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.

However, many compost manufacturers are members of the John Innes Manufacturers’ Association whose aim it is to provide reliable John Innes potting media that will support good plant growth even though not all ingredients match the original specification. John Innes Seed Compost also contains sand for excellent drainage as well as coir and loam for perfect nutrient and moisture retention. In addition, texture will differ depending on whether stacked, rotted turf is used or whether the source is an arable field. The mix also has loam for perfect nutrient and moisture retention as well as sand and grit for excellent drainage.The same basic formula as John Innes No1, but with an increased fertiliser level for potting on established plants. This compost has a carefully balanced nutrient content to suit most young plants and allow them to grow. Enriched with vermiculite to retain moisture and nutrients, it also feeds for the first three weeks. The low level of fertiliser makes this ideally suited for potting of sensitive species or initial potting of seedlings or rooted cuttings. A method of growing new plants from parts of an existing plant, such as sections of root, stem, leaf or bud.

nutrients in John Innes No 1) and works well for established plants, trees, shrubs and climbers, including fruit trees, bushes and vines, and mature indoor plants which are to remain in the pots for some considerable time. Our most popular compost, John Innes no3 compost is a rich mixture that is intended for final potting or for the re-potting of mature plants. This peat free loam-based compost has been developed to help your seeds germinate successfully and healthily. When propagating seeds it's vital that the compost is a high quality or you can lose your expensive seeds. John Innes No 2 contains moderate levels of fertilizer and is used for potting on plants at the next stage of growth, and most vegetables.John Innes' recipes offer significant advantages over soil-free potting media due to their weight, trace element content and the effect of soil content in avoiding undue chemical and water fluctuations (buffering activity). All of the John Innes products, simply offer a different level of nutrients to boost initial growth all the way until the final result. Soil with a pH of 7 is neutral, an acid soil has a lower value, and an alkaline soil has a higher one. Do it as soon as seedlings are large enough to handle, as overcrowding can cause poor growth and encourage fungal disease. The John Innes compost range has become renowned for its capability of growing for over a half-century!