Hi, I'm going to buy some ferns that say they like "fertile, humus-rich,
well-drained soil". I am going to put them in a shady bed that needs
topping up with several bags of soil because it's little more than a
hole at the moment.

Given that I'm in a position to choose the soil, which of the various
bagged composts available do the people here think best suits the
description above?

Oh I finally "landscaped" my garden - I should put the pictures on my
site now (-:

In article ,
says...

Hi, I'm going to buy some ferns that say they like "fertile, humus-rich,
well-drained soil". I am going to put them in a shady bed that needs
topping up with several bags of soil because it's little more than a
hole at the moment.

Given that I'm in a position to choose the soil, which of the various
bagged composts available do the people here think best suits the
description above?

Oh I finally "landscaped" my garden - I should put the pictures on my
site now (-:


Maybe no one's going to be able to answer this then. Ok I phoned the
company I was thinking of buying the ferns from and they said I could
use John Innes no2 with some leaf mould mixed in.

Does anyone know where I can buy leaf mould? I've searched the internet
and found pages and pages of how to make it, but none for sale.

The message
from Inge Jones contains these words:

In article ,
says...

Hi, I'm going to buy some ferns that say they like "fertile, humus-rich,
well-drained soil". I am going to put them in a shady bed that needs
topping up with several bags of soil because it's little more than a
hole at the moment.

Given that I'm in a position to choose the soil, which of the various
bagged composts available do the people here think best suits the
description above?

Oh I finally "landscaped" my garden - I should put the pictures on my
site now (-:


Maybe no one's going to be able to answer this then. Ok I phoned the
company I was thinking of buying the ferns from and they said I could
use John Innes no2 with some leaf mould mixed in.

Does anyone know where I can buy leaf mould? I've searched the internet
and found pages and pages of how to make it, but none for sale.

Leafmould is like love; can't be bought.
These days it's probably illegal to take a walk in the woods with a
carrier bag, so I won't recommend that. Not in daylight, anyway.
Alternatively, if you know someone with a compost heap, ask them for a
bucketful.

Janet

In article ,
says...

Leafmould is like love; can't be bought.
These days it's probably illegal to take a walk in the woods with a
carrier bag, so I won't recommend that. Not in daylight, anyway.
Alternatively, if you know someone with a compost heap, ask them for a
bucketful.

Janet

It seemed like a good opportunity to give a plant a soil it would really
enjoy, but it looks like we'll be down at Wickes for their generic
"topsoil" after all. :-|

Thanks for the reply anyway (-:

"Inge Jones" wrote in message
. ..
In article ,
says...

Hi, I'm going to buy some ferns that say they like
"fertile, humus-rich,
well-drained soil". I am going to put them in a shady
bed that needs
topping up with several bags of soil because it's little
more than a
hole at the moment.

Given that I'm in a position to choose the soil, which
of the various
bagged composts available do the people here think best
suits the
description above?

Oh I finally "landscaped" my garden - I should put the
pictures on my
site now (-:


Maybe no one's going to be able to answer this then. Ok I
phoned the
company I was thinking of buying the ferns from and they
said I could
use John Innes no2 with some leaf mould mixed in.

Does anyone know where I can buy leaf mould? I've
searched the internet
and found pages and pages of how to make it, but none for
sale.

One does not buy leafmould. One either makes it or steals
it.

Franz

Hi Inge,
I use 'Levington's Soil Improver and Mulch Peat Free'. It is an organic
soil conditioner made from composted bark (from renewable sources). It is
great in my woodland garden! I also use it mixed with John Innes No.2 for
many other applications.

After you've topped up your shade bed - and before planting your ferns -
allow the soil to settle or tread it to remove air pockets, otherwise it
will settle anyway after you've planted, and the bed will look sunken.

If you're becoming a fern fancier, you'd better start a compost heap and a
leaf-mould heap. Either will provide you with humus-rich material.

Spider






Inge Jones wrote in message
. ..

Hi, I'm going to buy some ferns that say they like "fertile, humus-rich,
well-drained soil". I am going to put them in a shady bed that needs
topping up with several bags of soil because it's little more than a
hole at the moment.

Given that I'm in a position to choose the soil, which of the various
bagged composts available do the people here think best suits the
description above?

Oh I finally "landscaped" my garden - I should put the pictures on my
site now (-:

Hi Inge,
I use 'Levington's Soil Improver and Mulch Peat Free'. It is an organic
soil conditioner made from composted bark (from renewable sources). It is
great in my woodland garden! I also use it mixed with John Innes No.2 for
many other applications.

After you've topped up your shade bed - and before planting your ferns -
allow the soil to settle or tread it to remove air pockets, otherwise it
will settle anyway after you've planted, and the bed will look sunken.

If you're becoming a fern fancier, you'd better start a compost heap and a
leaf-mould heap. Either will provide you with humus-rich material.

Spider






Inge Jones wrote in message
. ..

Hi, I'm going to buy some ferns that say they like "fertile, humus-rich,
well-drained soil". I am going to put them in a shady bed that needs
topping up with several bags of soil because it's little more than a
hole at the moment.

Given that I'm in a position to choose the soil, which of the various
bagged composts available do the people here think best suits the
description above?

Oh I finally "landscaped" my garden - I should put the pictures on my
site now (-:

In article ,
says...
Hi Inge,
I use 'Levington's Soil Improver and Mulch Peat Free'. It is an organic
soil conditioner made from composted bark (from renewable sources). It is
great in my woodland garden! I also use it mixed with John Innes No.2 for
many other applications.

After you've topped up your shade bed - and before planting your ferns -
allow the soil to settle or tread it to remove air pockets, otherwise it
will settle anyway after you've planted, and the bed will look sunken.

If you're becoming a fern fancier, you'd better start a compost heap and a
leaf-mould heap. Either will provide you with humus-rich material.

Spider

Thanks Spider, I'll almost certainly be able to get those at Wyevale. I
suppose I could also gather up the leaves dropped from the street trees
if I can get in before the roadsweeps do. I'm intending to publish my
garden photos soon, and I shall be inviting people to suggest where I
can put a compost heap without ruining the look of the garden (-:

In article ,
says...
Hi Inge,
I use 'Levington's Soil Improver and Mulch Peat Free'. It is an organic
soil conditioner made from composted bark (from renewable sources). It is
great in my woodland garden! I also use it mixed with John Innes No.2 for
many other applications.

After you've topped up your shade bed - and before planting your ferns -
allow the soil to settle or tread it to remove air pockets, otherwise it
will settle anyway after you've planted, and the bed will look sunken.

If you're becoming a fern fancier, you'd better start a compost heap and a
leaf-mould heap. Either will provide you with humus-rich material.

Spider

Thanks Spider, I'll almost certainly be able to get those at Wyevale. I
suppose I could also gather up the leaves dropped from the street trees
if I can get in before the roadsweeps do. I'm intending to publish my
garden photos soon, and I shall be inviting people to suggest where I
can put a compost heap without ruining the look of the garden (-:

Hi Inge,
I use 'Levington's Soil Improver and Mulch Peat Free'. It is an organic
soil conditioner made from composted bark (from renewable sources). It is
great in my woodland garden! I also use it mixed with John Innes No.2 for
many other applications.

After you've topped up your shade bed - and before planting your ferns -
allow the soil to settle or tread it to remove air pockets, otherwise it
will settle anyway after you've planted, and the bed will look sunken.

If you're becoming a fern fancier, you'd better start a compost heap and a
leaf-mould heap. Either will provide you with humus-rich material.

Spider






Inge Jones wrote in message
. ..

Hi, I'm going to buy some ferns that say they like "fertile, humus-rich,
well-drained soil". I am going to put them in a shady bed that needs
topping up with several bags of soil because it's little more than a
hole at the moment.

Given that I'm in a position to choose the soil, which of the various
bagged composts available do the people here think best suits the
description above?

Oh I finally "landscaped" my garden - I should put the pictures on my
site now (-:

In article ,
says...
Hi Inge,
I use 'Levington's Soil Improver and Mulch Peat Free'. It is an organic
soil conditioner made from composted bark (from renewable sources). It is
great in my woodland garden! I also use it mixed with John Innes No.2 for
many other applications.

After you've topped up your shade bed - and before planting your ferns -
allow the soil to settle or tread it to remove air pockets, otherwise it
will settle anyway after you've planted, and the bed will look sunken.

If you're becoming a fern fancier, you'd better start a compost heap and a
leaf-mould heap. Either will provide you with humus-rich material.

Spider

Thanks Spider, I'll almost certainly be able to get those at Wyevale. I
suppose I could also gather up the leaves dropped from the street trees
if I can get in before the roadsweeps do. I'm intending to publish my
garden photos soon, and I shall be inviting people to suggest where I
can put a compost heap without ruining the look of the garden (-:

Hi Inge,
I use 'Levington's Soil Improver and Mulch Peat Free'. It is an organic
soil conditioner made from composted bark (from renewable sources). It is
great in my woodland garden! I also use it mixed with John Innes No.2 for
many other applications.

After you've topped up your shade bed - and before planting your ferns -
allow the soil to settle or tread it to remove air pockets, otherwise it
will settle anyway after you've planted, and the bed will look sunken.

If you're becoming a fern fancier, you'd better start a compost heap and a
leaf-mould heap. Either will provide you with humus-rich material.

Spider






Inge Jones wrote in message
. ..

Hi, I'm going to buy some ferns that say they like "fertile, humus-rich,
well-drained soil". I am going to put them in a shady bed that needs
topping up with several bags of soil because it's little more than a
hole at the moment.

Given that I'm in a position to choose the soil, which of the various
bagged composts available do the people here think best suits the
description above?

Oh I finally "landscaped" my garden - I should put the pictures on my
site now (-:

Inge Jones31/3/04 12:51

snip

If you're becoming a fern fancier, you'd better start a compost heap and a
leaf-mould heap. Either will provide you with humus-rich material.

Spider

Thanks Spider, I'll almost certainly be able to get those at Wyevale. I
suppose I could also gather up the leaves dropped from the street trees
if I can get in before the roadsweeps do. I'm intending to publish my
garden photos soon, and I shall be inviting people to suggest where I
can put a compost heap without ruining the look of the garden (-:


Not on your compost trail, Inge but if you're going in for ferns, they look
lovely planted in old tree roots if you can get hold of some. One of our
friends dragged out a lot of old stumps and brought them here for us to sell
for him. We pounced on 3 of them for our own garden. The only thing to
watch is that they will dry out more quickly.
--

Sacha
(remove the weeds to email me)

Inge Jones31/3/04 12:51

snip

If you're becoming a fern fancier, you'd better start a compost heap and a
leaf-mould heap. Either will provide you with humus-rich material.

Spider

Thanks Spider, I'll almost certainly be able to get those at Wyevale. I
suppose I could also gather up the leaves dropped from the street trees
if I can get in before the roadsweeps do. I'm intending to publish my
garden photos soon, and I shall be inviting people to suggest where I
can put a compost heap without ruining the look of the garden (-:


Not on your compost trail, Inge but if you're going in for ferns, they look
lovely planted in old tree roots if you can get hold of some. One of our
friends dragged out a lot of old stumps and brought them here for us to sell
for him. We pounced on 3 of them for our own garden. The only thing to
watch is that they will dry out more quickly.
--

Sacha
(remove the weeds to email me)

In article ,
says...

Not on your compost trail, Inge but if you're going in for ferns, they look
lovely planted in old tree roots if you can get hold of some. One of our
friends dragged out a lot of old stumps and brought them here for us to sell
for him. We pounced on 3 of them for our own garden. The only thing to
watch is that they will dry out more quickly.

That does sound lovely! Maybe when Pete retires we'll be able to move
to somewhere that big gardens come cheaper...