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  • #1

    Bulk growing medium

    Any ideas on the most cost effective solution to buy growing medium for tomatoes and potatoes.

    I will need somewhere in the region of 1800 litres so buying bags in the garden centre cant be the best way.

    Any ideas welcome
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  • #2
    The most cost effective growing medium is a home made John Innes type compost. There are plenty of formuleas on the net for this
    For me, garden soil is free, sand is cheap as chips and either peat,home made compost, Council soil conditioner leaf moiuld or coya based compost can be used.Add a little bit BFB which is also cheap, and Bobs your Uncle!
    We get hoss muck delivered for free at the allotment so a lot of us use this to bulk up as well.
    My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
    to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

    Diversify & prosper


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    • #3
      Sounds a nice solution but for now sadly that option wont work for me - i dont have any soil to spare or any compost ready to use yet.

      I need a solution i can buy in....
      Last edited by GBax; 13-01-2017, 06:47 PM.

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      • #4
        Apparently Homebase are selling off their own brand products as they have been taken over by Bunnings.

        60 litres MPC is £2.42 Homebase Multi-Purpose Compost - 60L

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        • #5
          Only 2 near me - not worth the drive!
          Another happy Nutter...

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          • #6
            You can check if they're in stock too - my nearest HB has only 1 bag One the other side of town has a couple of 100!

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            • #7
              Reserved some. Thanks for the link

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              • #8
                The one 10 miles away has 2 in stock, the one 30 miles away has 87.
                Another happy Nutter...

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by GBax View Post
                  I will need somewhere in the region of 1800 litres so buying bags in the garden centre cant be the best way.
                  You should be able to pick up 1800 lts of "Well Rotted" Horse Manure for free. That will get you started.
                  sigpic“Gorillas are very intelligent, but they don't have to be as delicate as chimps -- they can just smash open the termite nest,”
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                  • #10
                    Bulk bags are around 900 litres but are around 80-90 pounds with delivery so not the cheapest option.

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                    • #11
                      Got some of the HB compost on reserve near my mum. Reserved 5 bags of compost & 5 bags of topsoil at a store near me, went to pick it up & they had subbed it with the athur bower stuff. Hope its ok, used it once about 7 years ago & it was shocking.

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Bex2012 View Post
                        Got some of the HB compost on reserve near my mum. Reserved 5 bags of compost & 5 bags of topsoil at a store near me, went to pick it up & they had subbed it with the athur bower stuff. Hope its ok, used it once about 7 years ago & it was shocking.
                        The Homebase's reviews for it are mostly good,it's probably been improved since you last used it,you could sow a couple of seeds in the HB compost & a couple of seeds in in the AB compost to compare growth? It's probably good though looking at the reviews
                        Location : Essex

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                        • #13
                          Council green waste compost

                          Hi - last year we got green waste compost for free - just had to go and collect it - and were able to fill up our raised beds with it. I got a great crop of veg off the beds although not potatoes or toms. I also got cow manure from a local organic farm. I was warned off horse manure because the horses are given very regular and very strong wormers - I never thought about the effect of the worming chemicals on the soil before....but we used to have our lawns treated by a company every year and never saw many worm casts. We have now stopped the lawn treatments because we free range hens now and the lawn is heaving with worms judging by the number of casts on the lawn. Fortunately they all disappear when the weather is warmer. I think that Homebase deal is good tho.

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                          • #14
                            We can collect council compost, but the number of bags is limited. Manure is free, but you'll want to mix it in with something. Half and half with the council compost would be really cheap.

                            I'm a fan of mushroom compost and it's cheaper for me that topsoil. Mushroom compost is peat/manure mix so a great growing medium.

                            Sometimes you can get it free if you have somewhere local.
                            View my blog at: http://alansallotment.blogspot.com/

                            Or follow me on Twitter @Alansallotment

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