label on the one I bought at B&Q last Sat said Lime Free soil. I was
particularly pleased with it as I bought a pkt of cactus seeds as well and
tried that Derren Brown trick. I mentally shouted at the checkout woman
Ignore the Cactus seeds, Ignore the cactus seeds. She took the cactus seeds
and swiped the barcode, then handed me the azalea for free! Was that a
success or a failure?

Jon

"lucilu" wrote in message
...
I'm going to treat myself to an azalea and want to keep it in a pot. I'm
not
sure what compost it would be best to use. Should I stick with ordinary
John
Innes or do I need an ericaceous compost.
Many thanks for any help.....

label on the one I bought at B&Q last Sat said Lime Free soil. I was
particularly pleased with it as I bought a pkt of cactus seeds as well and
tried that Derren Brown trick. I mentally shouted at the checkout woman
Ignore the Cactus seeds, Ignore the cactus seeds. She took the cactus seeds
and swiped the barcode, then handed me the azalea for free! Was that a
success or a failure?

Jon

"lucilu" wrote in message
...
I'm going to treat myself to an azalea and want to keep it in a pot. I'm
not
sure what compost it would be best to use. Should I stick with ordinary
John
Innes or do I need an ericaceous compost.
Many thanks for any help.....

label on the one I bought at B&Q last Sat said Lime Free soil. I was
particularly pleased with it as I bought a pkt of cactus seeds as well and
tried that Derren Brown trick. I mentally shouted at the checkout woman
Ignore the Cactus seeds, Ignore the cactus seeds. She took the cactus seeds
and swiped the barcode, then handed me the azalea for free! Was that a
success or a failure?

Jon

"lucilu" wrote in message
...
I'm going to treat myself to an azalea and want to keep it in a pot. I'm
not
sure what compost it would be best to use. Should I stick with ordinary
John
Innes or do I need an ericaceous compost.
Many thanks for any help.....

label on the one I bought at B&Q last Sat said Lime Free soil. I was
particularly pleased with it as I bought a pkt of cactus seeds as well and
tried that Derren Brown trick. I mentally shouted at the checkout woman
Ignore the Cactus seeds, Ignore the cactus seeds. She took the cactus seeds
and swiped the barcode, then handed me the azalea for free! Was that a
success or a failure?

Jon

"lucilu" wrote in message
...
I'm going to treat myself to an azalea and want to keep it in a pot. I'm
not
sure what compost it would be best to use. Should I stick with ordinary
John
Innes or do I need an ericaceous compost.
Many thanks for any help.....

"Oxymel of Squill" wrote in message
...
label on the one I bought at B&Q last Sat said Lime Free soil. I was
particularly pleased with it as I bought a pkt of cactus seeds as well and
tried that Derren Brown trick. I mentally shouted at the checkout woman
Ignore the Cactus seeds, Ignore the cactus seeds. She took the cactus
seeds
and swiped the barcode, then handed me the azalea for free! Was that a
success or a failure?

I think you'd have to call it a success. I might even try it myself. lol

"Oxymel of Squill" wrote in message
...
label on the one I bought at B&Q last Sat said Lime Free soil. I was
particularly pleased with it as I bought a pkt of cactus seeds as well and
tried that Derren Brown trick. I mentally shouted at the checkout woman
Ignore the Cactus seeds, Ignore the cactus seeds. She took the cactus
seeds
and swiped the barcode, then handed me the azalea for free! Was that a
success or a failure?

I think you'd have to call it a success. I might even try it myself. lol

On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 17:02:12 -0000, "lucilu"
wrote:

I'm going to treat myself to an azalea and want to keep it in a pot. I'm not
sure what compost it would be best to use. Should I stick with ordinary John
Innes or do I need an ericaceous compost.
Many thanks for any help.....


You need an ericaceous compost. Most JI composts have lime added, as
do many multi-purpose composts, but JI also do a lime-free ericaceous
compost. There are other types of ericaceous compost available, but
I'd go for the JI version.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

In message , Chris Hogg
writes
On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 17:02:12 -0000, "lucilu"
wrote:

I'm going to treat myself to an azalea and want to keep it in a pot. I'm not
sure what compost it would be best to use. Should I stick with ordinary John
Innes or do I need an ericaceous compost.
Many thanks for any help.....


You need an ericaceous compost. Most JI composts have lime added, as
do many multi-purpose composts, but JI also do a lime-free ericaceous
compost. There are other types of ericaceous compost available, but
I'd go for the JI version.

I've always been curious about why ericaceous compost would be more
expensive than multi purpose compost, assuming that the multi purpose
composts are just ericaceous composts with something extra added to
neutralise it.

Would pure peat do just as well as ericaceous compost for this purpose?


--
Chris Boulby National Collection of Diascias

"Chris Boulby"

I've always been curious about why ericaceous compost would be more
expensive than multi purpose compost, assuming that the multi purpose
composts are just ericaceous composts with something extra added to
neutralise it.

Would pure peat do just as well as ericaceous compost for this purpose?

I've often wondered about that too, Chris, but I've come up with the
cynical answer that they charge more because people *think* that it's
"special" and are prepared to pay more.

In the same vein, have you seen the way cut-flowers have shot up in price
ahead of Mothering Sunday this weekend? I've told my Mum that I'll be
sending her twice as many as normal ..... but in a couple of week's time.

:-)

- Tom.

On Thu, 18 Mar 2004 22:21:07 +0000, Chris Boulby
wrote:

In message , Chris Hogg
writes
On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 17:02:12 -0000, "lucilu"
wrote:

I'm going to treat myself to an azalea and want to keep it in a pot. I'm not
sure what compost it would be best to use. Should I stick with ordinary John
Innes or do I need an ericaceous compost.
Many thanks for any help.....


You need an ericaceous compost. Most JI composts have lime added, as
do many multi-purpose composts, but JI also do a lime-free ericaceous
compost. There are other types of ericaceous compost available, but
I'd go for the JI version.

I've always been curious about why ericaceous compost would be more
expensive than multi purpose compost, assuming that the multi purpose
composts are just ericaceous composts with something extra added to
neutralise it.

Would pure peat do just as well as ericaceous compost for this purpose?

Pure peat is certainly acid, but has no nutrients and I don't think it
retains nutrients very well either. Also IMHO it is inclined to get
waterlogged too easily after a while. The JI ericaceous compost is
soil-based but with peat and grit added (AIUI it's just the standard
JI mix but without the added lime). The soil in it gives it better
nutrient-retaining properties, and the grit aids drainage.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

On Thu, 18 Mar 2004 22:21:07 +0000, Chris Boulby
wrote:

In message , Chris Hogg
writes
On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 17:02:12 -0000, "lucilu"
wrote:

I'm going to treat myself to an azalea and want to keep it in a pot. I'm not
sure what compost it would be best to use. Should I stick with ordinary John
Innes or do I need an ericaceous compost.
Many thanks for any help.....


You need an ericaceous compost. Most JI composts have lime added, as
do many multi-purpose composts, but JI also do a lime-free ericaceous
compost. There are other types of ericaceous compost available, but
I'd go for the JI version.

I've always been curious about why ericaceous compost would be more
expensive than multi purpose compost, assuming that the multi purpose
composts are just ericaceous composts with something extra added to
neutralise it.

Would pure peat do just as well as ericaceous compost for this purpose?

Pure peat is certainly acid, but has no nutrients and I don't think it
retains nutrients very well either. Also IMHO it is inclined to get
waterlogged too easily after a while. The JI ericaceous compost is
soil-based but with peat and grit added (AIUI it's just the standard
JI mix but without the added lime). The soil in it gives it better
nutrient-retaining properties, and the grit aids drainage.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

In message , Chris Hogg
writes
On Thu, 18 Mar 2004 22:21:07 +0000, Chris Boulby
wrote:

In message , Chris Hogg
writes
On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 17:02:12 -0000, "lucilu"
wrote:

I'm going to treat myself to an azalea and want to keep it in a pot. I'm not
sure what compost it would be best to use. Should I stick with ordinary John
Innes or do I need an ericaceous compost.
Many thanks for any help.....


You need an ericaceous compost. Most JI composts have lime added, as
do many multi-purpose composts, but JI also do a lime-free ericaceous
compost. There are other types of ericaceous compost available, but
I'd go for the JI version.

I've always been curious about why ericaceous compost would be more
expensive than multi purpose compost, assuming that the multi purpose
composts are just ericaceous composts with something extra added to
neutralise it.

Would pure peat do just as well as ericaceous compost for this purpose?

Pure peat is certainly acid, but has no nutrients and I don't think it
retains nutrients very well either. Also IMHO it is inclined to get
waterlogged too easily after a while. The JI ericaceous compost is
soil-based but with peat and grit added (AIUI it's just the standard
JI mix but without the added lime). The soil in it gives it better
nutrient-retaining properties, and the grit aids drainage.


Thanks for that, I've always been curious about these things, but never
thought to ask anyone before. I do buy one or two bags of ericaceous
per year, to put around azaleas, blueberries etc, but sometimes wondered
whether I could get away with just putting peat down. Now I know
better.

--
Chris Boulby National Collection of Diascias

In message , Chris Hogg
writes
On Thu, 18 Mar 2004 22:21:07 +0000, Chris Boulby
wrote:

In message , Chris Hogg
writes
On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 17:02:12 -0000, "lucilu"
wrote:

I'm going to treat myself to an azalea and want to keep it in a pot. I'm not
sure what compost it would be best to use. Should I stick with ordinary John
Innes or do I need an ericaceous compost.
Many thanks for any help.....


You need an ericaceous compost. Most JI composts have lime added, as
do many multi-purpose composts, but JI also do a lime-free ericaceous
compost. There are other types of ericaceous compost available, but
I'd go for the JI version.

I've always been curious about why ericaceous compost would be more
expensive than multi purpose compost, assuming that the multi purpose
composts are just ericaceous composts with something extra added to
neutralise it.

Would pure peat do just as well as ericaceous compost for this purpose?

Pure peat is certainly acid, but has no nutrients and I don't think it
retains nutrients very well either. Also IMHO it is inclined to get
waterlogged too easily after a while. The JI ericaceous compost is
soil-based but with peat and grit added (AIUI it's just the standard
JI mix but without the added lime). The soil in it gives it better
nutrient-retaining properties, and the grit aids drainage.


Thanks for that, I've always been curious about these things, but never
thought to ask anyone before. I do buy one or two bags of ericaceous
per year, to put around azaleas, blueberries etc, but sometimes wondered
whether I could get away with just putting peat down. Now I know
better.

--
Chris Boulby National Collection of Diascias

In message , Chris Hogg
writes
On Thu, 18 Mar 2004 22:21:07 +0000, Chris Boulby
wrote:

In message , Chris Hogg
writes
On Tue, 16 Mar 2004 17:02:12 -0000, "lucilu"
wrote:

I'm going to treat myself to an azalea and want to keep it in a pot. I'm not
sure what compost it would be best to use. Should I stick with ordinary John
Innes or do I need an ericaceous compost.
Many thanks for any help.....


You need an ericaceous compost. Most JI composts have lime added, as
do many multi-purpose composts, but JI also do a lime-free ericaceous
compost. There are other types of ericaceous compost available, but
I'd go for the JI version.

I've always been curious about why ericaceous compost would be more
expensive than multi purpose compost, assuming that the multi purpose
composts are just ericaceous composts with something extra added to
neutralise it.

Would pure peat do just as well as ericaceous compost for this purpose?

Pure peat is certainly acid, but has no nutrients and I don't think it
retains nutrients very well either. Also IMHO it is inclined to get
waterlogged too easily after a while. The JI ericaceous compost is
soil-based but with peat and grit added (AIUI it's just the standard
JI mix but without the added lime). The soil in it gives it better
nutrient-retaining properties, and the grit aids drainage.


Thanks for that, I've always been curious about these things, but never
thought to ask anyone before. I do buy one or two bags of ericaceous
per year, to put around azaleas, blueberries etc, but sometimes wondered
whether I could get away with just putting peat down. Now I know
better.

--
Chris Boulby National Collection of Diascias

On Fri, 19 Mar 2004 22:02:13 +0000, Chris Boulby
wrote:


Thanks for that, I've always been curious about these things, but never
thought to ask anyone before. I do buy one or two bags of ericaceous
per year, to put around azaleas, blueberries etc, but sometimes wondered
whether I could get away with just putting peat down. Now I know
better.

Ah, but you're talking about using peat as a mulch, which is very
acceptable IMHO, except it can dry to a rather unwettable surface in
summer (a touch of detergent in the water helps at such times). I was
talking about using it as a potting medium, which is rather different.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net