Can anyone help with soil questions

[wendya]

I am starting to tend this planter and another one next to it. 
Soon i intend to buy a few bushes for it, but my question is what soil do i need to add as someone said soil does not look good.

Here is the planter in question, i have over turned all the soil and was going to purchase 3 big bags of compost just a normal one, but when going to purchase a small bush was told i need to add things, apparently bone meal takes months to work??? I have absolutely no idea about nothing like that and could do with help, as i don't want to buy bushes and all die through lack of nourishment in soil,, then again don't want to spend a fortune as this a a public area and not my own garden.

[Tel]

If you are going to use compost, I would use a soil based compost, for shrubs, I would use John innes No 3

[Auricula]

John Innes no3 or just multipurpose compost plus some Growmore pellets forked in lightly and all should be well

[wendya]

Growmore pellets what are they? and then you add to compost? someone mentioned chicken pellets, but i have never seen these.

Would love to get John Innis but only choice is B&Q as in the city

[andy]

Jan 29, 2014 13:03:51 GMT Auricula said:

John Innes no3 or just multipurpose compost plus some Growmore pellets forked in lightly and all should be well

Exactly what i was going to put although any multipurpose will do.

Growmore is a cheap, slow release fertilizer that should be added to older compost to help maintain the plants nutrition.  It can be applied either once a year in spring or twice in spring and mid summer

[wendya]

Ok thanks Andy

[wendya]

just to make sure would this be ok
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/J-Arthur-Bowers-Growmore-Plant-Food-Compound-General-Garden-Fertiliser-1KG-/360543891930?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Garden_Plants_Fertiliser_CV&hash=item53f21731da

[andy]

yep...that's the stuff although you can get it at the garden centre too

[Ladygardener]

wendya Even some of the pound shops sell it and B&Q will have it, Blood Fish Bone mixes are good, so you should be able to get your hands on it. I'd also use the MP compost with maybe a bag of John Innis mixed with it to give it some weight. Best of luck.

[wendya]

Thanks both, i cant get john innis here, so will have to be any old multi compost.

[wendya]

One more question, i have 3 large compost bags now,, so when the Growmore pellets come is it best to hoe the ground and sprinkle pellets, then add compost on top of pellets, as we do have quite a few foxes and cats about so didn't want them eating pellets. Just want to be sure i do it correctly

[Ladygardener]

Feb 1, 2014 14:17:04 GMT wendya said:

One more question, i have 3 large compost bags now,, so when the Growmore pellets come is it best to hoe the ground and sprinkle pellets, then add compost on top of pellets, as we do have quite a few foxes and cats about so didn't want them eating pellets. Just want to be sure i do it correctly

I'd fill the containers, sprinkle on the growmore or BFB and lightly fork it in with a hand fork wendya. That's what I do.

[wendya]

Thanks

[wendya]

I have found this thread at last I have a question, bought more general compost as they dont do john innis in my b and q also bought top soil. Now I know I need to add grow more pellets soon, so is it the compost i add the grow more pellets too?
I'm not sure really what I should use top soil for? Just my hubby bought one

[Tig]

Usually topsoil is imported into new build gardens, because the land needs to be levelled and improved after the building process. It can be used to improve drainage in clay soil, and also can be mixed with compost for use in containers for shrubby plants. I am no expert, others may add to this. Add your growmore when things are starting to get growing and the soil is warming up. Not too much though, or you could end up with more foliage than flowers depending on what you've got growing. I've fed my roses, clematis and camellias - but not all with the same types of feed.

[wendya]

Ok thank you Tig, oh glad you said that about doing grow more later, as thought now was the time. So maybe another month or 2 will be best to add then.
Now i do have 2 roses and see the parks are adding fertilizer, but i see they dont add to dog roses, i have also a rugosa rose, so maybe they don't need as much fertilizer. What do you fertilize your clematis with please?

[Tig]

I use blood, fish & bonemeal on the clematis, just a sprinkle around the root area then lightly fork it in & water it a bit, you can buy specific clematis feed but BFB seems to work OK on mine. RF got me using bespoke rose food for my roses, but I think that the dog roses, and rosa rugosa thrive best on neglect, therefore I wouldn't feed them at all.

[wendya]

Thank you so much Tig, I have bonemeal so will get that on the clematis root area

[owdboggy]

Don't be too generous with the Bonemeal. Most people add far too much of it when planting. You need a small handful per square yard, so in a container like yours the amounted needed would be a lot less than that.

[Chuckles]

wendya,Tel,Auricula,andy,Ladygardener,Tig,owdboggy,

I agree with Tig and OB. In large pots and planters which can tend to dry out a bit over winter, I tend to use tomato feed for the first couple feeds.

Dosage is always a pain I think and you can over or under do it. What I've found useful to do is have a dosage container and mark that amount on it, most of the liquid feeds have a measure on the lid or say use the lid and I keep a small container in my dry feed for that job.

[wendya]

thanks