A Guide to Our Potting Composts & Soil Improvers
7 Minute Read
Our comprehensive growing media range offers the gardener a wide choice for all stages of plant growth. But, one of the most misused terms in gardening is 'Compost'. To avoid confusion, we like to refer to 'Compost' as a growing media rather than decomposed organic matter. One of the most misused terms in gardening is ‘compost’. Technically, compost comes from the compost heap and it is meant to be dug into the soil to boost nutrients, not to fill window boxes for bedding. To avoid confusion, we like to refer to ‘compost’ as a growing media rather than decomposed organic matter. Our comprehensive growing media range offers the gardener a wide choice for all stages of plant growth.
General Potting Compost (growing media)
Peat based
Sinclair Potting Bedding Growing Medium Compost Enhanced This is recommended for raised beds and pot plants, and bedding in pots, trays, hanging baskets and tubs.
Sinclair Container Growing Medium Compost
This is suitable for container and basket planting also recommended for both ericaceous and non-ericaceous species.
Levington Advance Pot & Bedding M2 This is designed to support growth for a wide variety of bedding plants. M2 provides a good quality nutrient supply for feeding for up to four weeks.
Levington Pot & Bedding M3
This is designed for the most vigorous plants including tomatoes. Its high nutrient content means that controlled-release fertilizers are not required to be added to this product
Sinclair Potting Bedding Growing Medium Compost Enhanced This is recommended for raised beds and pot plants, and bedding in pots, trays, hanging baskets and tubs.
Sinclair Container Growing Medium Compost
This is suitable for container and basket planting also recommended for both ericaceous and non-ericaceous species.
Levington Advance Pot & Bedding M2 This is designed to support growth for a wide variety of bedding plants. M2 provides a good quality nutrient supply for feeding for up to four weeks.
Levington Pot & Bedding M3
This is designed for the most vigorous plants including tomatoes. Its high nutrient content means that controlled-release fertilizers are not required to be added to this product
Melcourt Sylvagrow Sustainable Growing Medium This contains balanced nutrients sufficient for the first 4 – 6 weeks of growth.
Melcourt Sylvagrow All Purpose Compost with Added John Innes
This version contains added loam (a graded soil), which gives the growing medium more structure and water holding capacity. For example, when used in a raised bed or larger containers, loam is heavier and stays in situ.
Melcourt Sylvagrow All Purpose Compost with Added John Innes
This version contains added loam (a graded soil), which gives the growing medium more structure and water holding capacity. For example, when used in a raised bed or larger containers, loam is heavier and stays in situ.
Loam based (John Innes)
John Innes growing media is made from a mixture of loam, sand or grit, and peat. The amount of added plant nutrients increase by the ‘number'.
J Arthur Bower's John Innes No. 1 This is ideal for young seedlings and rooted cuttings that are being moved on to a larger container. It is a traditional loam-based compost with limestone and grit sand.
J Arthur Bower's John Innes No. 2
It has a nutrient level most suited to houseplants and vegetables being re-potted into medium-sized pots.
J Arthur Bower's John Innes No. 3
This is made for mature plants, especially patio plants. It is also good for the final repotting of tomatoes.
J Arthur Bower's John Innes No. 1 This is ideal for young seedlings and rooted cuttings that are being moved on to a larger container. It is a traditional loam-based compost with limestone and grit sand.
J Arthur Bower's John Innes No. 2
It has a nutrient level most suited to houseplants and vegetables being re-potted into medium-sized pots.
J Arthur Bower's John Innes No. 3
This is made for mature plants, especially patio plants. It is also good for the final repotting of tomatoes.
Seed Growing Media
Levington F2S This is designed for seed sowing and direct rooting of cuttings, containing silver sand to improve the flow of the growing media. All Levington composts contain the ICL H2 Gro* wetting agent and the pH is adjusted between 5.3 and 6.0 using dolomitic lime.
Jiffy Tref Propagation Mix
This seedling compost is a mix of 70% coir and 30% perlite. The perlite encourages quicker germination for cuttings.
Levington Advance Seed & Modular Low Nutrient F1 Compost
This is a low-level nutrient compost to provide the best start for young seedlings, even for the most sensitive plants. Use for seed sowing in modules, trays and small pots up to 7cm. All Levington composts contain the ICL H2Gro* wetting agent and the pH is adjusted between 5.3 and 6.0 using dolomitic lime.
Jiffy Tref Propagation Mix
This seedling compost is a mix of 70% coir and 30% perlite. The perlite encourages quicker germination for cuttings.
Levington Advance Seed & Modular Low Nutrient F1 Compost
This is a low-level nutrient compost to provide the best start for young seedlings, even for the most sensitive plants. Use for seed sowing in modules, trays and small pots up to 7cm. All Levington composts contain the ICL H2Gro* wetting agent and the pH is adjusted between 5.3 and 6.0 using dolomitic lime.
Tree & Shrub Growing Media
Tree-planting compost is like a soil improver and it is meant for working into the ground before planting trees and shrubs, as an alternative to garden compost. For trees in containers, avoid peat-based composts as they do not promote good drainage.
Melcourt Professional Topgrow Tree & Shrub Compost This is 100% peat-free with balanced slow-release nutrients.
Levington TPMC Tree Planting & Mulching Compost Levington Tree Planting & Mulching Compost is the perfect planting medium and mulch for newly established trees & shrubs. It is a tree compost with nitrogen, potassium and phosphate (NPK) nutrients that will help plants get a good start.
Sinclair Tree and Shrub Planting Compost
is a peat-based compost specifically designed to prepare the soil for planting out nursery stocks. This is a professional soil improver that can absorb acid without affecting pH (high buffering capacity). Use this planting medium when you want to ensure sufficient water retention for the healthy establishment of newly planted trees and shrubs.
Melcourt Professional Topgrow Tree & Shrub Compost This is 100% peat-free with balanced slow-release nutrients.
Levington TPMC Tree Planting & Mulching Compost Levington Tree Planting & Mulching Compost is the perfect planting medium and mulch for newly established trees & shrubs. It is a tree compost with nitrogen, potassium and phosphate (NPK) nutrients that will help plants get a good start.
Sinclair Tree and Shrub Planting Compost
is a peat-based compost specifically designed to prepare the soil for planting out nursery stocks. This is a professional soil improver that can absorb acid without affecting pH (high buffering capacity). Use this planting medium when you want to ensure sufficient water retention for the healthy establishment of newly planted trees and shrubs.
Nursery Stock
The term ‘Nursery Stock’ refers to growing media that has been graded according to need, such as for seedlings and small plants. Often nursery stock contains incorporated bark and other additives. The general rule of thumb is the finer the particle size the smaller the pot.
In peat-based nursery stock compost, the bark is used to open up the structure and reduce the peat content. In a peat-free nursery stock compost, bark may be the only component used.
Sinclair Container Nursery Stock Compost
This is a coarse grade growing medium with bark and grit. Recommended for both ericaceous and non-ericaceous species.
Levington General Container Nursery Stock Compost
This is made up of a blend of 0-10mm and 6-12mm particles of peat allowing it to flow readily into smaller pots yet retain a reasonable open structure for drainage.
Melcourt Soil Improver
This is an organic, natural soil improver that is excellent for adding organic matter and enhancing the fertility of soils. Use for digging into flower beds and enriching the vegetable patch. On most soils, this is best incorporated by cultivation in March and April, just before growth starts. Spread soil improver evenly onto the soil surface to a depth of not less than 50mm, then thoroughly incorporate into at least the top 150mm of soil.
Melcourt Topsoil
This high-quality soil, consisting of sandy loam and organic matter, is suitable for a wide range of professional and domestic applications, such as topping up the garden or filling raised beds. Not to be used for filling patio pots or containers.
Coir Blocks
Most familiar as a liner for hanging baskets, coir comes from coconuts and is also used increasingly as potting soil or as an ingredient in potting mixes. For use with seeds, the mix should not contain more than 40% coir. The coir bricks must be soaked before use, according to package instructions.
The term ‘Nursery Stock’ refers to growing media that has been graded according to need, such as for seedlings and small plants. Often nursery stock contains incorporated bark and other additives. The general rule of thumb is the finer the particle size the smaller the pot.
In peat-based nursery stock compost, the bark is used to open up the structure and reduce the peat content. In a peat-free nursery stock compost, bark may be the only component used.
Sinclair Container Nursery Stock Compost
This is a coarse grade growing medium with bark and grit. Recommended for both ericaceous and non-ericaceous species.
Levington General Container Nursery Stock Compost
This is made up of a blend of 0-10mm and 6-12mm particles of peat allowing it to flow readily into smaller pots yet retain a reasonable open structure for drainage.
Melcourt Soil Improver
This is an organic, natural soil improver that is excellent for adding organic matter and enhancing the fertility of soils. Use for digging into flower beds and enriching the vegetable patch. On most soils, this is best incorporated by cultivation in March and April, just before growth starts. Spread soil improver evenly onto the soil surface to a depth of not less than 50mm, then thoroughly incorporate into at least the top 150mm of soil.
Melcourt Topsoil
This high-quality soil, consisting of sandy loam and organic matter, is suitable for a wide range of professional and domestic applications, such as topping up the garden or filling raised beds. Not to be used for filling patio pots or containers.
Coir Blocks
Most familiar as a liner for hanging baskets, coir comes from coconuts and is also used increasingly as potting soil or as an ingredient in potting mixes. For use with seeds, the mix should not contain more than 40% coir. The coir bricks must be soaked before use, according to package instructions.
Ericaceous
This type of compost is specifically for lime-hating plants for example Heathers, Rhododendrons, Azaleas & Camellias in containers.
Specialist Mixes
These are for plants, in containers, with specific nutrient and moisture requirements - Indoor Plants, Orchid, Cacti, Bonsai Bulb.
Sinclair Alpine, Herbaceous & Cyclamen Compost
This is an easily managed peat-bark growing medium suitable for a wide range of alpine and herbaceous perennials. Not suitable for ericaceous species
Sinclair Alpine, Herbaceous & Cyclamen Compost
This is an easily managed peat-bark growing medium suitable for a wide range of alpine and herbaceous perennials. Not suitable for ericaceous species
Shop all compost
We stock a huge variety of composts from specialist to peat-free as well as a wide range of additives to ensure your plants are healthy and strong from season to season.SHOP NOW
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