After potatoes what can I/can't I use the compost next for?

[dan1979]

Grown in B&Q buckets, I'm really low on compost and now have a couple of spare buckets of it but don't know if there's any rules about what you can't plant in there next like there is with tomatoes....

[terrier]

I only use spent potatoe/tomatoe medium for flowers, either in pots or the flower beds. To risky for the veg plot.

[Capsid]

I'd suggest dwarf beans.

[dan1979]

Isn't it too late to start more dwarf beans off though? The ones I already have are going to start being eaten tonight.

If I take a chance with one of my not required tomato plants and there is a problem, would it just affect that plant or could it spread to others in their healthy soil?

[zazen999]

Hi Dan

Fingers crossed we've still got 2 maybe 3 months of warmth yet; so yes - still time. I still sow beans and peas until end July - for a late crop. For the sake of a few seeds, what's the harm. Esp if you have some spare compost around!

[Cutecumber]

I use old potato compost for beans and lettuce. Add some balanced fertiliser (pellets or meal) and they should grow fine.

[moggssue]

Sorry to hijack folks, but I'm confused now ...

I've been following the threads about what to follow early tatties with on the lottie (leeks/caulis/psb type things are apparently most popular) - so whats the difference with doing that, and with using the old potato compost from buckets for things like brassicas??

Sorry again, excuse my niavety as well as my hijacking

[gojiberry]

Grow anything not of the same family, As Cutecumber says add some pelleted chicken manure and have a go.

Ian

[Demeter]

Sorry to hijack folks, but I'm confused now ...

I've been following the threads about what to follow early tatties with on the lottie (leeks/caulis/psb type things are apparently most popular) - so whats the difference with doing that, and with using the old potato compost from buckets for things like brassicas??

Sorry again, excuse my niavety as well as my hijacking

Just speculating but I can think of two possible things (1) brassicas need a lot of nutrition so if the compost has already been used for spuds maybe it wouldn't have enough left for brassicas?? or (2) the consensus seems to be that brassicas are less suitable for container growing as they need really firm soil. I wouldn't have thought either of things meant it was never OK to use the same compost for brassicas, just that it maybe isn't as suitable as some other crops??

Still speculating... but I would have thought the only thing that you probably definitely *shouldn't grow* in old potato compost is more potatoes, or other members of the family like tomatoes etc.

[moggssue]

Thanks Demeter - its starting to make a bit more sense now ... so its not so much a case of it being bad to use the compost, just that its bad, for instance, to grow brassicas in a pot in 'old' compost. My headache is now gone, phew! I knew someone would be able to help!!

[Flummery]

This year I used the compost left from last year's potato buckets in my window boxes - beefed up with a bit of pelleted chicken manure. Today I noticed a potato amongst the geraniums and lobelia!