We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Can Compost be Re-used

Options
2»

Comments

  • Zazen999
    Zazen999 Posts: 6,183 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Taking used compost to the tip?

    Madness.

    The compost will not be depleted of nutrients, it will be depleted of SOME nutrients - in the case of legumes it will have more of some nutrients that it started out with.
  • Primrose
    Primrose Posts: 10,701 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper I've been Money Tipped!
    I wouldn't make a habit of regularly re-using compost year after year but have done so successfully occasionally in the past. However, I dig some of the old compost out, mix in some fresh and mix in a good handful of chicken manure pellets to ensure the soil had sufficient nutrients. This has worked perfectly successfully for me for peppers, chillis and aubergines. I've also mixed old compost in with new compost for sowing seeds too with success but you do have to ensure the compost doesn't have any fungus or mould in it. It's important to add some nutrients (either pellets or rotted horse manure) as bagged compost only has sufficient nutrients for one growing season and even then it often needs to be boosted up during the growing season.
  • alanobrien
    alanobrien Posts: 3,308 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker Mortgage-free Glee!
    I think this "you cant use compost more than once" malarky is something dreamt up by someone with an interest in getting you to buy more every year. I treat compost at home no differently to the earth on an allotment and i don't replace the earth on the allotment annually !

    I reuse compost adding nutirents and have done so for as long as i can remenber. To date it has not caused me any problems and i grow a range of tropical plants as well as fruit and veg annually.
  • This is what i do

    Buy or make own compost

    Use compost for seedlings in pots etc

    Once used throw into compost bin with the usual grass cuttings, peelings etc

    The stuff costs a fortune and you wouldn't chuck away the mud that you use down the lotty etc. Just rotate or mix to replace nutrients.
  • BigDonut
    BigDonut Posts: 291 Forumite
    has anyone got a good link fro crop rotation?
    i.e. what to plant after what?
    EDIT: I found useful advice here: http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles1200/crop_rotation.asp
  • kazwookie
    kazwookie Posts: 14,254 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    I reuse it else where in the garden, what a load of PR / marketing non sense to throw it out.
    Breast Cancer Now 100 miles October 2022 100 / 100miles
    D- Day 80km June 2024 80/80km (10.06.24 all done)
    Diabetic UK 1 million steps July 2024 to complete by end Sept 2024. 1,001,066/ 1,000,000 (20.09.24 all done)
    Breast Cancer Now 100 miles 1st May 2025 (18.05.2025 all done)
    Diabetic UK 1 million steps July 2025 to complete by end Sept 2025. 204,781/1,000,000
    Sun, Sea
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 350.9K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.5K Spending & Discounts
  • 243.9K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 598.7K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.9K Life & Family
  • 257.1K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.