BCSS - Forum

I only saw this today so apologies if it has been discussed and I missed it. Melcourt have recently released a new range of peat free John Innes composts and I was wondering if anyone has been tempted to try it? I've been using their peat-free multi-purpose for years now and I've found it to be really good so hopefully the JI will be just as good. The peat has been replaced with bark and wood fibre apparently.
https://www.melcourt.co.uk/product/john-innes-range/

No, but I think I will if I can find some, and at the right price. Have you tried any?

I've tried six garden centres now and none are stocking it yet. Quite a few seem to be struggling to get enough compost in at the moment though so it might just be supply issues. I probably won't have much use for it this year now as I'll have done all my repotting by the time I find some. I assume they've replaced the peat with a blend of woodchip and coir but I'm mostly curious about how easy it is to re-wet once it gets very dry.

Why is this off-topic? More folk might be interested in this if this were shifted.

ragamala wrote: ↑Sun May 02, 2021 12:27 pm Why is this off-topic?

Why is it called John Innes? It's like taking an egg sandwich, removing the egg, adding cheese and calling it an egg free egg sandwich.

Yes, choice of growing medium's on topic I'd say! Moved.

Sounds like it could be an improvement just from the description. The peat was never my favourite ingredient in John Innes and I'm fed up with the plastic and metal in green waste products. Could also be a nightmare if the "finely-shredded bark" turns out to be random lumps of wood. Has anyone even seen this stuff for sale? No point all the hype about it if you can't buy it anywhere.

iann wrote: ↑Sun May 02, 2021 4:38 pm Sounds like it could be an improvement just from the description. The peat was never my favourite ingredient in John Innes and I'm fed up with the plastic and metal in green waste products. Could also be a nightmare if the "finely-shredded bark" turns out to be random lumps of wood. Has anyone even seen this stuff for sale? No point all the hype about it if you can't buy it anywhere.

Melcourt "SylvaGrow" is one available online but not cheap.

FredG wrote: ↑Sun May 02, 2021 3:30 pm

ragamala wrote: ↑Sun May 02, 2021 12:27 pm Why is this off-topic?

Why is it called John Innes? It's like taking an egg sandwich, removing the egg, adding cheese and calling it an egg free egg sandwich.

Agreed.
And yes lumps of wood, plastic and materials not fitting any categories are also not my idea of compost either.

FredG wrote: ↑Sun May 02, 2021 3:30 pm Why is it called John Innes? It's like taking an egg sandwich, removing the egg, adding cheese and calling it an egg free egg sandwich.

Because it is approved by the John Innes Manufacturer's Association.

For those who missed the link in the first post in this thread:
https://www.melcourt.co.uk/product/john-innes-range/

As the bark and wood fibre are from British forests this one might become more competitive, price-wise, in the next few years.