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Hi There.

I was wondering if anyone could give me a bit of advice please?

Im currently preparing my first allotment patch and plan or should I say hope (green(ish!) fingers crossed) to grow my own veg this year. My OH and I have dug out four plots as the ground weve been given was used as a dumping ground and full of everything imaginable, bricks, wood, metal, glass, plastic, a bit of soil and have framed them using any spare bits of wood we could find. The plots are dug but now I need to fill them with the good stuff. Ive managed to get hold of plenty or muck and although I have my own compost bin on the go it wont be enough to fill 4 fairly decent sized plots.

Ive been looking on the internet to try and find some good compost but at the same time don’t want to be ripped off in price or quality. Can anyone suggest where/what to buy? I know a lot of companies deliver but the only problem I have with this is where the allotment is situated. It runs behind the back of a row of houses and you can only access via a small unmade road. You can get a car / van down there but I know if we had any compost delivered they would drop it off at the top of the street, and if it was delivered in those metre bags theres no way we could move it. So I could really do with the compost in manageable bags. Im quite happy to go and collect if its not too far away from where I live (Stoke on Trent).

Also (stupid question coming up – sorry ) Ive purchased my first secondhand greenhouse and cant wait to get in it and start planting up some seeds but from reading and watching, folks say to use seed compost. Im guessing there are more nutrients in this than ordinary compost but is it vital? Obviously I want to use the right stuff as I don’t want to be disappointed on my first attempt so all the advice and info you regulars can give would be very much appreciated.

Thanks again

MEW

I can't help with the compost/muck question but as for the seed compost question:

I think that seed sowing compost actually contains fewer nutrients because a plant doesn't need a lot of nutrients to germinate and seedlings are supposed to be potted on into potting compost which contains more nutrients to help them grow. I sometimes sow into ordinary potting compost and haven't had any bad effects, whereas I've used seed compost and had seedlings stop growing and stay small (because they have run out of nutrients I guess!).

You might find ordinary potting compost a bit lumpy for seed sowing though - could be worth riddling it, or sowing seeds on the top of the compost and sprinkling that perlite stuff over them.

here's one idea you could try. If there is a building site near you they very often have to pay to get rid of their soil. Why not ask if you can either take some or if they can deliever if you give them 'a drink'?

Do you live near any farms?
I live in a rural area, and there are loads of farms at this time of year giving away manure.

Have a word with the chappies at the local amenity centre (tip). Environmental services will make use of "recycled mulch" which is actually unscreened rough compost. They buy it in bulk, and it's very cheap. You might be able to get your paws on some of that; it's a bit twiggy but a good starting point with a handful of blood, fish and bone meal and a good pinch of epsom salts to balance it off.

spent mushroom compost is sposed to be a good start - you could see if there are any growers in your area?