Compost vs grow bags

choccyface2006

I have bought some lovely steel pots for my garden, I can buy potting compost locally for £1.99 a bag or grow bags for 99p for the same amount, is there a differance in quality between the two? Is it essential to use potting compost or can I get away with the cheaper alternative?

Thanks,

Sarah x

economiser

I don't think there is much difference. I have often found the grow bags the cheapest way to buy compost. Seems odd but there we are. I have used compost from the bags and not found any difference but I am mainly potting on rather than propagating.

choccyface2006

Thanks, I just potting up too, I think I would spend the extra if I were propagating. Think I will stick to the grow bags till then.

Thansk again.

Chester_Draws

Personnally I think it depends on how long you want the plants to stay looking good , and also whether you will always be able to water EVERY day.

Grow bags tend to have less long lasting goodness, and therefore you will have to feed more regular after about 4 weeks. The goodness of the growbag will have expired by then.
The compost will last longer ........ but still need to have feed added after about 6/8 weeks.

The grow bag has less substance to retain moisture, and even missing one days watering can put the plants under a strain which they may not recover from.

In summary, for planting pots, if you want them to look good for June and July only , use Growbags. If you want them to look good to the end of August, use compost. If you want them to last until the end of September, then buy a bag of compost, and a cheap bag of John Innes No3, and mix the 2 together 50/50. This gives the goodness + the water retaining properties.

This is just my opinion, based on how I like plants to last as long as possible, even if it takes more initially, and I am sure others have better suggestions.

choccyface2006

Thanks Chester for that excellent advice, I will think again now. I was going to buy some miracle grow, is that the best plant food in your opinion?

Thanks again.

Sarah

twink

i tried using grobags instead of compost but i wont do that this year, i wasnt very impressed with the results

calmgirl

grow bags are designed mainly for tomatoes that are quick growing and need lots of water (I have grown toms in water only once as a experiment ) Compost is more o f a slow release compound. but personally I WOULD CREATE my own compost as its free and cuts down on waste.

Chester_Draws

Hi Choccy,

Miraclegrow will do just fine, or also compare the price of Phosphogen as that seems to do just as well.
Another alternative may be to mix into the compost some slow release food granules and then its not so important if you forget to feed.

http://www.gardenhealth.com/product_range/feed_all/controlledrelease.php

Enjoy your pots. :j

choccyface2006

Calmgirl, I have had a compost bin in the past but I don't have a graden anymore, just a yard and its fully concreted otherwise I would have another compost bin and be making my own!

Chester, thanks again, will do that!

alec_eiffel

I only have a fully concreted yard and have a compost bin, works fine, well as far as I can tell as I never go near the thing - not my department.

Linda32

I use grow bags for plants such as annuals which are only going to be in the pot for 3 months or so. Plus I half fill it first with ordinary garden soil first.

Depening on how big the pot is, the only consideration you have to give to the half fill method is that it will make the pot quite heavy. Not a problem if its only a small pot or if your not going to move it.