a good mix for tomato and peppers in pots..?

[cptncrackoff]

Hi everyone!
Im still growing, just very busy but will make sure I update my allotment thread soon....plenty of pics!

Im just after some advice please on a mix to pot up my toms and peppers please!

I get given the damaged bags at work of compost peat etc so I have...

100ltrs levington mpc
100lts jab moss peat
30ltrs innes no.2
30ltrs innes no.3

Would anyone have an idea of percentages to make the best out of that!?
Thanks

[WendyC]

I think I would use the Levingtons as it is. JI no1 is for seedlings so not enough feed in there really. You could add some of the JI no2, up to half and half to the Levingtons. This would add a bit of weight to the pots and also tends to help the compost rewet a bit more easily if it gets really dry. (Not that you ever would...) I don't use moss peat so can't comment on that.

[cptncrackoff]

Sorry! Its no.3 soil based not seediling I'll edit it now!
Thanks for your input!
I dont buy peat, but it was going in the skip so I'll try to make use of it!

[BertieFox]

Being too tight fisted to buy expensive bags of compost for potting on my tomatoes, peppers and aubergines I have been experimenting with the following.

We have managed to get a trailer load of mushroom compost from a local mushroom farm for just five euros. I found that if I sieved this through my 'Rotasieve' (a metal sieve with a rotating arm and handle), I got a beautiful fine compost which I have mixed with sharp sand on a two thirds, one third basis.

I have been planting my young plants into this mixture, half expecting them to go yellow and give up the ghost, but so far, after a couple of weeks, they are flourishing in this mixture. The main disadvantage is that the mixture dries out fairly quickly. I should also say that I am not going to grow any plants to completion in this mix, but am using it as a staging post until the plants are large enough to go out in the garden or in the greenhouse beds.

[lottie dolly]

what I am trying this year is,half and half,used potting compost with home rendered compost heap,all sieved and blended,so far so good,the only thing is you do get a few tiny weeds,easily removed,plus it saves a few pennies,and you know what's in it.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Remember that no matter what mix you use you will still have to feed after about week 6. The peat compost will be very good for retaining moisture which will be important for your toms.

Also when the season comes to a close don't forget that peat does not die, riddle it keep it over winter and with the addition of a little base fertiliser you can use it again next year.

[WendyC]

Sorry! Its no.3 soil based not seediling I'll edit it now!
Thanks for your input!
I dont buy peat, but it was going in the skip so I'll try to make use of it!

Definitely use it rather than throw. Given that the JI is no3 not 1, I think I'd mix the 2 peat based composts with the two JI ones. Not sure which was round though! Have an experiment, try just MPC, just JI and a mixture see what works for you. No help really, sorry.

[cptncrackoff]

Sorry to drag up an old post but felt rude for not replying when people offer advice..

They were 20ltr, the john innes 2 + 3, i mixed these with the bag and a half of levingtons, which made a nice looking mix, all tomatoes and peppers now potted up!

The peat went in my bean trenches with a load of rotted horse poop.

[Snadger]

I'm growing all my peppers,toms and cukes in pure home made compost. I don't bother seperating weeds out of my compost so have to live with a few weeds germinating but generally they seem to be thriving up until now!

Anyway weeds aint weeds, they is green manure!

[roitelet]

I'm using a mix of 1part to 2 homemade compost and 1 sand for drainage. We will see!