Marking its second year of using products from leading British peat-free brand, RocketGro, River Cottage has been shouting about another season of outstanding results – from great germination to improved biodiversity – with its guests clamouring to know the name of its compost supplier.

River Cottage brought RocketGro on as exclusive compost supplier in 2023, using its products across the smallholding. The culinary organisation – a huge advocate for organic and peat-free growing – cultivates much of what it uses at the farm in the iconic Kitchen Garden, poly tunnels and Market Garden, using RocketGro’s growing media range to propagate these vegetables, fruits, salads and herbs.

Now, in the second year of growing with RocketGro, River Cottage Head Gardener Jonny Callis has nothing but the highest praise for the range, as he reflects on the ongoing success of the collaboration.

In a recent blog post, he said: “This is River Cottage’s second year with RocketGro as our compost supplier, and the fantastic results we found in 2023 have continued into this growing season. We get a huge amount of interest from our guests in which suppliers we use, and I’m always happy to tell RocketGro’s story – supplying renewable energy to thousands of homes and creating local, peat-free, biologically-active compost as a by-product.”

As a real testament to the performance of RocketGro’s collection, Jonny highlights several stand-out products, including its Seed & Cutting Compost, Fruit & Veg Compost and the flagship Magic Mulch, describing how these organic, peat-free mixes have enhanced his team’s growing endeavours at River Cottage HQ.

Magic Mulch was used over winter, resulting in beds that were “full of life, dark and friable, and great to work with” when it came to planting. Jonny explained: “As we plant out, the fibres of Magic Mulch are incorporated, adding to organic matter in our heavy clay East Devon soil.”

RocketGro’s Seed & Cutting Compost, once again, delivered “high germination rates with the right amount of drainage”, whilst RocketGro’s Fruit & Veg compost was used to top up the beds in River Cottage’s polytunnels, getting tomatoes, cucumbers and basil get, “off to a flying start”.

Jonny concluded: “Whilst our various homemade composts and feeds form the backbone of our soil husbandry at River Cottage, partnering with RocketGro has given us the flexibility and volume to expand our no-dig growing areas and continue to increase the biodiversity of micro-organisms in our soil, ultimately leading to the healthy, nutrient dense, organic fruits and vegetables upon which our food philosophy is based.”

RocketGro Managing Director, Toby Thomas said: “Our partnership with River Cottage is something we are very proud of and passionate about. It is a joy to collaborate with a fellow West Country business, particularly one that shares our ethos about organic, sustainable, peat-free growing. We have immense admiration for what River Cottage does and are delighted to be its exclusive compost provider.

“We have every confidence in how our products perform, so it’s great to hear that Jonny and his team continue to have such success using them at River Cottage HQ. We are also thrilled to hear that so many River Cottage guests are keen to find out more about RocketGro, and that Jonny is actively sharing our story. RocketGro’s journey is a unique one and we remain steadfast in our mission to turn more people onto the power of low carbon, peat-free and coir-free organic gardening. Looking ahead, we look forward to continuing our fruitful relationship with River Cottage.”

All RocketGro products are chemical free, 100% organic approved, British grown, sourced and manufactured, and are the by-product of renewable energy production. Packaging is also 100% recyclable.

Find out more

If you want to learn more about RocketGro or are keen to discuss adding its product portfolio into your 2024 offering, please contact Toby Thomas (hello@rocketgro.co.uk /07936 928 981) or Andy Abraham (andy@rocketgro.co.uk / 07446 937902). View the full range and discover more about the RocketGro story at www.rocketgro.co.uk