Lookin good Maffro just read through your thread.
Nice camo on the yellow builders bucket, however if you need a cheep source of grow containers, go to your local florists and ask them for some of thier black flower buckets (they may charge you 20p a bucket).They usually have loads spare as each time new flowers arrive they come in a new bucket.
If you got a morrisons near by they sell thier flower buckets " around a quid for 6-8 approx, just check when you go coz people snap them up.
Wilkinsons also sell black builders bucket for a quid a pop.
Got to say you plant blend in well to thier enviroment almost perfect with the bracken back drop.
As for Joh innes compost, this is not a brand but a recipe which comes in LI seeds JI 1,JI 2 & JI 3.
The following was copied and pasted from -
http://www.johninnes.info/about.htm
WHAT ARE JOHN INNES COMPOSTS?
John Innes Composts are a blend of carefully selected loam or topsoil, sphagnum moss peat, coarse sand or grit and fertilisers. The loam is screened and sterilised and then thoroughly mixed with the other ingredients in proportions designed to achieve the optimum air and water-holding capacity and nutrient content for different types and sizes of plants. The basic John Innes Composts are:-
JOHN INNES SEED COMPOST - the traditional mix for sowing almost any type of seed, with sufficient nutrient for early development. May also be used for rooting soft cuttings.
JOHN INNES POTTING COMPOST No.1 - for pricking out or potting-up young seedlings or rooted cuttings. This composts has a carefully balanced nutrient content to suit most young plants.
JOHN INNES POTTING COMPOST No.2 - for general potting of most house plants and vegetable plants into medium size pots or boxes. Contains double the amount of nutrient in JI No 1 to suit established plants.
JOHN INNES POTTING COMPOST No.3 - a richer mixture for final re-potting of gross feeding vegetable plants and for mature foliage plants and shrubs in interior planters or outdoor containers.
JOHN INNES ERICACEOUS COMPOST - A specially formulated sterilised loam-based, lime-free compost with essential plant foods for most lime-hating subjects, such as Azaleas, Heathers and Rhododendrons, etc.
WHAT ARE THE INGREDIENTS?
The function of each of the ingredients in John Innes is briefly as follows:-
LOAM - Loam is the most important ingredient in the compost as it provides the main "body" of the compost. It also forms the base of plant nutrition by supplying clay, which has a cation and anion exchange capacity, that is, it absorbs and releases plant nutrients as required. Loam also contains essential micro-elements and some organic matter which provides a slow release of nitrogen to the plant.
PEAT - Sphagnum Moss Peat in the John Innes Compost increases the total porosity and improves both the aeration and the water-retaining capacity. Peat decomposes slowly into humus.
SAND - The coarse sand or grit is used as a physical conditioner to allow excess water to drain from the compost and thus prevent water-logging. It also helps to provide stability for larger plants.
FERTILISER - The compound fertiliser in John Innes Compost provides a wide spectrum of plant nutrients needed for balanced growth, including :-
- NITROGEN - for top growth
- PHOSPHATES - for root growth
- POTASH - for flowering and fruiting
- TRACE ELEMENTS - for colour and flavour
Loam-based - John Innes Composts are loam-based - a natural medium for growing plants. Loam contains clay, humus and trace elements which provide a natural reserve of plant foods and also an excellent buffering capacity - so that it can cope with some degree of over- or under-feeding of the plants.
Air/Water Balance - Loam, peat and coarse sand provide a good balance between the amount of water held by the compost and the amount of air space after it has drained. It is easier to achieve this when three main ingredients are utilised, than when the compost is made from only one material such as peat.
Easy to re-wet - The loam and coarse grit content makes a John Innes Compost very easy to re-wet after drying out, compared with all-peat composts.
Natural pH - The pH level of John Innes Composts is at the natural level for most plants, except the lime-hating varieties such as Azaleas, Heathers and Rhododendrons.
Higher Nutrient Levels - Because of the loam content in John Innes Composts, the fertiliser levels can be increased to suit the vigour or growth rate of the plant, which would not be safe in peat-based composts.
Longer Lasting - John Innes Composts last for a longer time than soil-less composts before it becomes necessary to water and feed plants in pots or containers.
Greater Tolerance - With both short and long term fertiliser release, natural drainage and water retention, a John Innes Composts has greater tolerance and gives the amateur gardener better all round results than soil-less composts.
Weather is looking to be cooler for the forseeable future with temps re gonna be around 18-22C so working with the girls should be easier.
Gonna stay tuned,have your self a good holiday.
Peace
Growerz
