mr rhino Posted June 28, 2023 Share Posted June 28, 2023 Just been to the garden centre to pick up some soil, I usually get the peat based Blue diamond but got home and just realised it says peat free on this bag , not sure if they have changed over now... Will my plants be ok in peat free soil? Never used the stuff before! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindSoup Posted June 28, 2023 Share Posted June 28, 2023 Peat free seems to be really hit and miss for me, some bags are are really nice and grow good plant's, others are absolute shite with lots of slow starting, yellow seedlings. Don't think I've ever come across Blue Diamond so can't comment of them specifically unfortunately. If it looks all twiggy and more like a mulch then I'd steer well clear, but if it's got a nice lofty texture and feels more like soil then should be good. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BilgePump Posted June 29, 2023 Share Posted June 29, 2023 Peat free is a minefield as Mr Soup has already alluded to. I'm wondering if we need to be treating the real nasty pf more like Coco/soilless media to get something like usability from it. We've run out of full peat based now at work, can't buy it in anymore , we are getting reduced peat from Westland Erin which is still 60+ percent peat and lovely stuff , like 8 quid for 70L but I can't imagine there's gonna be much more of it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr rhino Posted June 29, 2023 Author Share Posted June 29, 2023 @MindSoup @BilgePump thanks for the replies here's a pic of it, , the young uns have lasted 24hrs in it anyway 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindSoup Posted June 29, 2023 Share Posted June 29, 2023 That doesn't look as bad as some, could well be alright, guess you'll just have to wait and see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr rhino Posted June 29, 2023 Author Share Posted June 29, 2023 Just now, MindSoup said: That doesn't look as bad as some, could well be alright, guess you'll just have to wait and see. Yeah to be fair it has quite a nice texture, and what twigs/bark that's in there easily breaks up, I shall give a bag a go. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MindSoup Posted June 29, 2023 Share Posted June 29, 2023 Yeah that's all you can do really, the issue I've found is you might buy a bog from mine brand and it's good and the next might be shite, very inconsistent quality. Dalefoot stuff seems to be pretty consistent and good quality, although it appears to be prone to fungus gnats if it hasn't been stored well. Can't remember who but someone was trying out a lot of different brands recently, maybe @BilgePump? Or @Shumroom perhaps? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BilgePump Posted June 29, 2023 Share Posted June 29, 2023 I've dabbled with quite a few, still deciding on my favourite but it's looking like durstons are up there. Iirc @Lux_Interior Has been doing well with pf 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KC Posted June 30, 2023 Share Posted June 30, 2023 I'm on my third bag of the Blue Diamond but with peat in it, the first two were great but this one is a bit shit. I've had two plants that just don't want to root into it. I wouldn't evenb bother with the peat free myself. I'll be going back to Canna I think. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr rhino Posted June 30, 2023 Author Share Posted June 30, 2023 1 hour ago, KC said: I'm on my third bag of the Blue Diamond but with peat in it, the first two were great but this one is a bit shit. I've had two plants that just don't want to root into it. I wouldn't evenb bother with the peat free myself. I'll be going back to Canna I think. Cheers for the heads up mate....im going to give this bag a go, it actually feels like a nice compost this peat free and 48hrs in the plants look ok..I'm a tight fucker so not wasting it now 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lux_Interior Posted July 4, 2023 Share Posted July 4, 2023 On 29/06/2023 at 1:07 PM, BilgePump said: I've dabbled with quite a few, still deciding on my favourite but it's looking like durstons are up there. Iirc @Lux_Interior Has been doing well with pf Mmmm.. yeah! I have in fact started dabbling with Coco recently. If I had to pick a recent/decent peat/free I'd go SylvaGrow. With the changes in legislation I (hope) the quality of peat free composts at (our local nurseries B&Q) will improve. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clubs Posted July 4, 2023 Share Posted July 4, 2023 The new peat free Jack's Magic isn't too bad. It's got some peat alternative called BIO3 in it and feels pretty decent out of the bag. I can't contest for its suitability for canna yet but I've got some Purple Salvia in the stuff now and they're doing great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lux_Interior Posted July 5, 2023 Share Posted July 5, 2023 Ah the elusive BIO3 formulation. From lands not East of here. Where everything happens in threes. Structure, Nutrients, Water Boost, Thrive, Sustain Peat free, Sustainable, Guaranteed Sounds good doesn't it. What actually is in BIO3 only James Brown knows. Even Colonel Sanders is clueless and all his chickens, every finger licking one. Maybe its a marketing gimmick? @Clubs I've had good results with BIO3 peat free. I've not actually used Jacks Magic. As with all cheaper peat free composts at the moment, I'd sieve it, burn the logs and excessive clumpy wads of fibrous materials & add some perlite. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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