A bit late to this party but I know pots; that’s all I had up until I moved this year.
I use one third MPC, one third John Innes 3 and a third grit or perlite/vermiculite for perennials.
I used John Innes 3 and grit for my shrubs.
Remember to water really well in spring and summer even after rain (lifting the pots is a good idea as you can feel if they are heavy (wet) or light (dry) you’ll soon get a feel for what’s what). Also don’t forget to check in autumn and winter as the wind can dry the pots just as much as the sun.
I also found a layer of grit on the top helped to keep moisture in (sun and wind will dry them quickly) and the grit also helps to keep vine weevil from laying eggs (for any plants you have that may be a favourite of theirs). The grit does little for slugs and snails.
Pot feet are also a good idea as they help with drainage.
This was my little “yarden”.
All done with the help of the people on this forum. 🙏🏻
Lovely Yarden. I have been doing this same thing for like forever.
John Innes comes with quite a bit of grit/sand. The grit is needed mostly to balance out the MPC, which has good drainage properties if it is peat based anyway. Do you want to experiment with bringing the grit down to one quarter from one third?
I do this for when I have to handle ground conditions with drainage problems too. I mulch in farmyard manure at the top in both, but more on the ground. In that situation I mix the above 3 into dug up ground soil and there I increase the grit to balance off muddy soil suffering with drainage and aeration problems.
rather than starting a new thread I thought I'd ask here as its about the same thing but about my plants. I grow a lot of plants which will be in pots for a long time. What I understand these all need john innes no3. Is this the same I need to do for plants outside on my outside windowsill? I have a clematis and dahlias etc.
Also for baobabs do I need to use john innes no3 as well or a specialist succulent one? Sorry Ive always been using mpc and only recently found out I've been using the wrong compost.
What kind of clematis have you got on a windowsill? Or have I misunderstood? Dahlias are mostly grown from the summer/autumn season, so it's slightly different for those. JInnes of any kind is simply a formula, and you choose according to the type of plant. I don't use them, but it's easy enough to look online for the different purposes - or someone else here on the forum who uses them, will help with that.
I have no experience of baobobs so can't help with that, but if they're succulents, or similar , they'll need something specific.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks @Fairygirl. It's in a large pot on a windowsill. Guess its more of an outside ledge next to kitchen window. Called new love. Did quite well and flowered a lot though its starting to get tatty as the weathers getting colder.
Thought as much for the baobab. I'll have to look online.
Clematis won't do well kept long term in compost. It's fine if it's a small plant and is been potted on regularly, but not long term. It'll need a soil based medium, and adequate drainage. I see that's one of the herbaceous clematis though. I don't know how well that'll be in a pot long term. They're meant for using in a border where they can scramble through other planting.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Just wait until it's coming into new growth in spring. You may well find it'll be needing a bigger pot by then too, as the rootball will be bigger. It's difficult to judge without seeing it though
I'm sure it will be fine potted, but there's not a great deal of advantage in replacing the compost/soil just now, as any nutrients will be redundant by the time it needs it.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
John Innes comes with quite a bit of grit/sand. The grit is needed mostly to balance out the MPC, which has good drainage properties if it is peat based anyway. Do you want to experiment with bringing the grit down to one quarter from one third?
I do this for when I have to handle ground conditions with drainage problems too. I mulch in farmyard manure at the top in both, but more on the ground. In that situation I mix the above 3 into dug up ground soil and there I increase the grit to balance off muddy soil suffering with drainage and aeration problems.
Dahlias are mostly grown from the summer/autumn season, so it's slightly different for those.
JInnes of any kind is simply a formula, and you choose according to the type of plant. I don't use them, but it's easy enough to look online for the different purposes - or someone else here on the forum who uses them, will help with that.
I have no experience of baobobs so can't help with that, but if they're succulents, or similar , they'll need something specific.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I see that's one of the herbaceous clematis though. I don't know how well that'll be in a pot long term. They're meant for using in a border where they can scramble through other planting.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
You may well find it'll be needing a bigger pot by then too, as the rootball will be bigger.
It's difficult to judge without seeing it though
I'm sure it will be fine potted, but there's not a great deal of advantage in replacing the compost/soil just now, as any nutrients will be redundant by the time it needs it.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...