hello, im new to growing and before i got my stuff setup i bought some 30l john inees no1 for potting and germinating, but i read somewere on here a while ago that john innes isnt organic soil, so in was wondering how this would effect the end product like the taste and effect? i was trying to keep as organic as possable (using bio bizz grow n bloom only) thanks a,lot people !

Personally, if you're new to growing i wouldn't advise you use the JI range. But seeing as you've got it then, yes, it isn't organic, but if you're using BioBizz feeds, then by the time you harvest the salt based chems in the compost will have long been depleted.

Good luck with your grow.

thanks mate, why isnt it recomended for a first groow ? this is my plan to plant the germinated seeds into 3inch pots with john innes #1 with 25% perlite and for about 7 - 10 days, the repot into the 3.5l pots with the john innes #1 and 25% perlite for about 3-4 weeks , then repot into the final 11 l pots for floweriong in another soil possably john innes #3 with perlite ? does this sound ok. thanks alot.

John Innes is generally very hard to work with due to its dense structure, which can quickly compact given half a chance, which is seriously bad for the roots which prefer a loose, more open-crumbed compost.
I used JI for years, but was glad to change it at the end. Its also very "hot" which can make for some problems in its own right. I prefer either a fully organic choice like "Nature's Own Potting Compost', or if not that then "J Arthur Bowyers Multi-Purpose Potting Compost with added John Innes", which I am using at the moment.
If using John Innes, be sure to use a very fine watering rose on your can. Otherwise compaction will happen.

thanks alot arnold , so would i get a decent rootball going if i used this for the vegg period or not ? also what would be recomended for flowering? if i was to mix in some other soil or compost what ratios are we talking(includeing the perlite) ? thanks again.

For your first grow, i really wouldn't advise you using the JI range at all.

I agree with Bish. JI is bad news for a first attempt, it really is a hard one to work with. I recommend switching at your next potting up session, and using something along the lines of "J Arthur Bowyers with added JI". And drop the Perlite - its of no real value to the grower, just dilutes compost and thus deprives the plants of food

If you did use it on the first pot (since you have it) then you really wouldn't want to use it for the 3.5ltr pots, they'd need proper strength compost by then. As Arnie says the perlite is a waste of space.

BnQ do a lovely compost for seeds/cuts, once you pot up into the 1 litre then use a multipurpose such as the J Arthur bowers mentioned. I use the one without JI added or West+ which is excellent and doesn't compact anywhere near as much as the Jab.
I wouldn't bother going mixing the composts either, MP composts are very cheap, 70 litres of Jab costing just 4 squid or 3 bags for a tenner...can't really knock that can ya!

nice one for the replys guys il have a look round the garden centre !

oh just a quick question about organic compost , does this eman it has no netriunts what so ever so id need to start feeding the grow from like week2 or somthing ? thanks again .

Organic composts don't contain chemical salt based nutrients. Some organic composts in the Which Compost Trials (pinned topics) haven't performed too well in the past, but they are getting better.

As to when to feed, let your plants tell you that