Great Disappointment - John Innes Seed Compost

[NSB]

Thought as I'd got my greenhouse I'd buy some proper compost i.e the above. Usually everything gets grown in grow bag compost.

Everything I have planted this year in John Innes has rotted.

Runner beans (which have grown for about 25 years), marigolds, sweet peas, nasturtium, dwarf beans, they have all rotted.

Finally decided to tip all the pots out that I planted over a month ago and all the seeds are rotted.

I suffer with my anxiety and by going in the garden etc which is normally very theraputic but this hasnt helped at all. Any ideas please?

[smallblueplanet]

I've never used JI, but did you have to change your watering regime with a different compost? I'm not much help as I've only ever used seed or multipurpose stuff. Hopefully a JI fan will come along and help.

[NSB]

Hi Manda dunno totally bizarre to me very disappointing though

[Snadger]

I make my own JI type compost because it works out a damm site cheaper and suits my needs.
I DON'T use JI for seed sowing though (prefering proprietery brands of dual purpose coir based) I don't sterilise the loam I use in the mix so put up with a small amount of weed growth.
I use 7 parts garden soil to 2 parts builders sand to 3 parts shop bought compost plus 1 part well rotted horse muck. I don't add fertiliser prefering to either foliar feed or liquid feed during the main growing season instead.

Works fine for me but I once tried shop bought JI and it appeared to be dust that asumed a muddy consistency when wet and set like concrete when dry!

[muckdiva]

shop bought JI and it appeared to be dust that asumed a muddy consistency when wet and set like concrete when dry!

My experience also - an expensive mistake. I have mixed the remainder with some coir based stuff, and the plants are much more successful.

[Newbie]

I tried it for the first time this year too - with the same results, all the seeds i have sown in it, beans, sweetcorn, courgettes etc have rotted. Those that were sown in multipurpose stuff (that i already had& normally use) are going fine. Definately won't be using it again.

[Two_Sheds]

Write to the manufacturer, like you have to us. You might get a refund, you never know.

[HeyWayne]

Wahoooo!!

Now this is why I love the Vine! I had exactly the same things happen to me! I just thought I was being a moron as usual and watering too much/too little.

It was like sand the stuff that I had.

You have no idea how relieved I am, thanks for bringing this up NSB.

*does some dancing

[Two_Sheds]

You aren't 'meant' to, but I always use multi-purpose for my seeds. Never had any probs.

[NSB]

Thank you so much for replying. It has made me feel relieved that it wasnt just me. Seems like we have all wasted a load of money on seeds. Thanks

[Farmer_Gyles]

i sow everything in multi-purpose compost - works fine for me - i pot on into the same multi-purpose compost - tomatoes are eventually potted on into growbag compost

[zazen999]

I do what Giles does; although I mixed some coir type stuff in this year to see what it was like. It was fine.

JI sounds far too dense for little seeds to cope with; what a waste of money. Not just money of course, but being behind time on the growing season.

[Flummery]

I used it for the first time this year too. I usually use multipurpose for seeds but ran out - couldn't get a small multi so got a small JI. I like JI 3 for permanent plantings so thought I'd give it a go. It certainly does get muddy when watered but then, it doesn't need to be watered so much or so often. It's much more water retentive. I had no failures with it - but I did treat it very differently. You have to check whether things need a drink before you water, rather than just going round with the can every day.

Having tried to be fair to the stuff, I'm not sure I'd use it again! However, the worst thing I used was a fancy, expensive, peat free, environmentally intimate (MUCH more than mere friendly!) stuff that looked like chopped up bark and dried with a white scummy, limy surface. Can't remember the name BUT I'D PICK IT OUT IN AN ID PARADE!

[Newbie]

I have just sent a complaint email about it via the John Innes website - will be interesting to see if i get a response.

[percy charlie]

most people get best results with muti purpose for seed sowing as its dryer so seed dont get to wet and rot, john innes tends to retain more moisture than many brands and muti purpose so this could be why, also john innes do serveral different kinds for different things so check you got the correct one for sowing seeds. but i would just use cheap muti purpose for seed sowing and use any remaining john innes left on established plants. john innes is great compost for trees, but its not as good as it was 20 years ago.