Monday, 17 February 2025

Buying Compost At A Home, DIY And Gardening Store.

 We went in Woodies in Tralee for some compost.

I opted to purchase two bags of compost for 15 Euros.  They are 9.99 on their own.  So I bought the two bags:


60 litre bag of multi purpose compost.  We are always after a gardening bargain or two?

Is it me or are the shops adding a pound or Euros to every item this year?

I am going to start off some vegetables seeds and plant onion 🌰 sets in compost in plastic modules in the "Chitting Room" or small bedroom this week.

Conditions are very wet and not very warm outdoors.  Plus I have no indoor gardening shelter since Storm Eown caused havoc recently to my polytunnel cover.

We noticed lots of storm damaged derelict old houses, agricultural buildings and fallen trees on our travels at the weekend.

I see little point in planting onion sets off in cold and saturated soil when I can start them off indoors in plastic compost filled modules.

We also plan to begin sowing vegetables trays this week.  We will keep them in doors for a few weeks before planting them outside and harden them off.

Anyone started planting and sowing yet?

15 comments:

  1. Not yet. It's freezing out there. The cold wind nearly bit my nose off this morning!

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  2. The gardens are in gutter here JayCee. It's horrible and wet today.

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  3. Much too cold here - long weeks of waiting

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    1. It's nasty weather here all week. I am itching to get sowing and growing.

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  4. Just to wet here, I'm going to wait a couple more weeks

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  5. You're probably right Marlene. At least you can get prepared. I'm emptying the little bedroom to make my own indoor potting shed. Seed potatoes are in Lidl this week.

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  6. Starting onions and garlic in small pots is something I started when I had the allotments in Cwmcarn...apart from the fact that things didn't start off well directly there, it meant that they had started growing roots and rooted into the ground quickly when put out with their root ball..thereby foiling inquisitive birds....

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    1. Hi GZ. I once rented an allotment in North Wales. I find starting off the onions sets in plastic modules helps them form a nice white rootstock sock and they are strong with long shoots when we plant them out in March when hopefully conditions have dried up. It really is miserable weather at the moment here. I am missing my dry polytunnel.

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  7. Was the "Chitting Room" where your two sons were conceived or were they ehm... "created" back in a different room in Lancashire?

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  8. No YP. The " Chitting Room" was built back in 2023 when we built one of our residences. I never want to build again. It's a nightmare.

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  9. We were in Lidls a few days ago and I saw bags of compost. Didn't notice the price. I didn't buy any but should have. Next time. Still too cold here too for much gardening

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  10. I find that you have to be careful buying cheap discount supermarket compost Linda. Some of it is just crushed bark with little or no nutrients and it can form a crust on the surface. I try to buy the best seed and pot compost I can afford. Lidl were selling a John Innes number 3 loam based compost last year. It was excellent and the plants loved it.

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  11. My kitchen countertop has become a makeshift greenhouse. So far, I've sowed some sweet peas, strawberries, and peppers. I've taken a leaf out of your book, Dave, and created propagator lids from clear fruit trays :)

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  12. Excellent Jules. Please post some pictures on your blog Jules.

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