Multipurpose Compost

Geo321 · Posted: Mon May 01, 2017 10:06 am Post subject: Multipurpose Compost

My wife re-pots her houseplants each year with good results. Last year 2016, we were recommended Multipurpose with added John Innes compost. The plants never took off in the usual manner, most disappointing, so, thinking it may have been a bad batch or a dodgy bag, she tried again this year with a brand new bag of the same, but with equally poor performance. The supplier says they use it all the time for their potting up and don't have a problem. It is a mystery, and she is not at all happy.
Has Gardenplansireland done some trials on commercial potting composts, or would someone be able to recommend a good brand please?

kindredspirit · Posted: Mon May 01, 2017 2:47 pm Post subject:

I always use Tippland brand only. What brand did she use?

http://www.tippland.ie/

Geo321 · Posted: Mon May 01, 2017 3:24 pm Post subject:

Thanks KS. Sorry to say it was Tippland. She usually used Shamrock in the past. Perhaps the Tippland mix is better suited to the types of plants in your beautiful garden, but doesn't work for these houseplants.

Blowin · Posted: Mon May 01, 2017 4:23 pm Post subject:

Purely as a suggestion, Geo321, could your other half save the day by adding something to the compost she's bought? In early 2016 I bought a bucket of chicken manure pellets from Aldi and was pleased with the results I had (veg only). I've bought another bucket for this year.

Might I suggest, depending on the size of pot involved, she uses a pencil or piece of dowel etc. to 'dib' as many holes as she can round the plant, and then drop in a few pellets of what I use, or something else, in each hole. My pellets break down in a few hours if wet, and are therefore easy to absorb by a root system. Because everything I plant in compost is then transplanted into open ground, I always buy the cheapest 'rubbish' compost I can find, just to give my seeds something to germinate in but, when I dib the seedlings into the main plot, I drop in a few pellets before putting them in the hole. What I've offered above is merely a variation on that.

Sue Deacon · Posted: Tue May 02, 2017 7:16 am Post subject:

Don't know if you can get it where you are but I use 'Jack's Magic' for most things and have always had good results.

Geo321 · Posted: Tue May 02, 2017 10:35 am Post subject:

Blowin, That's a great suggestion thanks. We also thought of using Baby Bio liquid when watering; it would save having to re-pot the lot!
Sue, I've heard of Jack's Magic, but haven't seen it in the West Cork area.
Perhaps a Potting compost would be more suitable than a Multipurpose?

Blowin · Posted: Tue May 02, 2017 4:36 pm Post subject:

If your wife only wants a couple of handfuls (no pun intended), and if we're close enough, I haven't yet started on this year's bucket of pellets so I can easily spare some for a trial.

Geo321 · Posted: Sat May 20, 2017 1:24 pm Post subject:

Update: The houseplants are responding to Baby Bio feed, thank heavens!
Since my last post, I've bought 5 different composts, and shall be doing a comparison potting up some Lobelias.
The Busy Lizzie in Klausmann organic compost is doing fantastically well, and its twin is improving after being re-potted into the same.
Hope to have some results in a few weeks.

tagwex · Posted: Sat May 20, 2017 5:20 pm Post subject:

Should be an interesting test. Looking forward to the results.

Ado 2 · Posted: Fri May 26, 2017 7:57 am Post subject:

Compost is basically moss peat with an added fertilizer that depletes in 6 to 8 weeks. I would use a soil based compost or my own home made compost or top soil to pot up house plants. Depending on wether they flower or not depends on what you feed it. Baby bio is for foliage plants.