If you are shopping for peat-free compost for your Rhododendron, Azalea, Camellias or any other acidic soil loving plants, Miracle-Gro has a 40-litre bag of peat-free compost that’s fortified with 14 minerals.
It also has a special formulation to improve root growth and improve water absorption to ensure your flowers thrive. You can use the Miracle-Gro peat-free compost in pots and planters as well as in flower beds and gardens.
Miracle-Gro Ericaceous Compost Review
What Are You Buying?
1. Peat-free Compost (Great for the Environment!)
Peat-free compost is about to become a lot more common in stores and garden centres in the UK. That’s because sale of bagged peat compost is set to be banned in 2024. By 2030, all sales of peat-based gardening products will be banned.
So if you are yet to try peat-free compost, this is a great time to start. Peat is a natural material that’s harvested from bogs and wetlands. Gardeners love it because it holds water really well and is a great medium for growing flowers, veggies and other plants.
But harvesting peat, which is non-renewable, comes with several downsides including the release of carbon stores and the increase in greenhouse gases. So moving to peat-free compost is good for the environment.
To get the same benefits as peat-based compost, Miracle-Gro uses wood fibre made from forest by-products in their compost. As we will discuss shortly, the wood fibre offers the same water and nutrient retention benefits as peat.
2. Made for Ericaceous Plants
This is not the regular kind of compost. It is specially formulated for acid-loving or ericaceous plants. Specifically, Miracle-Gro recommends using it with Rhododendron, Camellias and Azaleas.
You can apply the compost wherever you have planted these flowers whether it’s in pots, large planters, on a flower bed or in a garden. You can use the Miracle-Gro peat-free compost for young as well as established plants.
3. Fortified With Vital Minerals
The Miracle-Gro compost does a lot more than improve your soil’s water retention. It also boosts plant growth thanks to the minerals that are added to the compost.
These include iron to help plants develop greener leaves, phosphorus to drive photosynthesis and thus keep the plants alive and magnesium to prevent stunted growth.
In total, there are 14 minerals in the Miracle-Gro ericaceous compost.
4. Fibre Smart Technology
The careful formulation of the Miracle-Gro compost ensures that the soil retains just the right amount of water without getting waterlogged.
The compost consists of hollow wood fibres that maintain the right balance of air and water. Not only does this protect roots from rotting, it also ensures that the soil doesn’t get too dense which could inhibit root growth.
5. Waterlock Technology
The Miracle-Gro compost does a great job absorbing and retaining water to keep plants hydrated. If you tend to forget to water your plants, using the Miracle-Gro compost will reduce the risk of your plants dying since the soil stays wet for longer.
How Easy Is It To Use?
You apply the Miracle-Gro compost pretty much the same way you would any other type of compost.
If you are using it in a pot or planter, mix the compost with garden soil in a 20-80 or 50-50 mixture. Then spread a layer of the mix at the bottom of the pot. Loosen the root ball of your plant and place it on this layer. Cover the roots of the plants with some more soil and compost mix.
Remember to water thoroughly after potting. Excess water will drain out and the compost will retain the right amount of moisture needed by the plant.
If you are using the compost in a garden, border or bed, first make a hole twice as large as the root ball of the plant. Place the plant inside and fill with a 50-50 mix of soil and compost. Pat down the mix around the plant to make it firmer then water thoroughly.
What’s Included?
You will receive a 40-litre bag of peat-free compost. That’s a large bag and you may need help lifting and moving it. It should be enough to cover several pots or a sizable garden.
We recommend getting a micro shovel to scoop and apply the compost. You can also get a compost scoop made specifically for such a job. You will also need a pair of gloves to handle the compost.
Pros
- Peat-free compost, which is good for the environment.
- Fortified with 14 minerals.
- Greatly improves water and nutrient retention.
- Suitable for most plants that thrive in acidic soils.
Cons
- As some gardeners have noted, the Miracle-Gro compost may not be acidic enough for certain ericaceous plants like blueberries. We recommend you measure the pH of your compost and soil mix to ensure it is suitable for your particular plants.
Anything Else You Should Know?
Miracle-Gro says the compost and the minerals added to it will feed your plants for up to three months. After that, you can get more compost and use it for top dressing. But this is not as effective as using compost to plant or re-pot.
Instead of buying more compost, Miracle-Gro recommends using Miracle-Gro Azalea, Camellia & Rhododendron Soluble Plant Food. It contains a blend of 11 nutrients that continue feeding and nourishing your plants.
Here are a couple other tips:
- Do not use hard water for pots and gardens containing Miracle-Gro peat-free compost. Hard water forms limescale, which alters the pH balance of the compost and interferes with your plant’s growth. Instead, use rain water or tap water that’s not too hard. Here’s a good way to tell if your tap water is safe to use with this compost: if it leaves scale deposits in your kettle, it’s not good for your ericaceous plants.
- For best results, never let the compost and soil mixture dry out. Keep it moist at all times. If you have compost left over in the bag, close the bag and keep it in a cool and dry place to keep it from drying.
Conclusion
The Miracle-Gro peat-free ericaceous compost is one of the best ways to give your Rhododendrons, Azaleas and Camellias a healthy head start and keep them thriving.
It provides the right pH environment for your plants, ensures they stay hydrated at all times, helps roots grow, and provides the right nutrients for growth.
Combine the compost with the Miracle-Gro plant food to enjoy the best growth and blooms.
Where To Buy?
- Amazon UK: > CLICK TO CHECK TODAY’S PRICE
