growing own veggies in bags and pots (Merged)

stilernin

My questions are:

1. Will a multipuropse compost see me through from seedlings to planting..............

2. I have a pots on the patio that are still growing bay, rosemary, sage, mint from last spring. Should I be changing the compost and to which one?



I tend to make a compromise between best practice and cost. For sowing seeds I use a decent multipurpose compost. I reckon the nutrients are pretty much used up in a month but most seedlings are potted on within that time and therefore have some fresh compost to draw on. If something is in a pot longterm you will need to feed it.

Regarding your established pots, I would scrape out the top few inches of compost, taking reasonable care not to damage roots too much, and replace with fresh compost. As the season goes on, give them a bit of feed occasionally.
All of your 'old' compost can be used as a soil conditioner in the borders or used to bulk up your compost heap.

A word of warning about the mint though ......... If you break of bits of root as you scrape out the compost, take care where you put it. Mint is a real thug and will grow anywhere from just a bit of root and you'll find it hard to get rid of it if it's in the wrong place. You are doing the right thing, keeping it in a pot!!

Teresita_2

Well the blasted frost killed my tomato plants, cucumber and courgette plants in the greenhouse but on the upside my strawberries are thriving.

Seeds are doing fantastic in the house for now but am seriously short of room and being in tehese fantastic spring conditions cant use the greenhouse at the min for fear of loosing more!!!!

Roll on the warmer weather

harib0uk

Teresita wrote: »

Well the blasted frost killed my tomato plants, cucumber and courgette plants in the greenhouse but on the upside my strawberries are thriving.

Really sorry to hear that the frost got your plants.. Have you got a fleece? they do them in the pound shop.

How do you know that the frost has killed them? I have a small mini Greenhouse, plastic kind which has a fleece cover I put over it at night.. I took the tomato and cucumber sedlings in last night but left out my peppers... they seem ok

Teresita_2

They completely flopped over and the leaves were all shriveled. Dead as a dodo!!! We had a major frost sunday morning, I had to scrape the car lol

I managed to get a 2m x 2m fleece in tesco reduced to £1.60 so whats in the greenhouse gets covered every night now.

Teresita_2

Well my wee mission is definately on. Seedlings seem to be thriving. Have repotted the courgette and cucumber seedlings in bigger pots. Strawberries are flowering (thought it was too early!!) Lettuce seedlings are taking over the pots so am getting bigger containers tonight. My other half has said he is going to build me a coldframe for the garden then I can use the soil outside and the dogs wont be able to pee on them. He seems to be taking an interest too but I think he just wants to eat the strawberries lol!!!

smithyjules

just a few questions after reading all your exciting stories!

I planted a few chitted new/salad type potatoes in pots a good few weeks ago now but still no sign of anything happening...is this normal or how long should i expect to wait before i start seeing any shoots?i@m all ready to start covering them in compost but nothing is happening!

I was planning to put strawberry plants in hanging baskets this year but am not really to sure where/when to start!am a novice you see!!!Should i buy plants and put them in or attempt growing them from seed?if the later am i too late to start?

many thanks in advance for any advice!

Jim_Bean

Hi guys, when repotting plants (courgette etc) from trays to their own pots should I just remove the plant only (i.e. no soil) and re-pot? Or should I try to keep as much soil around the roots as possible and re-pot that way?

Lotus-eater

Carefully dig down to the potato and see if it has rotted, they really don't need much water atm.

Buy strawberry plants and put in hanging baskets now. Too late for seeds.


Jim, keep as much soil on as poss, don't pinch the stem, you will kill it.

smithyjules

Thanks L-E! i had a bit of a firkle (getting in practice for firkling for my potatoes soon!!) and found that the chitted spuds are shooting but obviously too slow for impatient me!phew at least they aren't rotten!!!

Will search out some strawberry plants.are there any particular varieties more suited to hanging baskets?i know you are suppossed to get tumbling tomatoes for hanging baskets (i think!).Better get tom plants too soon i guess!

BeenieCat

smithyjules wrote: »

Thanks L-E! i had a bit of a firkle (getting in practice for firkling for my potatoes soon!!) and found that the chitted spuds are shooting but obviously too slow for impatient me!phew at least they aren't rotten!!!

Will search out some strawberry plants.are there any particular varieties more suited to hanging baskets?i know you are suppossed to get tumbling tomatoes for hanging baskets (i think!).Better get tom plants too soon i guess!

I can't answer your questions re. the planting of, but this offer still seems up and running although someone has said it's finished (works for me)

10 strawberry plants for £3.50 http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1585257