The sphagnum moss peat in John Innes compost improves both the aeration and water-retaining capacity, which enables the compost to make maximum use of the nutrients and trace elements in fertilisers. Orchids appreciate a free-draining compost which is open in structure, providing good aeration around the roots. If orchids are grown in normal houseplant compost which may become compacted or soggy, it is high likely that they will suffer from root rot and fungal diseases. If you’re looking for a general purpose houseplant compost that is suitable for many indoor plants you are most likely to choose this type of growing media. This type of houseplant compost is typically known as a multi-purpose compost or indoor potting mix. Typical orchid composts, suitable for popular orchid species such as Phalaenopsis or Cymbidium, contain a mix of bark chips, peat moss and perlite. The organic compounds in these composts gradually decay so it is recommended that you re-pot orchids with fresh compost every one or two years, depending on the growth of the plant. Carnivorous plants compost

a richer mixture for final re-potting of gross feeding vegetable plants and for mature foliage plants and shrubsThe coarse sand or grit is used as a physical conditioner to allow excess water to drain from the compost and thus prevent water-logging.

If you are new to gardening it can all seem a bit complicated at first with all the Latin names and the gardening terminology. GardenAdvice.co.uk have developed a especially designed short one day course to be able to teach you all the basic skills of gardening to get you started. A. John Innes No 2 will be perfect for potting on seedlings and young plants and for re-potting houseplants, you could also consider using our Westland Houseplant potting mix Products produced from collected garden waste by local authorities make a good alternative and have to meet the national standard BSI PAS 100.This means that they have been produced to a high quality. Sarracenia, Dionaea, Cephalotus and many Drosera will thrive in a ‘standard’ carnivorous plant potting mix of peat moss, sharp sand or grit, and perlite.

What are the different types of John Innes used for?

John Innes is not a manufacturer of compost, they are a range of composts developed at the John Innes Institute, named after