Soil composts
These are balanced smorgasbord designed to fend for healthy and active plant growth throughout all stages of propagation , can and container culture and other bod of simulated maturation conditions . They are also , on occasion , used for amalgamate into outside planting positions to give trees , shrubs and plants a good start .
There were at one time innumerable , highly individual soil compost , especially where potting was concerned , but some year ago the John Innes Horticultural Institution , decide to seek some standard formulations .
After considerable work and research , a series of stock potting and pass around compost was develop , urinate it clear that apart from certain modifications in limited cases , such stock admixture would work expeditiously for an super extensive range of plants . And they came as a very welcome reduction of what had been a extremely complex , not to say hit and miss unconscious process ; satisfactory for the skilled gardener , perhaps , but certainly not for those with little experience .
Five compost were devised , three for the various degree of potting , and one each for seed sowing and extension by cuttings . The primary constituent are partially sterilized loam steamed at 200 ° F ( 93 ° C ) for twenty transactions , essential so as to destruct pests , disease and sens seeds granular peat with a lower limit of dust , and coarse river sand with alimentary stuff in the class of hoof and horn , grist ( 13 pct N ) , superphosphate of fluxing lime ( 16 percent phosphoric acid ) and sulfate of potash ( 48 percent pure potassium hydroxide ) and , in conclusion , ground limestone or Methedrine . Forpotting compostsNos . 1 , 2 and 3 , the basic formula is :
7 part by free bulk of medium loam -partially sterilized
3 contribution of granulate or moss peat 2 office of coarse sand
It is authoritative to remark that in each illustration the measurements are byloosebulkand not by weight . The fertilizer and limestone or meth are measure by weight , not by bulk .
These textile are shuffle most efficiently by placing them in three consummate layers , one upon another , and then turn this flat , sandwiched heap over , mould from one end to the other and shovel from primer coat level throughout . The mickle should be sprain at least twice out and back for maximum success .
Fertilizer merge in the proportion of :
2 parts by weight of hoof and hooter
2 parts by weight of superphosphate of basswood
1 part by weight of sulphate of potassium hydroxide plus 21 g ( f oz ) of ground limestone or chalk , making sure to mix all thoroughly throughout .
This complete mixture is suitable for most introductory potting in small to intermediate pots , for delicate and hothouse plants and those which are not to be kept for any length of time .
Plants other than delicate and hothouse , when requiring a shift beyond the 10 cm ( 4 in ) pot stage , should be potted into John Innes No . 2 ; made by adding twice the amount of combined fertiliser and chalk to each bushel of loam , peat and sand . John Innes No . 3 . come from adding three times the amount of these materials and is worthy for the more robust and long - standing plants requiring , perhaps , shimmy into 20 centimeter ( 8 in ) pot and beyond .
Compost made up for plants objecting to calcium hydroxide should plainly have the chalk or limestone omit ; it should be reduced where linden tree is present to any extent in the loam used in the canonical formula . Ideally , this should not be so , with loam with a pH of 6.5 , the kind to use if potential .
The John Innes standard semen sowing mixture consists of :
2 part by mass of loam partly sterilise
1 part by bulk of peat
1 part by bulk of grit
to each bushel of which is add only 45 M ( 1 1/2 oz ) superphosphate of fluxing lime and 12 g ( 1/2 oz ) reason limestone or chalk . The loam and peat may have to be rubbed through a 1 curium ( 1/2 in ) sieve to make them sufficiently fine for seedling ontogeny .
sure plants demand particular compost ; orchid , for instance , are traditionally potted in a basic intermixture of osmunda fibre , sphagnum moss moss and charcoal .
Where many diminutive alpines are have-to doe with , extra gritrock in the compost is often required in fiat to allow for them very adequate drain , all important to many of them , especially in their early stages .
Sometimes commercial grower handling works , trees and shrubs in container for immediate planting , use a 90 percent peat , 10 pct soil compost for general opportunism , nutrients being supplied in balanced liquified form .
Using the compost
Well - made corn - berth from vegetable wastes may contain more nutrients and more organic topic than upright farmyard manure .
If you bonk that your territory is very low in hommos , about 5 kg ( 10 lb ) per hearty meter ( yard ) should be mixed with the topsoil for a year or two and in subsequent years give 2.5 kg ( 5 lb ) per square meter ( railyard ) .
