New to gardening? Confused about which peat-free compost is best for you? Here we explain the differences between our Soil Association-approved multipurpose, potting and seed compost.

Peat-free seed compost

Ideal for seeds and cuttings, this is a mixture of organic coir, vermiculite and Fertile Fibre nutrients. The coir - made from coconut husk - is great at encouraging germination and fast rooting. The small specks of white and gold vermiculite help control watering. So there's no need to worry about over-watering. If this happens, the vermiculite will soak up the excess. It will then slowly release the water as the compost dries out.

Tips on using seed compost

You can use the compost straight from the bag.

1. Place it in seed tray or pot. Be ver careful not to over compact - simply tapping the container on a hard surface is enough.
2. Place seeds on top.
3. Cover with the same depth of compost as thickness of seed. So if seed is 1 mm thick, cover with 1 mm of compost.

Don't over-water. Coir has excellent water holding capacities so this can be a problem. We recommend watering little and often. The compost may seem dry on top but will still be wet underneath, so it's always worth double checking before watering.

Multipurpose peat-free compost

An excellent all round general use growing medium. In our compost, it has the same ingredients as our seed compost. But there's less vermiculite and more nutrients. The nutrient levels are low enough for germination and high enough for established plants. It's a popular choice amongst our customers growing crops such as wheatgrass for juicing.

Potting peat-free compost

Plants in pots and containers need more nutrients as they can't draw up anything through the soil. Our blend is a rich, dark mix of coir, vermiculite, bark, loam and our unique organic nutrients. Potting compost helps ensure strong, vigorous, healthy and sustainable growth.

Tip: Use it as a growbag

Many of our customers just use the bag as a growbag and plant directly into it.

Not sure which is right for you?

Just give us a call on 01432 853111 or drop us an email at info@fertilefibre.com if you'd like more information.