Potting compost..

[Chard]

Hi,

I started growing my own veg last year between raised beds and containers. I now have a mass of potting compost to dispose of from the potato planters/ tomato grow bags etc. Does anybody know what the best way to dispose of this is? I have read lots of advice telling me that I'll need to replace it but none on where to put the old stuff!

Thanks

[Two_Sheds]

Most people put it on their borders, or you could use it to grow root crops in (carrots and parsnips don't like rich soil, so used mpc would be fine for them)

[Chard]

Thanks. Though I have some from containers that had courgette plants which got powdery mildew. Is it ok to use this also?

[Two_Sheds]

Yeah, the mildew is in the air not the soil. No worries. You could always microwave it if you're worried

[Potstubsdustbins]

Providing I have not had disease I sieve last years compost to get rid of roots etc which go in the compostor. I then add a base and general fertiliser and reuse the compost.

After all the only two tasks of the compost are to support the plant root system and to hold the nutrients that the plant needs.

Colin

[Kristen]

I mix old potting compost 50:50 with sharp sand in containers for Carrots, and the rest of the Potato Bag compost gets recycled into Tubs and Urns (with the 100's and 1,000's look-alike slow release fertiliser)

Some from last year's Tubs and Urns is used to "earth up" this years spuds in bags (they are filled with 4" manure and then planted into 8" fresh multi-purpose compost)

If I'm not sure I put it on the flower garden - so it doesn't get mixed with vegetables that it might transfer disease to.

[Florence Fennel]

I piled mine in a heap last year and will be using it in various places around the garden as a mulch.

[jackie j]

If you have a garden just put it on the top. I take all mine to the lottie and tip it on to the soil.

[chris]

I mulch with it, and often tip some back into the heap if i'm stick with what to do with it! Idea being with all the microbes in there, it'll help kick start hte process again