Frequently asked questions

This depends on your property and whether rear access is available. Please contact us for more advice, and to chat about possible options.

Unfortunately we aren't able to collect empty bags but please check with your local recycling centre as many of these are equipped to recycle bulk bags.

Alternatively you may find them useful as you garden!

We sadly can’t deliver onto a gravel drive or any other loose or soft surface.

We recommend that somebody is present when the delivery arrives, but we can still deliver if you are not in.

Our drivers are highly skilled and will determine the best accessible place to leave your order. Should you not be present when your order arrives, but you have particular instructions of where to leave your delivery then please let us know.

Please note that we cannot accept any liability for the theft of unattended deliveries.

Please contact us at info@earthcycle.co.uk with further details and we will be happy to check if your local delivery depot can accommodate delivery to your property.

We can deliver on a Saturday for an additional charge. Please contact us at info@earthcycle.co.uk for these costs. We cannot deliver on Sundays or Bank Holidays.

We can only lift over walls/fences and hedges if you are local to us (within a 30 mile radius of Chichester).

For nationwide deliveries this services is not possible. Please see our full delivery instructions for further information.

There must be good access for delivery vehicles to reach your property, or your delivery may not be made.



If a delivery cannot be made due to access issues then a smaller vehicle can sometimes be arranged for another day. Otherwise the order will have to be returned to us.

Both options will incur a charge, but where items have to be returned to us due to insufficient details being provided when placing your order, a refund will be made excluding the outward and return transportation costs which are charged from £80. Please read our delivery details before placing your order, and if you are at all unsure, please email us at info@earthcycle.co.uk with your address details so that we can advise.

Nationwide deliveries of bulk bags and large items are made using an 18 tonne vehicle which measures 2.4m wide, 2.5m high, and 7.3m in length.

All national deliveries of bulk bags will arrive on a pallet and will be wheeled off the back of a large 18 tonne lorry. The pallet will be placed kerbside by your property. In some cases we can place your bags onto your driveway, but can't guarantee this as it will be at the discretion of the driver to assess the ground surface, and distance from the lorry to the area you where you would like the pallet placed. Due to the weight of the bag, pallets cannot be wheeled across any loose or uneven surfaces such as gravel, grass, or broken paving. The delivery location must also be flat to remove any risk of the driver losing control of the pallet trolley and placing themselves and others at risk of any injury or harm.

Delivery can be on a selected day of your choice.

Nationwide deliveries can be anytime between 7am – 6pm Monday to Friday. If you have provided an email address and/or mobile number, you will receive a message on the day of delivery when your order has been placed on the vehicle. You will also receive a message with a 2 hour time window in which your delivery will be made.

Turf is a perishable product, so for best results will need to be laid as soon as possible.

To improve your lawn, there are a number of different methods and products you can try, so don’t panic – you’ll have your lawn looking as good as new in no time!

Here are some simple steps to revive your lawn:

• Mow your lawn very low, ideally to about 20mm if possible.
• Remove any moss, dead grass and leaves from the ground.
• Aerate your lawn using a machine or digging fork.
• Evenly spread some Divot Mix Topsoil over your whole lawn.
• Use the back of a rake to move the fresh soil into the holes that you’ve made.
• Watch as your lawn springs back to life in a matter of weeks.

It’s usually safe to walk on freshly laid turf after about 3 weeks, as it will likely have started to root by then. However, as tempting as it is to enjoy your lovely new lawn straight away, it’s best to limit heavy use until around 6 weeks after laying, to give it time to fully establish.

Organic turf should be laid on approximately 6 inches of well prepared topsoil. Before adding topsoil, be sure to remove any stones, debris or weeds, so that your organic turf can grow to its full potential!

After adding your topsoil, gently walk along the surface taking small, careful steps to flatten it down. This will create a perfectly smooth foundation to lay your turf on and will encourage it to grow strong with healthy roots.

It usually takes between 3-6 weeks for garden turf to fully root after it has been laid, but this can vary depending on the type of turf, the soil conditions and the weather. To find out more about how long different turfs take to root, contact our friendly team – we’re happy to help.

Lawn turf is best laid in mid-autumn when the weather is (usually) on the drier side, but it can be laid any time between mid-autumn and mid-spring, as long as the soil isn’t frosty or wet.

Laying turf in the middle of summer isn’t recommended, as the hot weather means that it’ll need a lot more water and extra care to stay fresh and healthy, so if you can, it’s better to wait for cooler conditions.

We recommend using enough compost to blend with the existing soil in your garden at approximately a 20-30% ratio. This will ensure there is enough compost for your plants to get all of the nutrients they need, whilst not being the only soil in the mix!

Remember, Earth Cycle organic composts are soil additions and have been created to mix with the soil already in your garden. For more information on how much compost you’ll need for a particular project, get in touch with our team on 01243 781730 – we’re happy to help! Alternatively, if you’re buying bulk compost for delivery, then why not use the help of our Bulk Bag Calculator for a quick and easy calculation.

This depends on your goal! If you want to improve the growth of your plants, enjoy more blossoms on your flowers, and provide your garden with additional nutrition, then you should use compost.

However, if you want to reduce weed development, manage run-off and keep soil moist, then it’s mulch that you need.

Potting compost is an excellent general organic compost that is specifically formulated to provide plants with the nutrients and physical support they need to be able to grow well indoors.

At 5cm depth a 1m3 bulk bag (1000 litres) will cover 20 sq/m and a 0.75m3 (750 litres) bulk bag will cover 15 sq/m. Our bulk bag calculator can provide you with the right number of bulk bags to order based on the quantity of compost, topsoil, bark or mulch that you need.

We will be in contact to re-arrange delivery. Please note this may incur a re-delivery charge, which will have to be paid before your delivery can be re-booked.

You can track your order by using the tracking code and link sent in your order confirmation email.

No. All of our composts, mulches, soil conditioners and topsoils are completely peat free.

Yes our Playchip is tested to make sure it is 100% safe for play areas used by children. It conforms to BS EN 1176 using the testing process BS EN 1177 and is intended for use as an Impact Absorbing Playground Safety Surface at a depth of 150mm and 300mm.

A play area or garden can benefit from our Play Area Woodfibre, which offers more protection from falls and creates a soft surface for children to play on. There is a mixture of soft and hardwood tree species in our bark and bark sizes range from 8 mm to 20 mm.

By laying down a layer of bark, you can prevent weed development by creating a barrier that blocks any sunlight. However, to maximise the efficiency of bark mulch, it is essential that any existing weeds be removed before laying down your bark. It’s also critical to use a thick coating of bark, ideally 2-3 inches deep, and to inspect and renew the bark layer on a regular basis.

Decorative stones are not always harmful to plants, but they can have an impact on plant growth and health if used incorrectly. Here are some things to think about when using them:

• Drainage: Decorative stones can aid in drainage by allowing excess water to flow freely through the soil. However, if the stones are too large or too many, they might prevent water from reaching plant roots, resulting in soil waterlogging.
• Temperature: In hotter climates, ornamental stones may absorb and radiate heat, which can harm plants. They may also assist to make soil warmer in colder climates, which is beneficial to some plants.
• Maintenance: Decorative stones may acquire dirt and debris over time, which can harbour diseases and pests. They may also need to be removed and replaced on a regular basis to minimise soil compaction.
• Decorative stones do not provide nutrients to plants and, in fact, if they are too densely packed, might make it more difficult for nutrients to reach the roots.

We'd recommended that you use your products as soon as you can. If that's not possible, cover the bag with a plastic sheet and leave it no longer than a couple of days. Small bags can be left longer and used at a later date.

Absolutely! Our high quality topsoil contains high levels of nutrients and microorganisms which help your plants and vegetable gardens grow. The texture of our topsoil also increases drainage and provides structural support for plants, helping them to flourish, even in harsh conditions.

Topsoil can be used at any time of year for projects like laying new lawns or creating new garden beds, but it can be particularly useful to use just before the spring season, when your plants need an extra boost to get growing!

The point of topsoil is to increase plant growth and improve plant health, as it is rich in organic matter and microorganisms, which provides the plants with key nutrients and creates a perfect environment for them to grow.