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Westland Light & Easy Compost.

Last post 04-08-2012 7:30 AM by John. 2 replies.

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  • 02/08/2012 08:50 AM
    • John
    • York
    • 10 Jul 2011
    • 2
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    This year I tried the new Westland Light & Easy compost with mixed results. I potted two tomato plants one in my normal Levington MP compost and one in Light & easy, after a couple of weeks when the plants got established I noticed the Westland compost the plant needed a dose of Magnesium because the plant had turned yellow. I applied the magnesium and a week later the plant had started to look a great deal better. I also planted some new Penstemon cuttings in the same Westland compost and they too are showing signs of yellow foliage and slow to grow. The root system on the Penstemons is good there just not developing as I am used to seeing pot plants develop. (26 years in commercial Horticulture growing pot plants). What are other members experiences with Westland Light & Easy Compost Good or bad ?? Regards John.

  • 03/08/2012 07:51 PM
    In reply to
    • Anna
    • 06 Mar 2012
    • 49
    Top 150 Contributor
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    I'm a beginner gardener and I started out this year with Miracle Gro compost and westland light and easy. I found the Westland much better (and cheaper!) but that both dried out incredibly quickly. I ended up experimenting by mixing the Westland with a bit of topsoil or with some cheapo supermarket compost (about 2/3 Westland). This seemed to work a treat (unless it was beginners luck!) and I felt suitably pleased with myself for using predominantly peat-free compost. I gather Diarmuid Gavin's entire Chelsea garden this year was done with Westland... I thought it was a great product, but not ideal on it's own. Trouble is now I can't get it where I live! but I'd buy more if I could.

  • 04/08/2012 07:30 AM
    In reply to
    • John
    • York
    • 10 Jul 2011
    • 2
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     Hello Anna,

    I'm pleased you had good results with the compost, as compost's are made in batches I could just be unlucky with a bad batch. The fertilizer and micro nutrients (especially micronutrients) must be measured very accurately, if not problems will occur. I remember when I started in commercial horticulture in the nineteen seventies we were growing pot chrysanthemums or pot mums as we called them, we started to see a brown scorch around the edge of the leavesSad at first we thought it might be due to a spaying problem! after many samples of compost sent to be analyzed it was found to be too much magnesium in the compost and cost the compost manufacturer £20-£25,000.

    As for not being able to buy the Westland light & easy compost try either Unwins seeds or Marshals seed (both the same company) they sell two bags for under £12 + delivery, that's ware I bought mine.

    Good luck with your garden and remember if you have a failure one year don't give up keep trying as it could be just bad luck or down to the weather, especially this year being a trying year for not just amateur gardeners professional gardeners have had a difficult year also. Local conditions can also play a part in a poor performance too.