Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Cultivation => Composts => Topic started by: Darren on June 13, 2012, 09:21:02 PM
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I've used the superb Keith Singleton J.I. composts and grit for years but getting the amount I need from local suppliers was never easy. Susan discovered that we could get a mixed pallet delivered directly, and at much less cost than the usual retail price.
I ordered a mixed pallet online, phoned with my card number on a monday morning (speaking to Mr Singleton himself - a nice chap with numerous mutual acquaintances). He said that as we are relatively local he would see if his own truck might be passing rather than sending the order by palletline. On tuesday he rang to tell me they could deliver around midday on the wednesday!
At 10 minutes past noon on the wednesday the truck pulled up and I expected to have to carry the bags to the garage from the pavement but the delivery driver said he reckoned he could get his little forklift up our steep drive and get the palet right into the garage. 5 minutes later it was done and he was on his way.
Here is the URL for the pallet deals:
http://www.cumbriagardensandpetsdirect.co.uk/main.asp?category=Gardening+Pallet+Deals (http://www.cumbriagardensandpetsdirect.co.uk/main.asp?category=Gardening+Pallet+Deals)
Superb service and excellent products. Here is the pallet with 12 bags J.I number 2, 12 bags coarse grit, 10 bags sand, 1 bag dolomite lime, 12 bags mulch/soil conditioner. 3 bags fine composted bark. Delivered right into the garage.
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Oh you lucky man! I wish we had someone like that nearby. :) :) :)
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Hi Darren, is that a 475kg pallet or 1200kg in your garage?
The products offered seem very good.
What is it you like about their JI composts?
Mike
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Darren
it is super stuff and they are a great firm but my last delivery was a minimum of 2 one tonne pallets.
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That is a 1200kg Pallet Mike - actually 1210kg as the JI is in 24kg bags so it is hard to get exactly 1200kg in a mixed palllet. I like their JI because it seems to have the right amount of humus in it and keeps its structure for a long time compared to Bowers which turns to dust if I leave it dry in pots whilst my bulbs are dormant. I also find it gives better and more sustained growth, plus it feels and smells great with that proper humussy smell which is hard to describe. The lack of weed seeds is also a bonus.
The grit is smaller and more rounded than the sharp stuff that our local garden centres stock too.
Tony - I think the minimum varies with distance and hence delivery cost. We are lucky as they deliver to garden centres at Overton and in Garstang so their own truck passes us quite frequently. I know they deliver to Logan botanic gardens, and to nurseries in Northumberland so distance possibly not a great object if order is big enough (say a local group clubbing together for a couple of pallets).
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We cant get any good JI over here
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renaming this thread to make it more obviously about compost and not a person!
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Just by way of comparison J Arthur Bowers to Green Ore (I got my money back from JAB!)
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Darren not sure if you're still reading this thread but if you are do you use the ordinary JI or the special alpine mix?
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Hi Chris,
Darren buys the straight JI and then tinkers with it ::) I'll mention your query to him tomorrow - have sent him to bed with a hot lemon drink as he is coming down with a cold.
Susan
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Hi Susan
Thanks tell him together better soon. Are you going to the Kendal Show? There's a chance I may be going with Pearl and Mike Dale. Fingers crossed....
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Thanks Chris - I'm vertical for the time being but can't say I'm feeling better! Have to be at work today as I'm currently training to take on a new role next month (two weeks to learn my predecessor's 20 years of organic chemistry experience before he leaves - oh and the main instrument has developed a fault which needs fixing before we can go any further).
Susan is right - I just get the straight JI and mix with grit.
We will certainly be at Kendal as we are actively involved in running the show. Susan is likely to be on the computer and I will be running the members plant stall for at least part of the day. Really hope you can make it!
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Glad you're a bit better. Hope to see you next week then... Hope there's plenty of parking... Think quite a few people might come over...
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Hope to see lots of visitors! A quick look at the school on Google street view suggests reasonable parking at the school but also there is a pay-and-display only 100yds away at the leisure centre.
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Hope to see lots of visitors! A quick look at the school on Google street view suggests reasonable parking at the school but also there is a pay-and-display only 100yds away at the leisure centre.
See this post for a link to maps...... http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=10806.msg284221#msg284221 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=10806.msg284221#msg284221)
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Tried to order from the Singleton's website, but it's not working - when I rang it seems you can only see the products on their ebay shop, which doesn't include John Innes compost or large bags of perlite etc. They suggested I tell them what I want and they will quote, but I was hoping for the individual prices and weights to compose a palletful to share with friends. It all became too complicated. Maybe next year. :-\
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That's sad. I dislike e-bay to the extent that I'd rather do without something if that is the only place I can get it.
And I still need to do my own KS order for this year.
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Green Ore is just 15 miles from my home David, I use their compost too, though I do tinker with it........wouldn't touch AB's.
Steve & Emma at 'The Mead Nursery', Brokerswood, Westbury, Wiltshire BA13 4EG sell their own brilliant home made compost, collection only though
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Hi Anne,
Did you go to Keith Singleton Horticulture | Cumbria Garden Centre Compost ...
www.cumbriagardensandpetsdirect.co.uk (http://www.cumbriagardensandpetsdirect.co.uk)
That's where I ordered mine from and it worked like a charm just the other week. Got a mix of various things sand, JI, Aquatic and I even got a few bags of their alpine mix which I have sieved to check how much sharp grit and it's perfect for most of my alpines very free draining...
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Doesn't appear to be working at the moment Christine. :'(
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Green Ore is just 15 miles from my home David, I use their compost too, though I do tinker with it........wouldn't touch AB's.
Steve & Emma at 'The Mead Nursery', Brokerswood, Westbury, Wiltshire BA13 4EG sell their own brilliant home made compost, collection only though
Mike, I didn't know Mead stocked their own brand. We try to get up to the nursery at least once a year.
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I don't know where Arthur Bowers JI is made but I did notice last week that a cleared area of one on the beds at Wisley looked more or less just the same, with the odd small stone. I amend it so much with grit, perlite etc. that I found the top soil with added JI was better value at my local supplier.
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Quite right Shelagh, how strange. I ordered no problem but now the pallet option seems to have been discontinued... Pity because it's great stuff! Must use it carefully... They've only got JI 2 on Facebook unless I'm doing something wrong there too.
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I was just in contact with Keith and he tells me that the new website going live coincided with a close family member becoming seriously ill and is still not fully recovered. This, combined with an exceptionally busy spring this year means that work on the website is effectively suspended until things settle down.
He confirms they are still happy to quote for individual requirements and I will still be ordering my bulb-repotting goods later in the summer.