Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Cultivation => Composts => Topic started by: davidunderwood on January 19, 2012, 12:16:23 PM
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I am looking for a source for the above. My previous supplier went down the pan. None of the garden centres can supply. I live in Medway Kent.
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Welcome David. I expect some of our English forumists can help you with a supplier.
It's a bit far to get it delivered from Aberdeenshire. :-\ ;)
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Fargro in Littlehampton have it (Melcourt) though this may be too far away for you:
http://www.fargro.co.uk/
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I will continue the search. Thank you for the welcome and information.
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I must say I am not up to date with what is available "bagged" in the local garden centres here. We used to buy bark in bulk from a local sawmill. There used to be varieities of bagged bark for different uses, available but perhaps there are less of these on the market now, up here, as well?
Note to self: 1) must get out more and 2) ask Angela what she knows about this (A. gets out much more than I do!)
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Gerry beat me to it. I was also going to suggest Melcourt. The have excellent bark, I tend to use the fine bark for pleione bulbils and the potting bark for potting mature pleione pseudobulbs (2 parts bark, sifted to get rid of the dust and 1 part New Zealand sphagnum moss, chopped into 1 inch lengths.)
On their website they indicate that they deliver to Kent from Littlehampton. I believe if you buy 10 x 70 litre bags, delivery is free.
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I must say I am not up to date with what is available "bagged" in the local garden centres here. We used to buy bark in bulk from a local sawmill. There used to be varieities of bagged bark for different uses, available but perhaps there are less of these on the market now, up here, as well?
Note to self: 1) must get out more and 2) ask Angela what she knows about this (A. gets out much more than I do!)
Not anymore Maggi. I was so fed up this week I thought I might join a gym :o just to get out of the house. But I soon put that silly thought out of my head I wont have time for that when the spring comes and I can get out in the garden. I hate January.
As for bark I have never managed to get bark that is really small. Then again I have never managed to get Sermis, Tufa or Pumice, well the last one I did manage to get some but that was just because a very kind SRGC member gave me some of his. I have used this now so am looking to find another supplier. It's the post thats a killer. Wish I stayed down south everything is much easier to get your hands on everything.
Angie :)
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Hi Angie,
your so right, it's the postage that's crippling. I've got stacks of the stuff sitting here. It has been stored outside (in bags) and is quite wet and therefore weighs a ton. Once it dries out it's not so bad. :)
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I must say I am not up to date with what is available "bagged" in the local garden centres here. We used to buy bark in bulk from a local sawmill. There used to be varieities of bagged bark for different uses, available but perhaps there are less of these on the market now, up here, as well?
Note to self: 1) must get out more and 2) ask Angela what she knows about this (A. gets out much more than I do!)
Not anymore Maggi. I was so fed up this week I thought I might join a gym :o just to get out of the house. But I soon put that silly thought out of my head I wont have time for that when the spring comes and I can get out in the garden. I hate January.
As for bark I have never managed to get bark that is really small. Then again I have never managed to get Sermis, Tufa or Pumice, well the last one I did manage to get some but that was just because a very kind SRGC member gave me some of his. I have used this now so am looking to find another supplier. It's the post thats a killer. Wish I stayed down south everything is much easier to get your hands on everything.
Angie :)
Amazingly, since joining my gym 18 months ago I've managed to stick with it even during the growing season and it is a real help at this time of year - I hate january too. It helps that I go past the door on my way to and from work - though I did travel into Lancaster specially during the christmas break. I think I'm addicted. My friends think it's hilarious.
Anyway - back to the topic.
David said "none of the garden centres can supply". Well they can, but they won't. Too few sales to justify the storage space they could be using for selling christmas tat! They could theoretically order it for you as they certainly have access to the manufacturers and wholesalers, but they don't think 'specialist' gardeners are worth going to the extra trouble for I'm afraid. Also I suspect the managers of chain garden centres have little autonomy and have to stick with suppliers dictated by head office.
Our nearest garden centre has a huge covered area open at the sides. They use if for selling (weatherproof) patio furniture whereas their bags of compost are stored out in the rain. Sorry if this sounds like a rant (and it is!) but I share your frustration Angie. It is a bit better here - Alty's near Preston are in delivery range of our house if we ordered sufficient quantity, but then we have the storage problem...
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Thank you all for the feedback. I shall try pestering the local garden centres. I agree with composts being stored outside. Whenever I buy JI. I always go halfway down the pile to get the dry bags. They must think that I am mad.Onto another subject, the Primula allionii forms are budding up really well, especially Travellers with the first blooms open and the notoriously difficult Pinkie showing lots of buds. I have never managed to get this form in a bigger pot 3inch, but this year my compost contains 70% grit, perhaps this is the secret. Hoping for a cold spell to hold things back in the primula house so that I can have plenty of exhibits at the early shows.
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Well, good luck David! I've never seen fine composted bark in a garden centre, only in those outlets which serve the horticultural trade.
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Onto another subject, the Primula allionii forms are budding up really well, especially Travellers with the first blooms open and the notoriously difficult Pinkie showing lots of buds. I have never managed to get this form in a bigger pot 3inch, but this year my compost contains 70% grit, perhaps this is the secret. Hoping for a cold spell to hold things back in the primula house so that I can have plenty of exhibits at the early shows.
seems very early, David.... good luck with the show season.
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Hi to all, we have had Melcourt bark in stock for years it is a superb product I usually buy about 50 bags at a time which we use for lots of thing we sell it at £8.00 a bag 70 ltrs please call me if you want to pick some up or maybe deliver a bag to Scottish shows. I would also be happy if a group wanted to buy a pallet with 50 bags then split them amongst members can let you have phone number for supplier cheers Ian the Christie kind.
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Hi to all, we have had Melcourt bark in stock for years it is a superb product I usually buy about 50 bags at a time which we use for lots of thing we sell it at £8.00 a bag 70 ltrs please call me if you want to pick some up or maybe deliver a bag to Scottish shows. I would also be happy if a group wanted to buy a pallet with 50 bags then split them amongst members can let you have phone number for supplier cheers Ian the Christie kind.
Well, thats good to hear Ian. Will be in touch.
Angie :)
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David, I'm not sure if this is what you are looking for but I saw this product in B&Q today.
http://www.diy.com/nav/garden/garden-care-watering/growing/composts___fertilisers/-specificproducttype-fertilisers/Verve-Soil-Conditioner-50L-11907568
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Have you also seen this?
http://www.ahsdirect.co.uk/Composted-bark-fines-80Ltr
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David, I'm not sure if this is what you are looking for but I saw this product in B&Q today.
http://www.diy.com/nav/garden/garden-care-watering/growing/composts___fertilisers/-specificproducttype-fertilisers/Verve-Soil-Conditioner-50L-11907568
Graham - that looks more like the stuff local authorities produce from green waste. Probably OK for digging into the garden but not in a potting compost.
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Thanks you to all forumites that helped me in my search. Took delivery of 11 bags this morning. RESULT. Now have ten other happy growers in this far flung outpost of the Empire. Off to the Kent AGS Show tomorrow, should be a great spectacle as always. Have a good weekend.
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Off to the Kent AGS Show tomorrow, should be a great spectacle as always. Have a good weekend.
Have a great day, David. Same hopes for all attending Kent and Blackpool shows 8)
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I use East Riding Horticulture near York as a source of composted bark,they deliver to me 'FoC' as they supply some larger garden centres in the area eg Heighley Gate , Morpeth(Northumberland). I think they have a connection to a supplier in the Edinburgh area. At any rate they deliver to me bags of compost similar to fine grade cambark that I have now used for a number of years and have found it to be very satisfactory. I would assume that they also go south to garden centres as well as up north. They have a web site
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I buy propagation grade bark from BHGS. They deliver to most nurseries. Ask a local nursery to add your bark to their order
And yes Melcourt is the best