On 29 Jan 2003 07:14:16 -0800, (Jim) wrote:

I know it's a little too early to sow but I have started to get a few
packs of seeds together. When it actually comes to sowing these, what
seed composts do people favour ?
There seem to be so many brands and varieties that I'm a bit
bewildered on what to go for. Should it be John Innes type, peat based
or peat free, does it have to be seed compost or will general purpose
stuff do, does it make a difference whether it's a known brand or shed
stuff

Perhaps we can compile a league table of what has given the best
results for people in the past

The choice partly depends on the type of plant you are growing. I
sow a lot of bulb seeds and usually use a soil-based compost
formula similar to JIP. Bulbs can take a long time to germinate,
and soiless composts tend to deteriorate and lose their structure
after a while. (Colchicums can take up to six years to
germinate!)

Perennials might also benefit from a soil-based compost. The clay
fraction in soil helps retain nutrients better than
peat/sand/perlite.

--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada