Could I rejuvenate and reuse potato compost - for xmas potatoes?

[kingkano]

Too risky?

I thought I could mix in some HM compost, chicken manure pellets, bit of fresh compost, etc to perk it up again. Then just feed them through the growing season.

[chris]

Well, there's nothing really stopping you. Chicken manure is high in nitrogen, which is great for leafy growth but for 'fruiting' plants you'd want a feed high in potash.

I've read about a few people growing spuds in the same ground for a while.. I'm no doubt doing it on my plot - I've recently taken it over and have no idea what was grown there before.

If the spuds were disease free then it may be ok - obviously it's not advised.

How about doing half your xmas crop in it, and have not? if you're growing them in the planter-type sacks, it is a bit of a cost.

After my spuds were done, I grew carrots in them (and beetroot), and then went on for some fast cropping salad crops.. I mixed some back into my compost heap, and mulched other plants with the rest of it.

I wanted a decent crop of spuds for xmas, so I used fresh, new compost... made sure I used the correct fertilizer and protected them from frost.

[chris]

See this thread for more info on the fertilizer: http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ser_45659.html

[pipscariad]

I've read about a few people growing spuds in the same ground for a while..

Over the road from my veg plot there's a field that a local farmer uses for potatoes - year in, year out! He plants a green manure in there over winter, but apart from that doesn't seem to do anything else (although of course I'm not there watching all the time!). Why don't you try doing as Chris suggests and planting half in the revitalised compost and half in new, it could be an interesting experiment to report back on.

By the way, the potato farmer also sings to his potatoes, he's a wonderful soprano* who is in a local welsh choir, you could always try that - it makes being at the plot a magical experience when I time that right!

*Hmm, not sure that's right actually having just looked it up, but tenor, soprano or whatever, he sings beautifully anyway!

[Potstubsdustbins]

The short answer is yes with provisos.

First and foremost there should have been no sign of trouble with your last planting of potatoes, if there has been a problem use it for other things.

To reuse my compost I first riddle it to get rid of old roots any left over small spuds etc. I then mix in a dollop of BFB or growmore which ever I have to hand, this is NPK neutral and will act as a good base fertilizer. After planting my spuds I feed with high nitrogen at first then switch to high potash at about 6/8 weeks.

Colin

[kingkano]

Thanks for the advice guys, BFB thats what I need, good tip thanks Colin. Might actually follow that advice and do a couple with fresh compost to compare.

Yes - its partly the cost of yet another load of compost lol and I'd like to be able to get more use out of it. As it is I'm going to have ALOT to spread over my beds with this lot, some pots, and all my greenhouse stuff too! Without adding another lot in

[Potstubsdustbins]

Though some will disagree with me I use my compost over an extended period. It is riddled and stored in my potato dustbins over winter then brought out in spring a base fertilizer as above is added and it is reused for almost anything except seed sowing. For this I like to use new compost to try to ensure it is sterile.

Colin

[mcsee]

A lot do it, but it's one way of carrying over any diseases from one year to another, not that you can see them in the compost.