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

"Muddymike" wrote in message
om...
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.

They're recycling the man himself.

Steve

"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.


I've seen that too, seemed strange to me. Compost with added special
formulae loam based compost. Sounds like a marketing tool to those who don't
understand what "John Innes" compost is.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message ...

"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.


I've seen that too, seemed strange to me. Compost with added special
formulae loam based compost. Sounds like a marketing tool to those who
don't understand what "John Innes" compost is.

Makes me reluctant to buy their product.

Mike

On 25/03/2013 08:29, shazzbat wrote:
"Muddymike" wrote in message
om...
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.

They're recycling the man himself.

Sounds very much like it. They don't even say what the rest of it is!
(avoid)

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

"Martin Brown" wrote in message ...

On 25/03/2013 08:29, shazzbat wrote:
"Muddymike" wrote in message
om...
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.

They're recycling the man himself.

Sounds very much like it. They don't even say what the rest of it is!
(avoid)


I emailed the manufacturers and asked, this was the fast but rather
confusing reply.

"Hi Mike,

The additional raw materials added to the multi-purpose compost is a modest
amount of loam and grit. Straight John Innes composts have to be made to a
recommended formula as you rightly say they are made for specific uses.
Multi Purpose with John Innes changes the texture and can still be used for
many purposes.

Kindest Regards

Mrs Christine Burnett
HORTICULTURAL ADVISOR
e-mail:

William Sinclair Horticulture LTD
Firth Road
Lincoln
LN6 7AH
Direct Dial Tel: 01522 780335 Fax: 01522 780278

"The Professional Growers Choice" "

On 25/03/2013 08:28, 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



Most multipurpose composts are rather light. All John Innes composts,
to my knowledge, are loam-based with grit (plus variable amounts of
feed), making them heavier. Adding JI compost to a multipurpose gives
it extra weight and substance. When used in pot culture, extra weight
is helpful as a heavier pot is less likely to blow over in windy
weather. Adding weighty drainage crocks to the bottom of the pot also
helps.

Another advantage would be using a multi with JI when preparing a bought
plant (usually in peat/multi compost) for a life in heavier soil. I
often do this with shrubs I want to grow on before planting out, so that
I have a substantial specimen plant which is already partly acclimatised
to my heavy soil.

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

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

On 25/03/2013 14:23, 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

As regards using crocks/
polystyrene in the bottom of pots. There was and interesting article in
Saturdays Telegraph Gardening Supplement. it would seem the only
advantage is the use of less compost.

"Pam Moore" wrote in message
...

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.

So have I for many years and exactly what the early manufacturers
of multipurpose composts (Alexpeat, Levingtons) told us that we
should NEVER do!

Phil

On Mon, 25 Mar 2013 09:24:51 -0000, "Muddymike"
wrote:

"Bob Hobden" wrote in message ...

"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.


I've seen that too, seemed strange to me. Compost with added special
formulae loam based compost. Sounds like a marketing tool to those who
don't understand what "John Innes" compost is.

Makes me reluctant to buy their product.

Mike

Irrespective of anything else, JAB branded compost is something I do
not buy as I've had poor results with it in the past.

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling from the East end of Swansea Bay
in between feeding half the UK bird population!

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

"Muddymike" wrote in message
om...
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
Yes, it is a formula. No.1, No. 2 etc according to what you are growing in
it. I have a blue book in which I write down useful things and in that
book are the formulas for John Innes (all types)
Which reminds me of a nice memory. When my brother was around 4 years old my
mother decided to grow some stuff - I forget what and he said "let's go to
the garden shop and get some John & Pete.."

Tina