silly question

onetomany

but can you reuse compose? or do you need to buy more each year? also i got a grow bag from last year thanks in advange x

SailorSam

I don't know if this is right or wrong but i normally empty old pots with compost in, back into the compost bin, but i buy new stuff as well.
The new stuff i'll use for pots and that out of the bin i'll add straight to the borders.

[Deleted User]

I reuse it all the time eg I pulled the last carrot from a small trough and took out the big roots, put a handful of other reused compost with it, added a few fertiliser pellets and planted 3 little gem lettuce. I`ll carry on reusing compost until winter and then I`ll start putting it in the allotment compost bin. I have tomatoes in growbags and I intend to use that compost for winter lettuce and endive. I took the last lettuce out of a bigger planter and made sure the big roots were all out and I then planted a red cabbage

Davesnave

If you use as much as me, it's worth buying an old, good sized microwave and putting old compost through that (in a suitable closed container.)

Of course the resulting stuff will be dead material, but mixed with a little chicken poo and thence into new mixes, that won't be for long.

Just try not to microwave worms if you do this! :rotfl:

Yorkie1

Make sure you never leave any compost being cooked in a m/w - high risk of fire!

You could probably get a second year out of it to grow low nutrient things like salad leaves. But never repeat the same crop (build-up of pests and diseases) and make sure you feed it as another poster has said, as compost only has sufficient nutrients for about 6 weeks.

I don't put spent compost in the C bin; I put it straight onto the soil and dig in.

Davesnave

Yorkie1 wrote: »

Make sure you never leave any compost being cooked in a m/w - high risk of fire!

I assumed an elementary grasp of physics, so thought people would realise that closed(ish) container + damp compost + microwaving = steam sterilization.

Oh, and my microwave has a timer. 15 mins on max for about 5-6 litres is what I use, but as they say, "your results may vary."

Yorkie1

Yes, I have a rudimentary grasp of physics, but I have known several people trying this and the compost catching fire, hence the warning! :lol

lollipopsarah

great question, does this mean that when my grow bags are finished with, I can did the soil into the garden?
Thankyou.
x

westiea

Hi
yes all your old compost can be dug in and will certainly bulk up your soil (water before applying your compost if it is peat based), though will not give any nutrients.
As to Dave's idea - well that's basically how compost used to be made on the old nurseries (yes I am that old!) when we used to heat sterilise our potting composts (and mix by hand!). It does get very hot but I guess if you know how to use a microwave you know enough to keep a close eye - as having exploded many things in it myself!!:rotfl: It is great for seed sowing the following year after a sieve.

Davesnave

Thinking about it, my compost recycling centre is in a barn I don't much care for, but it would cost about £20k to rebuild. However.......:rotfl:

BallandChain

Surely putting compost in the microwave is going to smell and I would think you'd only be able to microwave small batches at a time?