Compost Help

[growingmyown]

Hi all,

Last year was my first year growing vegetables in pots. I live in a rented house so couldnt dig up the small patch of grass I have so opted to fill my patio with a variety of pots and flexi tubs and had what I thought a very successful yield. As I was starting from scratch I had to buy some big pots and compost last year but am hoping as its my second year to really keep the cost down this year. Over the winter due to mainly lack of space I kept my compost from last year on the patio in my big pots. Am I going to have to buy new compost for this year now? Or can I just mix it with something? Sorry if these questions seem obvious but I am still a novice really.

[Potstubsdustbins]

I too grow everything in containers but I am no compost expert, however I know what works for me.

First thing to say is that if any of last years plants had any kind of disease then I throw that compost away.

For seed cutting I always use new compost as I consider seedlings to be delicate and in need of TLC.

With my old compost I first sieve it to get rid of old roots etc and then mix in some old fashioned Growmore before I reuse it. I then use other feeds as required. The main two I use are Miracle Grow for its nitrogen content and tomato feed for its potash.

After all as I understand it compost basically does two things it provides support for the plant and holds the nutrients that the plant requires to grow.

I am sure one of the guru's will be along with advice so I would wait for other posts before making your mind up.

Colin

[Florence Fennel]

I reused some compost last year that I had in troughs, I just mixed in some chicken poo pellets and it was fine. Will renew it this year though.

[Aberdeenplotter]

add something like vitax q4 which is a balanced slow release fertiliser, but if as Potstubs says you have diseased materials present, better to start afresh.

[Nicos]

It's not just nutrients you need to be thinking about- you may well have fungal spores or pests ( eg slugs/woodlice) etc breeding away in there

It's actually a bit of a fine art working quite how much new feed to add to the old compost- too much of one thing may cause too much top growth ( certainly not needed with spuds) or forking with carrots.

I've never reused for those very reasons- but it's certainly do-able.

[growingmyown]

Thanks everyone!

I've decided it'll be better to get new compost if that's generally what everyone has advised rather than be troubled with low yields and diseases and wish I had listened. I also went into my garden earlier and a few of the pots had funghus growing in them so I really don't think I'll get away with using it again.
The only thing is, what am I going to do with all this compost I have. Does anyone know if I can put it in my green recycling wheelie bin. It is for garden waste but I've only ever put grass cuttings etc. in it.

On a seperate note, can anyone offer me any advise or direct me to a link on courgettes. Thinking about using the self pollinating variety this year after many of my courgettes failed to come to anything last year.

[Kristen]

I "rotate" my used compost. I have compost "left over" from plants that failed (not diseased - seeds that did not germinate, things that were pricked out that then did not take, etc), and things I didn't get around to planting, etc. This is basically "slightly used". That is used to earth up spuds-in-bags next crop. (Spuds are planted in fresh compost, but earthed up with "slightly used" compost - I'm a tight git, me!)

Then I have compost from last season's Spuds-in-bags. I don't grow Potatoes or Tomatoes in that (those plants share similar disease). I mostly use that compost for planting up Tubs and Urns - I add a slow release fertilizer (the one that looks like "Hundreds and thousands"). I also use old Spud compost, mixed 50:50 with sharp horticultural sand, for Carrots in pots (they need no fertilizer).

If there is any left over spent-compost it goes on my flower beds.

You could sterilize your compost (e.g. in the microwave - be careful not to "cook it" such that the humus it contains is burnt, but well enough that the bugs are killed. A wall paper striping steamer cold be rigged up to a sterilizing bucket if you are handy at DIY)

If all that is not your bag then find a chum who has a garden - they will be thrilled to get all your spent-compost to enrich their garden - just make sure they know what you have grown in it - so they don't use your potatoes compost on their Potatoes or Tomatoes.

[AmyRose]

I've decided it'll be better to get new compost if that's generally what everyone has advised rather than be troubled with low yields and diseases

if you have a B&Q close by, keep checking out the garden centre, the one near me has loads of reduced compost at the moment (all differenct brands and types) reduced because the bags are damaged and abit has been lost

I have more than i can use at the minute...but i cant resist a bargain

[Two_Sheds]

You can always make your own potting compost out of leafmold (I bagged up 30 sacks this autumn, amazing).

[Potstubsdustbins]

Certainly here in Nottingham you can put used compost in your gardening recycling bin, the only thing they ask is that you don't put to much in at anyone time as it would take 'Arnie' to shift it.


Colin

[Jono]

According to this, Bristol City Council won't take compost:

Bristol City Council: Recycling - information and advice: Recycling services

Might be worth giving them a call though, they might just mean they don't want bags and bags of it for the reason Potstubsdustbins points out.

I reckon you could take it to the civic amenity centre / tip place though.