Spent potting compost

[andy]

Anyone re-use their spent potting compost ?

I've saved all the stuff from last year and it's in a big pile in the corner of the garden.   I have some mushroom compost i was going to throw in and some growmore and then re-use it in my tubs this summer !!!

Any suggestions

[Rosefriend]

Yes I re-use all my compost Andy. As all my veg is in massive tubs I rotate the compost and then use it with flowers and eventually on the garden.

Bean compost gets used for onions etc - tom and spud compost get used for beans and onions, courgette and flower pots. I never use tom and spud compost for them again though and I always take the top layer out of my tubs and use that either just for the garden or just for deep tubs at the bottom. Toms and spuds always get new compost.

I add, depending on what I am going to plant, tom food or I prefer dried cow dung pellets which are really excellent. I also cover my tubs with bark chippings - helps with water loss and also stops an incredible amount of weeds.

There is no way that I could afford to change all the tubs each year....I use 25/30 40L bags of new compost as it is.

RF

[Ladygardener]

That's a huge amount of compost Rosefriend but then I know you grow a lot in containers.
I reuse my compost as well. I'll top up by mixing old with a bit of new and add BFB as I need it. I'll water with a lliquid tomato feed during the summer months as well. Like Rf I never reuse Tomato compost 'tho I'll use the potato compost from the allotment by putting it into the bed that I've grown potatoes in that year and I keep rotating.

[Auricula]

I reuse mine at the bottom of containers and as a mulch on the borders. If I get fed up I put some, at the end, on the compost heap

[Tig]

All of mine gets re-used unless I suspect there is a chance that vine weevil grubs have got into the pots. I usually turn each one out into a large tray and inspect it for any signs of grubs before using it on the garden, or to start off my dahlia tubers. If you have anywhere to have a bonfire it can be thrown on the burning embers and that cooks any lurking nasties that may have infested it.

[Jilly]

I reuse all mine too, there was an article about it in Gardening Which the other year, think they did a test & most things will grow well if fed in old compost. When I stop using it for pots I mix it in with composted manure to make that go further when I mulch the beds.  

[Rosefriend]

Mar 17, 2013 9:35:51 GMT Ladygardener said:

That's a huge amount of compost Rosefriend but then I know you grow a lot in containers.
I reuse my compost as well. I'll top up by mixing old with a bit of new and add BFB as I need it. I'll water with a lliquid tomato feed during the summer months as well. Like Rf I never reuse Tomato compost 'tho I'll use the potato compost from the allotment by putting it into the bed that I've grown potatoes in that year and I keep rotating.

Yes it is a lot Ladygardener but about 15km's there is a place that sells compost - 4 bags @ 40litres for 5.55Euro (4.80 pounds) which is a good price - it has just gone up actually. It isn't the best quality but when I add fertilizer itz is fine. I sieve two bags in autumn and add perlite for seeds and seedlings. I have a lot of compost from the toms last year which I shall use for the dahlia's, corms etc...

I think compost is more expensive in the UK, isn't it?

RF

[Jasmine]

It tends to be £4.99'ish for 60l'ish for a named brand but you can often find deals if you buy more than one bag.
Your compost is a good buy in comparison Rosefriend.

I tend to keep the compost in the bottom half of a pot and top the pot up with half MPC and half farmyard manure and a sprinkling of chicken manure pellets. The 'old' compost goes on the garden.

[Missredhead]

I use my sieved potato compost in pots for my bulbs and hanging baskets and after that it goes on the beds. I sometimes mix it with MPC as well for potting on seedlings.