Best value soil for containers. How to refresh used soil

s4lvatore · 13 August 2010 at 5:15PM

Ok still in my first proper year and learning in order for next year to be optimum in vegetable growing, lol.

Now this year I have been filling my containers with grow bags, nice and cheap, £1.50 per 33l. This has been fine as I have been trying different veg and seeing how it grows and taking note for next year.

What I want to know is if I am to keep turning things over in these pots, so for example plant more lettuce or onions as I harvest what is the best way of keeping the soil going? I mean if I got to replace the soil every 5/6 lettuce, that means the lettuce will effectively cost a couple of quid a crop. I know this is still good value but am looking at ways of getting excellent value.

Would adding some blood, fish and bone work in rejuvinating the soil?

s4lvatore · 15 August 2010 at 7:25AM

Been looking around and this looks like a realy good guide?

Anyone tried it?

kimmee · 15 August 2010 at 8:00AM

No I haven't but it seems like a good idea.

What I did at the start of the spring was to take off about a 1/3 of last years compost, add some feed to the remainder and then top off with fresh compost. The old stuff I used to spread over my beds as they need building up.

The only things I believe need fresh compost is tomatoes & potatoes because of blight risk but even ten I think you can used the compost to grow other crops (I'm sure someone more experienced will tell you if that is the case - just give it a good feed.

Hope that helps

GreenFly_2 · 15 August 2010 at 8:18AM

I get my compost from the council for free. I go to the local tip and fill up old feed bags to use as a general purpose compost. It's not good enough as seed compost as its a bit course but you can always sieve and add some fertiliser such as seaweed extract. Contact your local council to see if they offer the same service.

On the soil you have, probably the best way to reuse it is add it to the compost bin to mix with the decomposing compost and then reuse after its fully composted. The problem with using the same soil over again and just adding nutrients and fertilisers is the soil can build up diseases and can be a false economy.

Good Luck
Greenfly

Oldbiggles · 15 August 2010 at 10:59AM

Crop rotation is the answer.
Never grow the same crop in the same place after cropping.
This is especially true for potatoes, but should always be the rule for all veg. this routine will reduce the risk of infection.
The only exception to this rule is runner beans. When they finish CUT the dead growth away but leave the roots in the ground as they will continue to release vital nutrients into the soil which will benefit the next crop of beans sown in the same place year after year.

Principia_2 · 15 August 2010 at 11:02AM

Oldbiggles wrote: »

Crop rotation is the answer.
Never grow the same crop in the same place after cropping.
This is especially true for potatoes, but should always be the rule for all veg. this routine will reduce the risk of infection.
The only exception to this rule is runner beans. When they finish CUT the dead growth away but leave the roots in the ground as they will continue to release vital nutrients into the soil which will benefit the next crop of beans sown in the same place year after year.

Would that be the same for french beans Oldbiggles?

Oldbiggles · 15 August 2010 at 11:27AM

Principia wrote: »

Would that be the same for french beans Oldbiggles?

Yes, just dig in the roots each year and then plant a new crop of your chosen runner beans (or french beans).

Mums_garden · 15 August 2010 at 4:54PM

Who ever wrote about using grow bags vertically.....fabulous. Will do that next time. Just started gardening this year. It's very addictive.

s4lvatore · 15 August 2010 at 5:44PM

@Kimee. What feed exactly do you put on it. Any particular ratio?

@Oldbiggles I know what you mean about crop rotation but if you are revitalising the soil by adding feed and manure to it would it matter?

sassyblue · 15 August 2010 at 5:57PM

Mums_garden wrote: »

Who ever wrote about using grow bags vertically.....fabulous. Will do that next time. Just started gardening this year. It's very addictive.

It is a good idea isn't it? Thoroughly recommended!

Primrose · 16 August 2010 at 2:05PM

I use chicken manure pellets but I also add extra bulk to my container compost by digging in some of my green kitchen waste such as potato & carrot peelings, apple cores, chopped up tomato plant leaves, a handful of grass cuttings, etc. If you do this at the end of the growing season as well, it will all have rotted in by the following spring and as long as none of your plants, or your rotted peelings were diseased, it will give your compost a new lease of life. However, I would only re-use the compost for one more season to stop diseases building up.