You say;
I've cracked the multi-purpose compost issue for my annuals. Now I need advice on avoiding peat in loam based compost/soil for shrubs in containers please.
Basically all composts have the same base mixture peat/peat substitute plus sand.
Ji is a bit different in so far as it has loam in it.
To take this a stage further; each supplier has their own mix designs, of which JI is one.
What they all have in common is; they are designed as 'potting composts'
The numbering on JI mixes simply means they have one, two or three measures of fertiliser added to a given amount of base mix.
This means that with any base compost eg the one you use for your annuals can be adjusted to give a similar effect i.e. add more fertiliser, and if you insist on JI add more loam.
This is now made very easy in this modern age because John Innes, Chempak & Vitax all do a fertiliser that turns a multi purpose into a potting compost of a strength to suit you needs.
Many years ago you had to be a veritable chemist and buy all the ingredients, weigh/measure them out and mix them now all that is done for you.
I tend to buy multi purpose (because it is relatively cheap) for things such as annuals, and for for things that will be in pots for a short while I buy potting.
For plants that are going to be in pots for a lifetime I mix my own, using one of the base mixes mentioned above.
I either use M/purpose or potting for this with home made compost from my dalek compost bins.(Loam)
I was pleased to see that I grow like some of these growers on that TV programme last night. When my stuff is small I use peat as the plug grower does and I eventually finish up growing like the Kew gardeners do with my 'home brew'
To put my tuppence haporth in about the pro and cons of using/not using peat I think the plug grower has it right for starting plants off..........peat only as there is nothing better!
I think more should be done with alternative materials such as coir/bark/ farm & Zoo manure etc. Where if needs must; the total product contains a maximum of 20% peat not the 80% as is now.
I thought the most criminal thing that came across last night was using a peat based product as a soil improver.............make your own, get farmyard/ stable manure council recycled manures but not PEAT based products.
Finally would you believe it?
I don't consider my self to be an organic gardener as such, but then thats another story.
