J Arthur Bowers John Innes range

[annew]

I had to return J Arthur Bowers JI compost so often because of enormous lumps of dry peat and apparent lack of loam, that I will never buy it again. My nearest garden centre have stopped stocking it because they had so many complaints. They now stock Erin JI which I find quite acceptable. I mix with extra grit/sand/perlite/leafmould etc depending what I'm going to use it for.

[Darren]

If you can get the stuff made by Keith Singleton in Cockermouth I can recommend it. Only stockists I know of are in Cumbria and North Lancs.

The Bowers stuff I've seen the last few years is definitely very poor.

[Gerry Webster]

The Bowers stuff I've seen the last few years is definitely very poor.

I've used J Arthur Bowers John Innes for years & I can't say I've noticed much change in quality. Perhaps it varies in different parts of the country, though this seems unlikely. Perhaps I'm just unobservant. Mixed with equal parts of grit & perlite most bulbs grow well in it. This year I'm thinking of trying Homebase &/or Westland since they seem easier to get. I see from their website that Bowers is the only JI stocked by the local 'Fargro' who supply the horticultural trade.

[Darren]

What I've especially noticed is that, as I now try to repot only every two years, the Bowers stuff looks exhausted after one season (dusty and with little organic content remaining). The Singleton I used last year has still looked good this year in the pots I've knocked out to send spare bulbs to forumists.

[art600]

The Bowers stuff I've seen the last few years is definitely very poor.

I've used J Arthur Bowers John Innes for years & I can't say I've noticed much change in quality. Perhaps it varies in different parts of the country, though this seems unlikely. Perhaps I'm just unobservant. Mixed with equal parts of grit & perlite most bulbs grow well in it. This year I'm thinking of trying Homebase &/or Westland since they seem easier to get. I see from their website that Bowers is the only JI stocked by the local 'Fargro' who supply the horticultural trade.

Gerry
You would have to be blind not to see the change in quality.  Approx 20% of the compost is hard lumps of peat, and these still show up after mixing with grit and perlite.  I will not buy it unless I run out and need compost urgently - my local garden centre only stocks it, and the alternatives involve a considerable drive.

[Gerry Webster]

Arthur - true, I am short sighted, but your description is not true of the stuff I bought last year. Maybe there are considerable batch variations*. I haven't seen any this year.

*A second thought. I seem to remember some time ago that  David N posted a picture of his sample of Bowers & thinking it looked quite different to the stuff I had.

[GoodGrief]

I'm contemplating ordering from this Surrey-based supplier ('free' delivery to Kent & Sussex).

http://www.gardenclever.com/john-innes-no-3-compost-in-lined-bulk-bag-includes-delivery-1255-p.asp

A bulk bag works out at £2-60 per 25 litres. They do smaller deliveries of 20 bags (of 25 litres),
but it works out at the same price as garden centres. If it turns out to be no good, I guess I can use it up
somewhere in the garden.

I did get some of that wonderful Somerset JI No3 last year, but sadly they don't deliver even in bulk.

Malcolm.

[David Nicholson]

...........*A second thought. I seem to remember some time ago that  David N posted a picture of his sample of Bowers & thinking it looked quite different to the stuff I had.

Yes I did Gerry, it was a picture comparison of Green Ore and J Arthur Bowers, here they are again

[David Nicholson]

By the way I did Email the manufacturers of the J Arthur Bowers range, William Sinclair Horticulture Ltd and have been asked to provide them with a sample of the compost I complained about-they are providing a bag and postal costs.

[annew]

Mine was like that - the big lumps and fibrous masses I sieved out comprised 25% of the volume.

[Gerry Webster]

This information on the composition of J Arthur Bowers JI 3 is from the Sinclair website:

"COMPOSITION/INFORMATION ON INGREDIENTS
Chemical characterisation of active components: Loam, peat, composted green material,
limestone, grit and nutrients Including potassium nitrate, sulphate of ammonia, mono ammonium phosphate and trace elements."

The presence of "composted green material" might raise a few eyebrows.

[annew]

 

[David Nicholson]

Mmmm! Notice it doesn't say how much loam, I suspect very little and far less than the original JI recipes specify. Just to compare I forced myself to buy a bag of Westland JI No 2 yesterday. Much finer than JA Bowers but didn't feel to me that it had much loam content and I think they threw the grit in from a distance and missed!

[Gerry Webster]

David - I suspect that few, if any, of the widely available JI composts conform to the original formula (7:3:2). I wonder on what basis they can use the name? I've just bought some Levington JI3 & while it is fairly even in texture - no big lumps or rubbish - I think the loam content is minimal.

[David Nicholson]

Gerry, you may find this of interest.

http://www.johninnes.info/index.htm