Seed Compost

So, can anybody recommend a good quality seed compost? What's the John Innes Seed one like?

 

J I is lovely IMO Kayleigh...but i have had just as much success with your bog standard Multi purpose...if it's sieved

 

Why do we have to sieve the multi purpose? Will the seeds not find their way round the lumpy bits, or is there another reason?

 

Well last season I used multi purpose and sieved it but fancied trying Seed Compost and Multi Purpose to see which I prefer :P x

 

I don't sieve compost. Think about wild plant growth, they don't have an option and just push on up through whatever is in their way.

 

I hear what you say, but often in the wild plants will shed far more seed than ought to be necessary, because only a small percentage will find the right conditions to grow.

 

I'm using JI #1 at the moment, it got lumps in, but I didn't sieve it.

 

Clueless I don't think any compost is that bad that seedlings wouldn't grow. Mine seem to do okay.

 

I sieve it because there is so much gunk in it and last year i also found half a brake light lens in it...someone was obviously a dodgy driver.....

 

Now that is bad Loli, I'd have returned it to the sellers.

 

I've only ever used multi purpose, except once. I've always had about the same success rate (varying by plant species), so was just trying to understand why a) there is seed compost and b) why it is so much more expensive than multi purpose and c) what good sieving does.

I'm just curious about it all really.

 

Me to!

 

I should have done Clue but i was more concerned with getting the seeds in...Multi P is fine but i find ,depending on the seed, some need a bit more TLC

 

I'm itching to get some seeds started off now but I'm worried about the cold snap forecasted this week, they will be in a heated propagator in my 6x8 greenhouse but still slightly concerned :P

 

The reason I like to sieve the compost is that I find it a lot easier to tease out the roots when potting on