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Advice please: best potting compost brands

jucati1198jucati1198 Posts: 56
in Problem solving
I'm gardening a lot in containers and have tried a few different brands last year. When I was reporting some of my plants this spring I found there was quite a difference in how healthy their root system are and those with a good root system were the ones that performed best last year and came back strong this year, obviously :). So I'm keen to find the best potting compost brand on the market that I can amend when necessary to use for all future projects. What I have noticed that the compost used by professionals, the one you find in the nursery plant pot, is very different from the one offered for retail. Is that for a reason? I've heard that Sylvagrow is used by professionals but haven't tried it yet. Are there any experienced container gardeners out there who can point me into right direction? Any advice would be highly appreciated. 

P.S. it should be sustainably produced. 

Posts

  • young codgeryoung codger Posts: 540
    Firstly, I would be very surprised if any nurseries bought compost, but some may.  

    At my local nursery they make their own. It makes sense for two reasons. It is much more economical. The main reason is that they know what is in it.
  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,819
    Almost all of my local nurseries, and there are about 10 in the same road, sell multiple brands which they buy in.  The best one that we bought recently was Bord Na Mona, it was fantastic.  Don't know if it sustainable, but you could do some research on it.
  • jucati1198jucati1198 Posts: 56
    edited May 2020
    Thank you both, @young codger and @KeenOnGreen. You are lucky to have 10 nurseries nearby! I bought Bord Na Mona this weekend and was told that it was in the top 5 of the Which 2020 Container Composts :) For some reason thought our nursery is going to discontinue this brand. 
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 10,949
    edited May 2020
    I've been using Bord na Mona Grow Wise compost for the last few years.
    It's the best I've used in a long time

    PS - it does contain some peat

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,452
    Pete.8 said:
    PS - it does contain some peat
    Of course it does...after all the company was set up to "develop" the Irish peat bogs. But agree great compost. They do make a peat free one too. 
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • jucati1198jucati1198 Posts: 56
    Thank you @Pete.8! 
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