Container gardening: re-using spent compost

[cazp]

Like many I have used a fair bit of shop bought compost for my container veg.

I would like to re-use this compost but have read alot about not using the same soil for the same vegetables time after time.

I may install one or two raised beds and try square foot gardening next year.. the raised beds would of course need to be filled and I wonder if I could safely use this years spent potting compost... or if I am best off using new?

Any views apreciated.

[solway cropper]

No problem re-using it. Just mix it with some fresh stuff and top soil. You really want more than just MPC in raised beds as it will dry out fairly quickly. Bung in as much well rotted manure/compost as you can get hold of. I normally get 2 crops a year from my containers then the spent compost either gets dug into the plot or put on the heap.

[tamsin]

Yep, I'm reusing mine in tubs. Mix it half and half with fresh and some fish, blood n bone.

[Flobalob]

Ideal for carrots.

[gojiberry]

There would be an awful lot of waste if we didn't reuse spent compost. I use it for earthing up my spuds in tubs, and when I an potting on trees and shrubs. Also use it as a mulch.

Ian

[rustylady]

Mine either gets mixed with extra fertiliser and re-used, or piled on the borders as a mulch.

[Bren In Pots]

I reuse mine and grow lettuce in troughs and if i remember I add a sprinkle of BFB.

[RhubarbNCustard]

I'm pleased more people do this also, I was beginning to think it was my dirty little secret! Plus the fact I have put slate mulch over weed membrane in the beds I do have so I have no way of getting rid of spent compost other than try and hide it with the household waste!

[HayleyB]

I'm on clay and it's handy for improving the soil, along with manure alternately, my runner beans will go in the plot I have covered with spent this year in the theory the nitrogen will help while the compost works into the clay.

I have spent compost in bags I'm growing carrots and parsnips in this year I threw in some blood fish and bone as an extra precaution.

[crazii_c]

what about the compost from my potato grow sacks?, they've got about two bags of compost in between them so i was hoping i wudnt have to just chuck this. i heard somewhere though that soil used to grow potatoes in would keep resprouting. is this true?

[binley100]

I would think that would only happen if you hadn't taken out all the potatoes.

[planesailing]

I have one of those 1 tonne builders bags which I threw all of last years compost into. Added in some horse manure and left it over-winter. It was cost saving this year as I used it to fill the bottom of pots, rather than use a whole load of fresh compost.

[Sanjo]

what about the compost from my potato grow sacks?, they've got about two bags of compost in between them so i was hoping i wudnt have to just chuck this. i heard somewhere though that soil used to grow potatoes in would keep resprouting. is this true?

I have limited growing space so cannot rotate like some grapes do. Last year I left one compost bin empty and as the tomato and potato container finished I dumped all the soil/compost mix in there. It kept it completely separate so this year I re-used in areas where related plants won't be put.
It's a bit of faffing around and fitness wise I am not sure how much longer I can do it but while I can I will. Potatoes will regrow from even the tiniest spud left in the ground.
Strangely enough none of this compost has any sign at all of little spuds so that was another benefit for me. I must have been efficient last year and made sure I removed them all.
Didn't do it for the beds obviously which is probably why I have them popping up among the peas/sprouts!!

[21again]

I had 3 of those green grow bag things from a Thompson and Morgan offer that I grew spuds in.

Can I use the compost from those to fill plant pots to put my strawberry runners in?