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John Innes

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Loripep:
Hello all;

I was wondering if someone can tell me of a Canadian brand of potting soil which is equivalent to John Innes 1 or 2. Is there such a beast?

Lori

Maggi Young:
Hi, Lori, great to have you back in the new forum, we missed you!
I'm sure those Canadians out there will have a good suggestion for you for your John Innes mix, Canuck style!

David Nicholson:

--- Quote from: Loripep on March 21, 2007, 06:46:48 PM ---Hello all;

I was wondering if someone can tell me of a Canadian brand of potting soil which is equivalent to John Innes 1 or 2. Is there such a beast?

Lori

--- End quote ---

Hi Lori, to help you in your quest the following is the recipe for making John Innes Compost-it is so called because the formula was devised by the John Innes Institute (in the 1930's) a horticultural and agricultural research body.

The basic formula is:
7 parts by bulk of sterilised loam (loam, as you will no doubt be aware is made by stacking turves for say 12 months and then passing the residue through a fine sieve) although a reasonably fine garden soil would just as well apart from it containing lots of weed seeds!!
2 parts of course washed sand
3 parts of moist moss peat.

To each bushel of this mix (the quantity that will fit into a box 22inches x 10 inches x 10 inches without compacting) 4 ounces of a mix of 2 parts superphosphate, 2 parts hoof and horn and 1 part sulphate of pottash an three quarters of an ounce of ground limestone or chalk.

All of that would give you a John Innes No 1 mix. For a No. 2 add twice as much fertiliser, and for a No. 3 three times as much fertiliser.

You probably see now how lucky we are in the Uk that we able to buy it ready mixed. The quality of it does vary a lot with some manufactures lowering the loam content and replacing it with more sand and peat.

Hope this helps a bit.

Lesley Cox:
It does indeed help David as I was wondering too as there's nothing of the kind here. I think I have the recipe somewhere, maybe an old Lawrence D. Hills book but I'm too lazy to go looking at present.

I firmly believe that at least a SMALL quantity of basic loam or garden soil is very beneficial in virtually all potting mixes. There are pathogens and other greeblies (you note my scientific turn of mind?) that peat or bark based mixes are lacking and which help keep harmful fungi etc at bay. I always add a little even if it's only about 1/20th

Maggi Young:

--- Quote ---I firmly believe that at least a SMALL quantity of basic loam or garden soil is very beneficial in virtually all potting mixes. There are pathogens and other greeblies (you note my scientific turn of mind?) that peat or bark based mixes are lacking and which help keep harmful fungi etc at bay.
--- End quote ---
I'm with you there, Lesley, that's why I am doubtful about sterilising composts.... too many good guys getting frazzled with the baddies! I'm sure the baddies are better at re-colonizing than the goodies, too.
not saying it is never necessary to  sterilise a growing medium, but it never happens here. Not after I discovered how bloody awful soil smells after Ian blitzed it in the microwave, anyhow! :-\ :-X :-[

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