[mrs bouquet]

Need a sack, what do I look for in the garden centre ie:  John Innes No.3. or what,  thanks,  Mrs Bouquet

[Subversive_plot]

Need a sack, what do I look for in the garden centre ie:  John Innes No.3. or what,  thanks,  Mrs Bouquet

John Innes #3 is a compost, and probably contains no loam.

Loam is a mix of (mineral) sand-, silt- and clay-sized particles, in roughly equal amounts of each size.

[New shoot]

John Innes is actually loam based compost, so it is the nearest you are going to get at most garden centres. 

The numbers relate to the amount of fertiliser in it.  No. 1 has a bit in and is for potting on young plants, no. 2 has a bit more and is for growing on, no. 3 has the most and is for mature plants and long term potting up.

[mrs bouquet]

thanks for the replies off now to get the J.I. No.3.  Mrs B