What is loam?

[mclarenpitcrew]

I have recieved a packet of Chocolate vine seeds from ebay. It states to sow the the seeds in 3/4 deep in soil mix of sand and loam. I don't want to get it wrong and waste the seeds. Can I buy it at the garden centre? Can anyone shine some light?

[Alice]

Hello, loam is a very good quality soil - and you probably can buy it in the garden centre now.

[mclarenpitcrew]

Ok thanks very much Alice.

[seasprout]

Look for John innes no. 2. :-)

[rustylady]

I would use a good quality seed/cutting compost. John Innes is loam (soil) based, or you could use a peat(or peat-free) compost from your local supplier.

[nick the grief]

You could use John Innes seed & cutting compost

[Snadger]

Good fibrous loam is made by stacking turves upside down, one on top of another for a year! Good topsoil is an alternative!

[JennieAtkinson]

Good fibrous loam is made by stacking turves upside down, one on top of another for a year! Good topsoil is an alternative!

I did that Snadger and now I just have a mound of grass! Where did I go wrong?

[Alice]

I think if you burst into that grassy mound Jennie, you'll find the lovely loamy stuff in the middle. then you can restack the green stuff again into a smaller pile and start again. But if that hasn't worked, do tell us what was in the middle

[JennieAtkinson]

I'll give it a go Alice when the ground gets a bit warmer but before the grass starts to grow. We strimmed it last summer and I was beginning to wish I had made it into a bench shape so we had a grassy mound to sit on!

[mclarenpitcrew]

Thanks everyone, will be off to the garden centre tomorrow to buy John Innes.

[Snadger]

I did that Snadger and now I just have a mound of grass! Where did I go wrong?

I think 'upside down' are the key words here!

[JennieAtkinson]

I think 'upside down' are the key words here!

I think the roots just turned and grew back up the way