Old pots of compost

[Eden]

Hello there, last year I grew loads of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, aubergines in buckets. They are all still lined up behind the greenhouse full of compost. I removed all the plants when they had finished fruiting but what do I do with all the compost? I read that you can dig it into flower beds, but I've also read that you shouldn't do that incase you introduce pests into the flower bed, what should I do with it all? The council won't take it in the recycling green bin, many thanks
Eden

[mandyballantyne]

Hi Eden,

I stick it my compost bin as it could have some nasty in it so I would not use it. Some more knowledgeable grapes will be along shortly with better ideas.

Mandy

[shirlthegirl43]

Hi, I have been throwing mine into my compost bin. Not sure if that is good or bad but it seems a waste otherwise.

[pigletwillie]

Putting it on the flower beds either as a mulch or as a soil conditioner is fine.

[Two_Sheds]

I always tip mine on the flower beds (look out for vine weevil grubs tho). Or in the compost bin.

[srodders]

I was once told you should throw it on the beds/borders rather than the compost heap. Reason being if there are any bugs in it the birds can get at them and eat them, whereas in the compost bin they carry on living.

[SueA]

As long as you didn't have any nasty viruses or diseases in the plants you grew in there last year you should be alright either spreading the compost around the garden or putting it in a compost bin.If your compost bin heats up properly that will kill off some of the pests, it could be a problem though if you had vine weevils in there & the grubs survived & you then redistributed them when you emptied the bin, however you would spot them when you emptied the pots etc. As srodders says if you spread it around the garden the birds will feast on any little beasties!

[Alice]

I just have a look when I empty the pots and if it's not infested with anything I put it on the flower beds and around my shrubs.

[rustylady]

Use mine to top dress the borders. Any grubs get eaten by the birds, it keeps the weeds down, and the worms gradually take it down into the soil. A few years of this, and your borders will be wonderful - shame it doesn't stop the cats pooing.

[Fred Perry]

I use Kabab sticks to keep the cats off fresh turned soil area for plants, It works as I have 5 cats that poo elsewhere now.

[Ozzieboy]

I put mine on the flower beds at home and on the compost heap down paradise (our lottie )

No ill effects to the flowers at home. cant tell you about the compost yet as its still doing its stuff.

[Raised Beds]

If the compost is well spent use them to plant carrots. Make a hole in the ground for each carrot, fill with compost and plant two or three seeds.

See how BIG they can grow!!

[eskymo]

I always tip mine into a big trug and check for nasty bugs - especially vine weevil as I had a bit a an outbreak last year - with all bugs removed I can put it on flower beds or I use it on my compost bin - we put a lot of vegetable/food waste in the compost bin and so after each addition of food scraps I put a layer of spent compost - I find this helps reduce the number of flies and bugs in the compost bin, but it also helps make the worms happy as since I added a bit of old waste from my worm bin into the compost bin, they've been multiplying and flourishing in there and helping the composting process.

[borage]

As long as the plants were healthy I put it on the borders

[nick the grief]

The only thing you need to watch is if you are oputting compost that you grew Toms in on a patch that your'e going to grow spuds on as they may catch something nasty. You could always re-use the compost togrow something like Beans in as a follow up crop as they will produce their own nitrogen and then year 3 maybe something like lettuce & then put it on your beds & borders.