Melcourt Professional Growing Media

[Alan_b]

I have just been to a talk (at my local Plant Heritage group) by a lady who works for Melcourt ( www.melcourt.co.uk ).  They produce a range of 'Professional Growing Media', mostly based on composted bark sourced in the UK.  I was very impressed by the depth of knowledge of the speaker (their Technical Director) and the amount of research that goes into what they produce.

[SteveC2]

Their bark has been very popular with orchid growers for many years.  The biggest trouble is finding a local stockist.

[David Nicholson]

Their bark has been very popular with orchid growers for many years.  The biggest trouble is finding a local stockist.

I'll second that.

[Tristan_He]

I'll second that.

Their website includes a where to buy map which may help.
http://www.melcourt.co.uk/where-to-buy/

[SteveC2]

Seems there is an exclusion zone around much of Lincolnshire, but thankfully my stockist in Donington shows up on the map!
Even worse up north!

[Tristan_He]

Yes... something like 2 stockists in Scotland...?

I'm really lucky, one of only two stockists in N Wales happens to be my local garden centre.

[David Nicholson]

The "where to buy" map appears to have been set up on an 'enthusiastic' rather than an 'actual' basis.

[Graeme]

The "where to buy" map appears to have been set up on an 'enthusiastic' rather than an 'actual' basis.

thats really odd - just found a massive nursery near me that I did'nt know was there - be paying a visit in the near future and will have a look at the Melcourt compost if it is good - cheers David
http://www.daleabbeyplants.co.uk/find-us/

[David Nicholson]

I'd give 'em a ring before you go Graeme and make sure which, (if any) Melcourt products they have in stock.

[Dave M]

I can wholeheartedly vouch for Melcourt’s peat free, bark-based compost products. The technical knowledge and research side of the company is top notch, if you are after something specific it’s worth giving them a ring. Their retail composts (http://sylvagrow.co.uk/category/latest-news/) are superb for a range of general use and won accreditation from Which? and endorsed by the RHS. I recon these are the best peat free composts currently on the market for the general public, their SylvaGrow with added JI is superb (http://www.melcourt.co.uk/product/multipurpose-compost-retail/). As others have mentioned however it’s a shame that they are not wider stocked, particularly up north in the UK but you could ask your local retailer to look at stocking it. They are expanding and given the quality of some of the competing peat free products on the market it wont be long before they are more widely available.

As for their professional products they are also superb. A number of nurseries and growers use their Sylvamix products as part of mixes for growing on a range of plants including alpines. http://www.melcourt.co.uk/products/professional-growers/sylvamix-peat-free-growing-media/

I use their Growbark Pine, mixed with inert grit and perlite for growing Sarracenia peat free and it works better than traditional peat based mixes with its open structure and low nutrient levels. It’s also a medium that I add to mixes for a range of alpine, ericaceous plant and woodlander composts. http://www.melcourt.co.uk/product/melcourt-growbark-pine/

Sarracenia, ferns, Hepaticas, Cyclamen, snowdrops, ericaceous shrubs and a few other species get mulched and pots topped off with their Propagating Bark. It’s a really nice fine high quality bark chip useful for tidying pots and suppressing weeds. http://www.melcourt.co.uk/product/melcourt-propagating-bark/

[Graeme]

I'd give 'em a ring before you go Graeme and make sure which, (if any) Melcourt products they have in stock.

I have seen greenhouse and tunnels - so I will be going to have a look to see what they grow - if they have compst it will be a bonus

[brianw]

You get a different map depending on the product range you select I think. Locally here they sell some products through a landscaping fencing timber company.

[Neil]

I use Sylvamix potting  http://www.melcourt.co.uk/product/sylvamix-potting/  very good quality and the plants like it.

[Darren]

The nursery in South Cumbria where my wife Susan works ( http://www.halecatplants.co.uk/  ) uses the Melcourt Silvamix professional growing medium and it is excellent. They don't usually have it on display to sell to the public (though they do stock the superb Keith Singleton JI composts) but may be amenable to selling a bag to visitors if asked. Be quick though - they close to the public for the winter next month until february.

The Melcourt media attracted a lot of attention from visitors who came round the back of the nursery on the open day last month where I was helping Susan for the day. Many commented on it's great structure and the health of the plants grown in it. Susan brings home a bag every now and then (in lieu of wages or in return for frequently topping up the nursery biscuit tin) and I find it very useful either on its own or mixed with a bit of JI.

[David Nicholson]

The nursery in South Cumbria where my wife Susan works ( http://www.halecatplants.co.uk/  ) .............

Presumably where Corydalis flexuosa 'Hale Cat' originated?