On Mon, 25 Mar 2013 14:23:34 +0000, Pam Moore wrote:

On Mon, 25 Mar 2013 08:28:46 -0000, "Muddymike"
wrote:

I've just had an email offering me

"J Arthur Bowers Multi-Purpose Compost with added John Innes 35ltr"

What exactly are they adding extra of? I always understood John Innes to
be a formula which changed for different plantings.

Mike

More than one TV gardener has said they use half and half multipurpose
mixed with JI. I've done the same. Best of both worlds.

Pam in Bristol

My general purpose mix is:

i multipurpose/gro-bag (for lightness and ease of root growth, downside
very hard to wet if it dries out)

ii JI No. 3 (or topsoil if JI No 3 not available or very expensive) which
vastly improves the re-wetting and gives it a bit more body.

iii Well rotted manure for added organic content.

iv Fertilisers such as Growmore and chicken manure just for luck.

Depending on bag size could be a bag of each for (i) to (iii).

This seems to work well, especially for vegetables such as tomatoes and
outdoor cucumbers, but for nearly all pot plants as well.

Cheers

Dave R