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Reusing Compost
On 22/05/19 11:00, Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article , Roger Tonkin wrote: Bit confused about Nicks comment on "soilless" compost. I used a standard garden centre product Levington Potting compost with added John Innes, what ever that may mean, Er, did it SERIOUSLY say that? If so, God alone knows what it means, because the marketdroids that wrote that text assuredly didn't. This is from https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=952: "Peat-based or peat-free media with ‘added John Innes’ Adding John Innes potting media to soil-less media is sometimes done to improve buffering, trace element content and weight of these potting media. As John Innes potting media contain many fine particles gardeners should be wary of adding John Innes materials to other media as the ‘fines’ may fill or block the air spaces within the media that are vital for drainage and aeration of the root zone. This is no doubt taken into account by manufacturers of media that is labelled as having 'added John Innes' and formulations adjusted for adequate drainage and aeration." I don't have an issue with that BUT what "John Innes" are they talking about? JI1, 2, or 3 (or "Ericaceous")? And how much is being added? John Innes compost is a class of composts, made mostly from 'soil' (including sand and some clay). Soilless composts are made from (traditionally) peat and (mostly nowadays) coir etc. The difference I was referring to is that clay holds mineral nutrients far better than the soilless material does, which is why soils without it need so much humus (which also holds them). Heh. I'm pleased to see you put 'soil' in quote marks. All the recipes for JI composts call for a good percentage of "loam" - whatever that is. And who sells it? I see "topsoil" is available from many sources, but that is hardly a standard product. The executive summary is that plants in pots run out of nutrients more thoroughly in soilless than John Innes composts, so need them replacing. Indeed, but the main problem is not nutrients but water - turn your back on a pot recently soaked and you'll find it dry. Water-retaining gel helps (any idea if it helps retain nutrients, too?), but once those soilless composts are dry, they are very difficult to wet again, even with a drop or two of washing -up liquid added to a watering can. -- Jeff |
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