J.I. Compost Solved

[georged]

I have no problem with using spagnum peat when appropriate but I do not like misleading selling:-

Front of bag

Back of bag in small print

[DaveW]

Re. peat, also see:-

http://www.amateurgardening.com/home/wo ... ims-study/

http://mires-and-peat.net/map03/map_03_08.pdf

Much of Ireland's peat does not go for horticulture, so if not imported to us will probably be burnt in their power stations, and if the wind is towards the UK we will get the pollution anyway, hardly saving our environment:-

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/in ... 000AAM621f

http://conversation.which.co.uk/energy- ... gardening/

I wonder how long peat bales will still be available in Garden Centres?

Can anybody tell me what difference to atmospheric carbon using peat in a compost makes to leaving it in an old peat bog? Surely it all finishes up on the garden after use anyway and growing plants in it is fixing carbon from the air, the very opposite of releasing carbon by burning in a power station? Even at the rate cacti grow they are possibly fixing atmospheric carbon quicker growing in a peat based compost that the same quantity of peat is in situ in a peat bog producing only 1mm of peat per year?

DaveW

[georged]

Dave, The flora which grows on peat bogs is very specialized and gets destroyed. This is one argument against the industry.

[Ross M]

I'm moved away from the inconsistencies of JI 'Compost' and now use a purely mineral mix for my cacti. I'd now only use it for potting container grown garden plants.

[iann]

Just checked what I have. It is Keith Singletons. Apparently they are a bit bigger than I thought and you may well be able to get it almost anywhere in the country.

[Martin]

I am sorry to say my last batch of Westland has gone the same way as the rest just peat and sand not any loam in site !!

I was so annoyed I recoded an official complaint via their web site

This was about 4 weeks ago I got the automated thank you for your contact and a tracking number but so far have had no responce from them

I had 3 bags back in March and it was good loamy compost but the 5 bags I got in October are rubbish just like everyone else

Anyone else bought any in the last month or so ?? What did you get

M

[Martin]

Ross

What's your inorganic mix ??

[Phil_SK]

Can anybody tell me what difference to atmospheric carbon using peat in a compost makes to leaving it in an old peat bog?

In a plant pot in your greenhouse or on your garden borders it is exposed to oxygen and microbes. I would guess that this leads to the carbon being converted to carbon dioxide. Bogs are usually too acid for the decomposers to live and there's not enough oxygen there to release the fixed carbon. The carbon trapped in your plants will only stay there if you don't kill the plant.

I switched away from peat-based soils 20 years ago and haven't looked back. My recipe changes a bit as time goes on but I have no problems with being peat and loam-free.

[Ross M]

Ross

What's your inorganic mix ??

A mixture of three different grit sizes Martin ranging from a bit larger than sand up to 5mm or thereabouts.

[Martin]

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Ross

What's your inorganic mix ??

A mixture of three different grit sizes Martin ranging from a bit larger than sand up to 5mm or thereabouts.

Thats very similar to what I have decided to try as I posted in another tread this week I am just starting to try equal parts course grit sand / Tesco Cat litter / 2-6mm grit in equal parts

Are you using this for all pants or are you still using normal compost mixes for say the sulcos etc with their acidic compost preference

Rene what are you using as a JI substitue ?

Based on my last load of JI I am thinking its now inorganic all the way for a while and see how I go