Cuttings

Would John Innes seed compost be ok for starting off cuttings ?

 

I think it depends on the quality. For instance, in the past I’ve bought JI 3, which after a while set like concrete. If it were me, I’d make an assessment as to whether it looks open and free draining. If not, maybe add some sharp sand or some such. Personally, I’d always opt for MP compost.

 

I think it depends slightly on what kind of cuttings they are.

But I'd add extra grit or sand or perlite.

 

Anything and everything really.

 

Thanks - the thing is I've bought a bag of JI seed compost, hoping to see how my seeds would do in it this year ... but since there's so much tidying to do in the garden after the building work last year, I've decided to have a year without seed sowing. Therefore I was wondering if I could use up some of the seed compost for cuttings later in the summer.

 

Definitely add sand or preferably horticultural grit. I find it's not so much the materiel as the size of container that counts. When I used small, individual pots I had a very poor success rate, but now I fill one big pot (50l) with a peat-based MPC and sand or JI and grit and stick everything in. It all roots eventually Obviously, there's more root disturbance when removing the plants, but it's worth it for the high success rate.

 

I'm also a fan of putting the cuttings around the edge of the pot.

 

Oh dear ! and I've found a load of small pots ready for the cuttings ... ah well, I'll have to keep them for something else.

I shall certainly add grit to the JI seed compost, it looks rather heavy so I won't be buying it again.

I'll start talking to the cuttings, never done that before and I think I'm going to feel daft, but if it works ...

 

Carry on like that and you could be King one day.

 

The perspex shelter where I do my potting etc is near the little road going past the bottom of my garden and people go for walks along it, with their dogs etc so I'll have to peep up and down it to make sure there's nobody passing before I say anything.

 

Did the Castle contain an Elephant?