These high end technical products are coupled with unrivalled technical excellence, provided by ICL’s experienced and qualified team of horticultural experts.

ICL’s Levington Advance Sustain provides growers with the ultimate in sustainable growing media. Carefully produced for the professional growing industry ICL has a range of products that can be used in a wide variety of cropping situations. The best compost will provide all the nutrients and support needed for seeds and veg to grow and thrive, while the worst will leave you with meagre crops and feeble plants.It doesn’t matter if you’re an experienced green-thumbed gardener or just starting out with a few seeds for the first time, you’re guaranteed to get plenty of joy from spending more time with nature and nurturing your green oasis. We also test grow bags - see our round-up of the best grow bags. What are the different types of compost? This year we chose to only test peat-free compost. From 2024, you will only be able to buy peat-free compost in garden centres and DIY stores when the government introduces a ban on peat composts. We firmly believe you can get great results from peat-free composts and we haven't used peat in our own trials for many years. We have also included Moorland Gold composts which use peat recovered from lakes and dams after being naturally washed from peat heathland by rainwater. All three tests are carried out by an expert at a horticultural institute, and the compost for seeds and young plants test takes place in a temperature and humidity-controlled greenhouse. The composts for containers are tested outside once the nights are frost-free. The results are compiled by an independent assessor who's an expert in compost and plant health.

Watch out for reformulated compost - manufacturers frequently change the mix of ingredients they use and the fertiliser, and this is speeding up as the ban on using peat comes ever closer. We can't recommend reformulated brands because there's no guarantee the new product will perform as well as the one we tested. Always use the images above to make sure the Best Buy compost you are buying is the one we have tested.They often contain a different mix of ingredients to those found in multipurpose composts. These include small amounts of sand, grit or vermiculite in seed and potting composts, bark in orchid compost and mostly gravel and sand in cacti composts.

From compost to plant food, weed control to lawncare, take a look at our comprehensive range of products to keep your garden healthy and happy. We offer peat free compost in a variety of flavours to suit every need, balanced fertilisers for your plants and lawn, safe-to-use plant disease, pest and weed control, and a range of lawncare products that’ll have you proud to host this summer’s barbecues. Generally speaking, the cost will depend on the type of compost and the size of the bag, as it’s often more cost-effective to buy 20 litres instead of five litres. A general rule of thumb many gardeners go by is that the cheapest option will be the worst quality. Price doesn’t always reflect a compost’s quality, though: sometimes a cheaper brand can actually deliver preferable results. Formulated to optimise plant growth by providing the right conditions to suit the plant at a particular stage in its life, or for certain types of plants such as orchids, cacti or ericaceous plants. There are two main types of compost: multipurpose and composts for specific use, such as raising plants from seed or growing plants in patio containers. Multipurpose and all-purpose composts

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Use compost in a well-ventilated place; keep the greenhouse or potting shed door open and avoid breathing in dust. A medium-crumbly texture - is ideal. Composts that are too fine are prone to water logging, while those that are too coarse tend to need more frequent watering. A crumbly structure will allow excess water to drain through, while holding enough water and air for roots to thrive.

Ericaceous compost is used for acid-loving plants such as azaleas, camellias and heathers when you grow them in pots. Many have a high peat content. Remember to use an ericaceous feed to keep your plants healthy. Do not cover hairy leaved plants like geraniums and saintpaulia. Keep in a warm, well-lit place, out of direct sunlight. Water again only when the compost dries out. For cuttings: Fill the pot with the Levington Multi Purpose Compost with added John Innes, take the cutting (according to the type of plant), water, cover and keep warm. ICL provides professional growing media to the UK and Ireland market, with the go to brand in the industry, Levington. ICL has (under various guises) supplied growing media to the UK horticulture market for over 50 years. In fact, our testing shows really variable results for both cheap and expensive compost. The only way to really know what you're getting is to look at our results. Things to look for when buying compost

The best compost you can buy in 2023

For containers: Ensure that the container has sufficient drainage holes. Then fill with Levington Multi Purpose Compost with added John Innes. Add your chosen flowers and firm lightly, then water thoroughly. Gardening is great for your health – both mental and physical. Whether it’s an indoor jungle of houseplants, a windowsill herb garden, an allotment or a patio and sweeping lawn, we’ve got everything you need to have success with what you grow. Use straight from the bag, it’s as easy as that. When filling or potting, firm lightly. Keep the compost moist and do not let it dry out. Do not leave plants standing in water. Storing Levington Peat FreeEricaceous Compost with added John Innes from one year to another may result in the fertiliser ratios becoming unbalanced. Where to use