Peat Vs Peat Free Composts - Part 2

Peat Vs Peat Free Composts - Part 2 - The key to success?

Рет қаралды 5,651

3 жыл бұрын

The second part of our little trial of peat-free composts compared to traditional peat uses tomato plants and their growth, or lack of it, as a general indicator of compost performance. The composts we have used in this are: Clover Herbaceous Mix 100% Peat, Sinclair Peat Free with West+, Melcourt Silvamix Peat Free, Dalefoot Peat Free Wool Compost, and Westland New Horizon. See the very real difference an additional fertiliser has made to these examples!
Part 1 here: • Peat Vs Peat Free Comp...
PS: Yes, I know they are not Bullseye geraniums......got carried away in the moment ;)

Пікірлер: 38

@NicoleLevit_ 4 ай бұрын

SO helpful. Thanks so much!

@buffyplays2577 3 жыл бұрын

fantastic! do more experiments please. maybe try all the different fertilisers you can get in a shop in your next 1. or do an experiment with only phosphorous and only nitrogen to see the difference

@patmsweeney 3 жыл бұрын

Some very interesting conclusions. Excellent video!

@trevord1021 2 жыл бұрын

Really interesting videos. Great tip with the slow release fertiliser, amazing difference.

@davidcarroll2152 2 жыл бұрын

Thankyou for this! It's a real eye-opener the difference feed makes. I also was a bit clueless as to the differences in various qualities of compost so this and part one have both been very useful. On the back of this I've bought some Miracle Grow slow release granules to hopefully do a better job of helping along my bedding plants. Thanks :)

@leonarddean5367 3 жыл бұрын

well done you have saved me and probably loads of others from having a very bad 2022 growing season, Lets hope the people at westland address this issue in time to help the one that don't get to see this informative video .

@timstopgardentips9634 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks. I have sent e video to them and discussed it with the rep. As of today, the New Horizon with added CRF continues to perform as well as any of the professional grade composts.

@jonathangreenwood793 Жыл бұрын

A really useful comparison. I tried Sylva Grow Peat Free last year and ended up with a lovely crop of mushrooms and terrible plants! So disheartening when the effort has been put in. I've been looking for alternatives and your video has put me on the right path. A slow release pellet seem to be the answer.

@chompers11 2 жыл бұрын

Super helpful thanks for all your videos

@sowgroweat6987 Жыл бұрын

Immensly useful thank you. Really impressive reults and information.

@timstopgardentips9634 Жыл бұрын

We have done a lot more tests with sowing seeds this year, will upload soon

@ld0121 2 жыл бұрын

Great trial. I have tried a few peat free composts... Bullrush and Sylvagro I found dry out very quick, New Horizons had a lot of pearlite in it and crunched when I put the scoop in, but maybe that was an odd bag because others Ive seen dont seem to have the pearlite in them, and Wickes Peat Free, gets good reviews on the website but it really stinks when you open the bag. I did a little trial with oriental poppies, two plants in the Wickes Multi Purpose and two in Wickes Peat Free and the results are much like yours the peat free look weak and not growing where as the multi purpose are growing fine. Im going to try another couple of plants in the peat free but add slow release fertiliser and see if that helps. Overall I am starting to think that going forward if you want a peat free compost that works straight out of the bag you are going to have to pay up for it.

@famellies--313-Beatmaker 11 ай бұрын

Would love time stamps

@growingstuffs Жыл бұрын

Thank you for these videos, they are very informative. Incredible what a difference the fertiliser made. It is apparent to me that the New Horizon is nitrogen deficient. Perhaps the non-composted wood fibre is breaking down in the bag and tying up the nitrogen? Personally I have never had a problem with this new formula New Horizon, but then I always mix it 50/50 with something else like homemade compost plus extra fertiliser.

@pinstripebanditt Жыл бұрын

hi ther cool video thank you for making it so with regards to planting potatoes witch one would you recommend out of the ones hear tested I was looking at the clover one but im intrested to know what your thoughts are

@timstopgardentips9634 Жыл бұрын

Hi, for potatoes in pots or planters? If so, you could get away with a mix of compost and soil from the garden if it is reasonably crumbly and not too much clay content. I usually grow them in the ground rather than pots though, and just use the soil and a potato fertiliser, which encourages the tubers to form.

@susane1010 Жыл бұрын

What is wool compost?

@lyndawright2234 2 жыл бұрын

I purchased peat free compost for my houseplants and I now have fungus growing in the pots and the plant leafs are turning yellow.

@thedivide3688 3 ай бұрын

Is the New Horizon maybe missing a nutrient that allows for the rest of the nutrients to uptake? Like maybe it was short calcium?

@timstopgardentips9634 3 ай бұрын

The issue with many peat free composts is that the raw materials are still breaking down, and the microorganisms which facilitate the process tend to get first dibs on available nitrogen. Interestingly, we have noticed that the performance of some peat free composts improves after a length of time, and we suspect this is after the first flush of microorganism activity. The formulation of New Horizon has been totally changed since we made the video, and we are looking forward to trialling the new product. For now, the consensus of an independent University based panel is that stopping peat use cold turkey fashion will actually lead to worse environmental consequences....... it is a minefield!

@thedivide3688 3 ай бұрын

@@timstopgardentips9634 The nursery I managed in the states for a few years just used manure, top soil, sand, and fine pine bark for everything. They’d been running with that mix for over 40 years. My at home potting soil has always been peat free. A lot of our soils here say peat moss but most vendors have transitioned over to coco coir but call it peat. Very interesting results on your end though. I wonder if any of the UK companies share formulation with those in the states vice versa.

@timstopgardentips9634 3 ай бұрын

@thedivide3688 yes, loam based composts are the answer I think.

@nealnoyce1050 2 ай бұрын

what was the slow release fertiliser you used with the new horizon ???

@timstopgardentips9634 2 ай бұрын

Miracle Gro slow release granules. Works a treat!

@nealnoyce1050 2 ай бұрын

Awesome thanks :) is this still needed with the new version of that compost? Guess I'll find out :)

@timstopgardentips9634 2 ай бұрын

@nealnoyce1050 they have changed the formulae twice to my knowledge, the newest has no coco fibre which is a big element of many peat frees. I use the CRF in my peat composts too, just use more in the peat free.

@nealnoyce1050 2 ай бұрын

OK, thanks for the tip ! I'll give it a go

@steveelkins52 Ай бұрын

That was just way too long, so I skipped to the end. I have found compost to be truly awful with the worst rubbish being miracle grow. I planted up my bedding using garden soil mixed with my own garden compost and some grit for drainage, with a dusting of blood fish and bone. It did the job but I would prefer to buy it. Research such yours is invaluable (even if protracted!)

@timstopgardentips9634 Ай бұрын

Since making this video, composts, methods, and knowledge about results have been dramatically improved. At some point we will make another video when the top suppliers settle on a formula. We'll be sure to include an abbreviated ADD version for those that don't like all the details ;) In the meantime, Clover peat based compost is still available, still brilliant, and according to research, the most environmentally sound option at the present time.

@kappleby8503 2 ай бұрын

I don’t like peat free compost as I sometimes have to water the pots twice a day and the water simply drains straight out. Even using a saucer underneath the pot is no good as peat free compost does not soak it up where peat compost would. To me, peat free compost is not environmentally friendly as I using more water than before.

@timstopgardentips9634 2 ай бұрын

Yes, a very valid point. We also find that the bottom of the pot can be saturated, while the top half of the compost is saturated. In the treatment of coco fibre, each cubic metre of fibre requires hundreds of litres of fresh water to wash it. Thankfully, top brands are now starting to remove coco fibre from their products.

@takashix321 Жыл бұрын

So the New Horizon is pretty much to be used as a hydroponic medium like coir?

@timstopgardentips9634 Жыл бұрын

That isn't the intention of it. Since I made this video new data has come to light about the Westland peat free composts, namely, that they do not store very well. Presumably, this is because, unlike peat, the substitute materials are still decomposing. A bag of peat will keep for years. We will be making a new video at some point, now that a definite date for peat free retail composts has been set for 2024.

@growingstuffs Жыл бұрын

When I bought some New Horizon stuff a couple of years ago, the bags were very warm to the touch and smelled like manure. Presumably the wood fibre is not composted before going in the bag. When you mix something that high in carbon with a nitrogen source like fertiliser, then the bags sit outside absorbing moisture through the little air holes, you're going to kick start the hot composting process.

@bitsandbobs4082 3 ай бұрын

Need to use a microphone

@Angela-cc1hd Жыл бұрын

Peat free may be better for the planet but it has no nutrients in it which means you have to buy some kind of fertiliser aswell 😮 whereas Real Peat compost is full of nutrients😊

@timstopgardentips9634 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the comment :) In actual fact, pure peat contains no nutrients at all. However, as it is a product formed by submersion, and is totally finished as far as bio-degrading is concerned, peat has the ability to hold the standard added nutrients where they can be taken up by the plants. Peat free composts typically are still degrading, and that process can reduce or strip, or lock up the nutrients, particularly nitrogen, requiring, as you say, higher levels of feeding than peat based composts to achieve the same effects. On the whole, our experiments with peat free this year have been pretty positive on the whole. :)