John Innes composts

[Martin]

If your after a larger amount Roffey Brothers will deliver a mixed pallet of JI and grit to any U.K. Location

I just had 30 bags no 2 and 20 bags of the 4mm granit grit delivered

It's a good mix with only the odd bit of twig !

If you have the space and can keep it dry it does not go off like the old mix as the modern balanced fertilizers they use are stable

The web site directs you to the new owners site that's not easy to find our stuff it's easier to call them

M

[Paul D]

Thanks for all the interesting replies. I'm going to try making my own.
I know Bord na Mona well- I did some conservation survey work for them at one point. The compost they brand as John Innes No. 3 has way above 25% peat from the looks of it (looks like above 50%), and a little too much sand for my liking, but texture is nice and fine with no lumps. I am going to mix it 50:50 with loam. For the record, my mix for cacti has roughly 1:1:1:1JI, cat litter, flint chick grit and the contentious perlite, with a scoop of Careo granules.
I guess no-one here has used a soil steriliser? I used to use a steam one when I worked in a school greenhouse- the ones I've seen for sale today are hotplates rather than steam, for example:
http://www.thermoforce.co.uk/soil_sterilisers.htm

Not cheap, but I've a lot of pots.

[Martin]

Paul

What are Careo granules ?

I did a search and came up cold

[Alistair Birnie]

Paul, the Clover composts mentioned above are available from Parkhill Nursery (they also do a very acceptable breakfast or lunch according to when you visit.) We've been using the Clover composts for a couple of years now because they feel "proper". Of course that's because they use real peat instead of the assorted alternatives. I was amused by the weasel words in the Clover blurb about the sort of peat they harvest, and the extraction machines in the photos are huge.

[Paul D]

Paul

What are Careo granules ?

I did a search and came up cold

They are white granules containing acetamiprid and a light feed.
http://www.kakteen-haage.de/en/accessor ... nulat.html

Paul, the Clover composts mentioned above are available from Parkhill Nursery (they also do a very acceptable breakfast or lunch according to when you visit.)

Thanks Alistair. I'll check it out.

[DaveW]

Just "Googled" but all really commercial steam sterilisers.

Never used a steam steriliser Paul but I did see an amateur one for sale on EBAY a few years ago similar to the link below, but don't know if they are still made. It seems to just be the old type kettle element in the lower container to boil the water and a bottomless bucket above with mesh substituted for a solid bottom. Possibly you could even construct one out of two galvanised buckets since replacement kettle elements are usually available.

http://www.chrysanthemums.info/sterilis ... rilise.htm

Looks like part of one here, but missing the bottom water/element part.

http://www.zeppy.io/product/gb/2/162435 ... r-with-lid

As you say most amateur soil sterilisers just use hot plates.

http://www.britishnationalcarnationsoci ... 4574469099

There was a JI article on steam sterilisation here:-

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j& ... 9541,d.d24

[iann]

I'll second Singleton's. Appears to be a genuine John Innes, or close enough that I can't tell the difference.

[Martin]

That looks interesting did you buy it from them or in the uk ?

If from them did they ship it to you ?

M

[Paul D]

That looks interesting did you buy it from them or in the uk ?

If from them did they ship it to you ?

M

Yes I bought it from them. They do some good sized narrow pots I like, perfect for tap-rooted small Sulcos, and occasionally have some plants I want- a good company, quite quick to deliver.

[Apicra]

After my usual garden centre no longer sold Westland JI last year, I tried Arthur Bowers brand for my last mix and this now looks OK (since Westland took them over). Iagree Levingtons' was peaty, very lumpy, with little loam or
sand and not usable. Wyevale's own-brand looked like disgusting, dry, muddy, sand with fibrous lumps to judge from a split bag - also not usable.

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned John Innes Ericaceous compost yet since this is fairly widely available now. This is presumably a JI mix without (much?) added limestone, but I have not seen a definite recipe. I've been using this along with about equal amounts of ordinary JI3 in my mix. I don't seem to be getting such large amounts of limescale building up around the top of pots that I used to (I only use rain-water). Many of our plants prefer a more acidic compost.

Best wishes,
Derek Tribble