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Old 09-04-2016, 12:15 AM   #1
Reece
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Unhappy Topsoil

Evening,

Can anyone recommend a decent brand of sterlised topsoil? i have recently bought bags from wickes, homebase aswell as b&q. All three are poor. I have found myself spending ages seiving the flipping rubble out.. Can anyone point me to the right direction on a stone free?
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Old 11-04-2016, 10:29 AM   #2
Ceirdwyn
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I got a bag from aldi, and it was great, no gravel. But that was a week or so ago, so they might not have it anymore.
If you have one local, it might be worth checking.
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Old 11-04-2016, 01:47 PM   #3
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Stones and gravel are no problem they won't walk on scived soul in the wild.
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Old 11-04-2016, 01:53 PM   #4
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I have always stuck to Wickes. Yes, there are some little stones but as Gordon says, they don't cause any problems.
I tried Homebase but wasn't impressed so have just always kept with the Wickes sterilised topsoil.
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Old 11-04-2016, 04:48 PM   #5
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I buy John Innes from the garden centre.
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Old 11-04-2016, 06:48 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ceirdwyn View Post
I got a bag from aldi, and it was great, no gravel. But that was a week or so ago, so they might not have it anymore.
If you have one local, it might be worth checking.

Thank you i will have alook into my local aldi tonight.


I experienced a horrible encounter awhile back with my leopard tortoise.. I'm just paranoid now if the stones will cause more injuries. Thanks all for replies highly appreciated!
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Old 11-04-2016, 06:51 PM   #7
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Quote:
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I buy John Innes from the garden centre.
Is John Innes safe for the little fellas?
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Old 12-04-2016, 10:51 AM   #8
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Quote:
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Is John Innes safe for the little fellas?
I find it does depend on size of tortoise, age etc. My older ones wouldn't eat soil or if they did it would be negligible out in the garden. personally I wouldn't put john innes into a tortoise table with little ones cause they burrow and eat weeds with it on. Pure is best - like coco coir for that or natural sterilised. Easiest for me is coco coir and its manageable but equally I wouldn't buy loads for outside torts - normal soil is ok for that in MO. CB
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Old 12-04-2016, 05:40 PM   #9
Jan W
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Is John Innes safe for the little fellas?
Perhaps I should have said I do bake it first! Mainly because it is damp so I put it in the range to dry it out. It has never grown weeds or anything and I would imagine I am killing off micro-organisms.

Keep in mind my torts were 2 when they came.

I have introduced coir too, so trying that.
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Old 12-04-2016, 08:54 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CherryBrandy View Post
I find it does depend on size of tortoise, age etc. My older ones wouldn't eat soil or if they did it would be negligible out in the garden. personally I wouldn't put john innes into a tortoise table with little ones cause they burrow and eat weeds with it on. Pure is best - like coco coir for that or natural sterilised. Easiest for me is coco coir and its manageable but equally I wouldn't buy loads for outside torts - normal soil is ok for that in MO. CB
I take that into consideration thanks. He's only coming up to two years old. I have actually got the coir down at the moment, but just trying to keep it more soil more then anything.
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