Top soil and peat from garden centre - full of weed seeds!

[Riley Blue]

I bought three bags each of top soil and peat at a local garden centre to improve the state of a front border prior to some autumn planting. Within 7-10 days little green shots started to appear and I've had to weed at least once a week since.

Is this commonplace?

[Simpo Two]

I would expect topsoil to have weed seeds in it. You could hardly employ people with microscopes and tweezers to pick them all out...

As for peat, I guess it depends on how old/deep it was.

[Jimbo.]

Could also be wind blown seeds.

[WrekinCrew]

Jimbo. said:

Could also be wind blown seeds.

Yes poppy seeds are like dust and blow everywhere at the moment, and are germinating in the mild damp weather.

I haven't seen peat on sale for years.

[RGG]

Riley Blue said:

I bought three bags each of top soil and peat at a local garden centre to improve the state of a front border prior to some autumn planting. Within 7-10 days little green shots started to appear and I've had to weed at least once a week since.

Is this commonplace?

A quality product should be sterilised I think by heat - it could be that yours wasn't.

[netherfield]

If you buy potted plants from most garden centres you'll find little weeds growing around them later on.

[The Three D Mucketeer]

I always buy sterilised top soil and don't have a weed problem .. you get what you pay for

[Riley Blue]

RGG said:

Riley Blue said:

I bought three bags each of top soil and peat at a local garden centre to improve the state of a front border prior to some autumn planting. Within 7-10 days little green shots started to appear and I've had to weed at least once a week since.

Is this commonplace?

A quality product should be sterilised I think by heat - it could be that yours wasn't.

I didn't know that was a thing, I shall ask in future!

[Spare tyre]

I collect mole hill mud on my travels

[dba7108]

There is a processing plant near us that collects all the green waste from the council and gardeners and tree surgeons. It turns all the matter in a huge heated tumbler type machine which I guess kills all seeds etc. They sell to garden centres etc.

[Skyedriver]

Spare tyre said:

I collect mole hill mud on my travels

A neighbour back in the 80's used to do that, thought about it a few times.

[alfabeat]

Skyedriver said:

A neighbour back in the 80's used to do that, thought about it a few times.

That's what I do - and we have a lot of mole hills! Get several wheelbarrows full at a time. Use it to top up borders, plant pots etc. It's lovely soil, and easier than catching the moles!