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Own made John Innes No3

peteSpeteS Posts: 966
in Plants
As I recently found out, being able to buy bagged JI compost in it's original formulation is getting increasingly difficult, so I was wondering if anyone actually makes their own using the traditional formula and ratios, and what are the results. Cheers.

Posts

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I sometimes mix some bagged topsoil into multipurpose compost to give it a bit more body, and it seems to work well, but I don't measure it. I might add some BFB or slow-release fertiliser granules depending on what I'm planting, but I'm not at all scientific about it.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    A lot of the JI these days is very poor - been going downhill for a number of years IME.

    I often do similar to @JennyJ but I'm not particularly scientific about it either.  It rarely turns out worse than the stuff on sale nowadays  :)
  • BiljeBilje Posts: 811
    yup Im a topsoil mixed with multipurpose compost person too. I may add a bit of feed to it. I did buy JI2 earlier this year, it appeared to be half sand!I wasn’t at all impressed especially when it cost more than a bag of topsoil.
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    edited May 2021
    Yep, unscientific mixing here too.  Some things get a mix including MPC & garden soil, others get MPC and bagged topsoil.  Lots get bagged-manure added.   I also have a huge bag of cheap perlite, some of which gets chucked-in if it feels a bit on the heavy side.  TBH, I've been mixing various MPCs and other mediums for years, mainly as the same stuff from the same supplier delivered just a few weeks later often isn't actually the same stuff at all.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
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