.:)


.......
......

muckyhands

dardevle wrote: »

what makes you think i would not use like for like when conducting trials?


i think we would both agree that your post sounds fairly condescending.:)


.......
......

How do you figure that?

All I have done is post- re: thread title- where I can get peat- free compost and posted some pics of said products.

The only one who seems to have an agenda is you- from the start of this thread.

muckyhands

Dardevle,

If you look back at post 16, you are clearly unsure, in your own words ' are sketchy' as to what you used in your trials so I asked what I think is a very valid question- not in any condescending way or otherwise.

dardevle

muckyhands wrote: »

Dardevle,

If you look back at post 16, you are clearly unsure, in your own words ' are sketchy' as to what you used in your trials so I asked what I think is a very valid question- not in any condescending way or otherwise.

if you look back at post 16 you will see that it says sketchy as to the brand names used.....not the medium used.

(tag team partner will now enter thread and post reply- which will then at some time later be deleted or edited as after thoughts come into head.)
.......

paddy147

dardevle wrote: »

if you look back at post 16 you will see that it says sketchy as to the brand names used.....not the medium used.


.......

So 1 specific brand name out of 3 brands (with a sketchy memory)?

And you cant give any more information on the peat control batch/medium??



This could/can then be compared with actual brands of peat free composts,which Muckyhands has gone and tracked down and bought for the purposes of trial.

A fair comparison of evenly specced/matched growing products is what she is asking for.

muckyhands wrote: »

Just out of interest what control bach of peat- base compost did you use, if you can remember?

Was it multipurpose or was it a specific one for starting seeds?

I only ask because all of the peat- free compost I have come across are suited to multi- purpose and it only seems fair that they be tested against a similar product....

^^^^^^^^^^^
I mean her question to you (post 36) is very clear and simple question to read and understand.

You have since meandered on with deflective posts,but you dont seem to be very forthcomming with any specific information.

muckyhands

dardevle wrote: »

if you look back at post 16 you will see that it says sketchy as to the brand names used.....not the medium used.

(tag team partner will now enter thread and post reply- which will then at some time later be deleted or edited as after thoughts come into head.)
.......

It went more like this:

Dardevle returned sometime later and added this, rather than post a new reply-

(tag team partner will now enter thread and post reply- which will then at some time later be deleted or edited as after thoughts come into head.)
.......[/QUOTE]

If I didn' t know any better I might have even thought you were somehow psychic. :rolleyes:

dardevle

......


the answer to post 36 is contained in post 37......again why would someone conduct a comparison trial with different spec products?? i hope your tag team partner is at least going to use same spec products:o


the proper way to have gone about this would for the op to have actually conducted some sort of trials first and then furnished with results- give people useful advice about the performance of the products rather than firstly telling people peatfree products were 'widely available' - then scrambling to start another thread to try and find where they are available!

secondly, armed with these results the op could then inform people exactly how gardeners can do without peat based products.

hypocritical to say that home gardeners can do without peatmoss and tell them where to buy alternatives without any experience at all of the performance (or lack thereof) of the alternatives...all the while continuing to use peat based products.


you kids should'nt take things so personally.....remember as the guy with seahorses says - you will learn from your mistakes.:D
.......

paddy147

dardevle wrote: »

......


you kids should'nt take things so personally.....remember as the guy with seahorses says - you will learn from your mistakes.:D
.......

Jeez,you cant even get that right.:rolleyes:

Its actualy..."Theres no such thing as a stupid question,only stupid answers"......(and that last part rather suits your postings here)

The "guy" you refer to...His name is Kealan Doyle,hes a leading marine biologist and conservationist,and he also owns SeaHorse Aquariams.



Kids??.......Im in my mid 30s.

Maybe I might be older than you??




Dardevle...

What have you contributed to this thread with regards the "thread title"???....."Anywhere that stocks Peat- free compost"

Absolutely nothing.

You seem to have a sketchy memory too,and dont seem to be able to answer a very simple question.So you dabbled with this 3 years ago,,,great,good for you.But that doesnt give you the right to take up a different agenda with another person because they ask you a simple question about it.

All you are doing is posting pointless,meandering posts and trying to create/make up other agendas,because you seem to be clearly lacking on actual up to date knowladge and seem incapable of posting brands of peat free compost.

So you desperatley try to create other pointless agendas with your meandering posts.

And you are the only one here doing it too.

Everyone else has posted good information on product names and where to buy them.




So what exactly is your issue or problem here??

Whats your gripe/issue here with me aswell??

muckyhands

dardevle wrote: »

......


the answer to post 36 is contained in post 37......again why would someone conduct a comparison trial with different spec products?? i hope your tag team partner is at least going to use same spec products:o


the proper way to have gone about this would for the op to have actually conducted some sort of trials first and then furnished with results- give people useful advice about the performance of the products rather than firstly telling people peatfree products were 'widely available' - then scrambling to start another thread to try and find where they are available!

secondly, armed with these results the op could then inform people exactly how gardeners can do without peat based products.

hypocritical to say that home gardeners can do without peatmoss and tell them where to buy alternatives without any experience at all of the performance (or lack thereof) of the alternatives...all the while continuing to use peat based products.


you kids should'nt take things so personally.....remember as the guy with seahorses says - you will learn from your mistakes.:D
.......

So as far as you are concerned- it is not possible for people to do without buying bags of peat for their gardens, seriously, thats your stance on it? :eek:

dardevle

......


not at all mucky...... what i don't see as possible is to germinate seeds in peatfree compost with the same success as peat based....this is the reason peat based composts have not been banned outright yet and the ban date keeps getting moved forward.....maybe you will see better results with your trials... but that remains to be seen.


apologies if it seems that this was a personal attack on yourself its not intentional....it was an attack more on the lack of information regarding peatfree composts in general, unless people know beforehand of the performance of a product then it does'nt matter where its available.


thats my last on the subject.
goodnite.

muckyhands

dardevle wrote: »

......


not at all mucky...... what i don't see as possible is to germinate seeds in peatfree compost with the same success as peat based....this is the reason peat based composts have not been banned outright yet and the ban date keeps getting moved forward.....maybe you will see better results with your trials... but that remains to be seen.


apologies if it seems that this was a personal attack on yourself its not intentional....it was an attack more on the lack of information regarding peatfree composts in general, unless people know beforehand of the performance of a product then it does'nt matter where its available.


thats my last on the subject.
goodnite.

And all that based on trials three years ago.

We should all just give up so and not even talk about it. :rolleyes:

Imagine- the horror. :eek:

maryxyz

Does anyone know where I can get regular size organic grow-bags ? I did find some very large heavy ones for tomatoes but just want the lighter sort for lettuce. I've tried everywhere & may have to make up my own by putting organic compost into bin-bags !

I notice there is very little available nowadays in the organic compost range - back in the Nineties there was a MUCH wider choice & every garden centre/DIY, even Dunnes sold organic grow-bags - you could get organic compost made from coir and even from teabags. I wonder why this is - it doesn't seem like progress - and yet it seems more people are growing their own veg.

Thanks

Maryxyz

paddy147

maryxyz wrote: »

Does anyone know where I can get regular size organic grow-bags ? I did find some very large heavy ones for tomatoes but just want the lighter sort for lettuce. I've tried everywhere & may have to make up my own by putting organic compost into bin-bags !

I notice there is very little available nowadays in the organic compost range - back in the Nineties there was a MUCH wider choice & every garden centre/DIY, even Dunnes sold organic grow-bags - you could get organic compost made from coir and even from teabags. I wonder why this is - it doesn't seem like progress - and yet it seems more people are growing their own veg.

Thanks

Maryxyz

Tesco in Clarehall are currently selling small organic growbags.Hope this helps.:)

maryxyz

Thanks a million for that info, Paddy - unfortunately local Tescos in my area don't have it - maybe I'll get over to Clarehall sometime (do you know, when you phone Tesco stores to ask if they stock something, your query is answered from a call centre in Cardiff !)

Maryxyz

whelzer

You guys that used Mulch.ie, what size bags do they sell. Tried ringing a few times but no one picking up?

Thanks