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Green Ore Compost

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David Nicholson:
Some time ago Paul Cumbleton posted a pic of the potting compost used at Wisley in one of his Wisley Logs and indicated that it was manufactured by a firm in Wells, Somerset. I made contact with the suppliers who told me that they had very few retail outlets out of Somerset and concentrated on the bulk horticultural and sports fields  markets but I could collect some from their works if I would like some. It looked very good stuff and I have been promising myself a trip up to Wells (about an hour and a half drive for me) for some time.

I went yesterday and collected four x 25Kg bags of JI no. 2-the company also manufactures JI seed, No.1, and No. 3. It really is excellent stuff and if I were to be short of something to have for dinner then a plateful of this would go down a treat ;D

The compost is extremely friable and takes on a rich browny/red colour from the loam used to make it. It is difficult to show it in a picture but below are pics of the Green Ore and in comparison one of the compost I currently use which, I sometimes feel has enough humous but very little loam. I shall make a point of more regular trips to Wells in the future.

The name of the manufacturer is F A SMITH, Horticultural Works, Green Ore, Nr. Wells, Somerset Tel. 01761 241378.

For friends overseas, who may not be aware, the "recipes" for the range of John Innes composts were evolved many years ago by the John Innes Institute, an horticultural research body, currently based in Norwich, Norfolk. Many different manufactures in the UK make their own brands of JI Composts, supposedly to the JI recipes but these vary widely in quality and indeed in loam content.



 

Gerry Webster:
David - I've only used 'Green Ore'  (once some years ago) but I remember it as being nice & loamy compared with most samples of JI.  I agree that, in comparison, J. Arthur Bowers seems lacking in loam. However, your sample  looks very different - & inferior - to the stuff I get under that name. I wonder if it varies from one part of the country to another?

David Nicholson:
Gerry, my J Arthur Bowers was garden centre bought. They buy in very large quantities and display it a pallet at a time, so mine could well have been sitting under a mound of other bags for months. I usually have to rub it through a wide mesh sieve to get rid of the larger lumps. I normally buy at least 4 bags at a time to get a slightly better rate so mine has to sit in my garage until I begin to use it.

Lesley Cox:
Add some sugar, eggs and spices and you'll have everything there that you need for a Christmas cake David. :D

Luc Gilgemyn:
Thanks David, very interesting !
Pitty you don't live nearer the Channel - I might hop over to pick up some of that delightful stuff !

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