Grow Your Own Magazine

I have read books that wax lyrical about the importance of a good seed compost.

I believe it's sposed to be free draining and low in nuitrients but.....

are there any seeds that don't like it and would prefer a more peaty type of growing medium ?

Specifically leeks and spring onions ? Mine seem to have hit a wall at two leaves and the compost appears very compacted through watering. The ones I sewed in expanding peat tabs seem happier. (a more fiddly and pricy option tho !)

Sorry, I don't like John Innes. As you said it's hard to keep evenly watered, "caps" making it hard for the seeds to break through. I use a peat-based compost. Have tried peat free, but never got good results.

i dont like it either and wont use it again. sticking to multi purpose compost

I use JI when potting on my onions using a weak/medium mixture so it is not so much of a shock to the system ( from compost to soil ) when planting them out on the lottie

I never use JI for seeds, I do use it for growing plants in containers which will remain there for more than one season.

Hi

I am using JI seed compost, because they had no peat free when I bought it.
Might try both peat and JI soil based, side by side.

T

Personally I grow everything in a multi purpose peat free but you do have to be careful which type you chose, there are some really rubbish ones about. Like quite a few on this site, I don't want to use peat and find that the New Horizon peat free one is fab.

__________________

Some of us live in the past, always talking about back then. Some of us live in the future, always planning what we are going to do. And, then there are those, who neither look behind or ahead, but just enjoy the moment of right now.

Which one are you and is it how you want to be?

I use multipurpose for raising my veg - container plants - things like shrubs and lilies which stay in their containers - are in JI3.

__________________
Earth laughs in flowers. Ralph Waldo Emerson

www.vegheaven.blogspot.com

Updated September 29th - Bean drying.

I use the JI for seeds but can't say nothing good or bad about it cause its the first time I sow anything really !!
What is it that you really dislike with this compost ?

I'm assuming that what Maf doesn't like about JI and what i have found in my first season of gardening to any real extent is the way that it seems to form a crust on the top of the pot/tray etc and seedlings struggle or in some cases can't find a way through. My own personal solution was to break the crusty caps with a fork (table not garden) or plant label. But not sure if i'll be using JI again. But what ever i choose next year it will be Peat Free.

__________________
Detroitsburg - Where cool cars come

Just to add to the confusion of course, JI is in 3 versions. JI No1 for seeds, No2 for potting on, No3 for permanent planting in pots etc. If you accidentally used No3 for seeds, they might struggle as the formula isn't very seed friendly.

This year I'm trying the Fertile Fibre peat free.....pricey though

No, JI has 4 types - seed, No1, No2 and No3. I don't have much success with Multi-P peat or not, and only use JI with good results. I think it is to do with the way you work. I learnt of my dad who always used JI so obviously work in that way. I usually cut the JI seed with a third vermiculite to open it up a bit.

Does shop bought John Innes compost have no peat in it these days then?Even though it's soil based it still requires peat and sand...........at least it used to!
I suppose you could use coir instead of peat in the stuff you make yourself!

__________________
My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

Home

All you could ever want to know about JI