Go steady on stockpiling

Looking to stock up on compost to beat price rises? Tread carefully. Peat-free compost can contain recycled ingredients that break down over time, resulting in a shorter shelf-life than traditional growing media. Stockpiling can be a false economy. Gardeners who still use peat can stock up on high-peat compost, but remember to store bags in sheds or garages because rain risks washing nutrients away before the compost can be used, while temperature extremes can affect the composition of growing media.

Buying too much compost now could be a false economy