Recycling growbags

~Chameleon~

Being one of these people who positively hates throwing anything away if I can possibly find another use for it, I wondered what people's opinions/experiences might be on recycling the compost from used grow bags?

I have half a dozen bags that were left to one side after growing last year's tomatoes and cucumbers in them and although I know most of the goodness and nutrients will be depleted by now, surely I can use the compost elsewhere in the garden, even if it's only fit to tip into the compost bin?

sb44

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

Being one of these people who positively hates throwing anything away if I can possibly find another use for it, I wondered what people's opinions/experiences might be on recycling the compost from used grow bags?

I have half a dozen bags that were left to one side after growing last year's tomatoes and cucumbers in them and although I know most of the goodness and nutrients will be depleted by now, surely I can use the compost elsewhere in the garden, even if it's only fit to tip into the compost bin?

Some members use them to grow potatoes in.

tenzing

Hi - yes, I always put the contents of my old growbags on the compost heap to help mix in with everything else. There are usually some worms and other things in there which combine with everything else to help rot down.

Errata

Compost heap or use them on beds and borders as a mulch.

sb44

Oops! Sorry, just read your post again.

I thought you meant what do people do with the actual bag, not the old compost.

Doh!

Lord_Gardener

We just use as a soil conditioner on our heavy clay soil!

Jayar

sb44 wrote: »

Oops! Sorry, just read your post again.

I thought you meant what do people do with the actual bag, not the old compost.

Doh!

You are not alone - I thought that too
However, on the subject of the actual bags, I recycle those too by using them to line planters which would otherwise leak or rot i.e. hanging baskets or my old wheelbarrows.

sb44

Jayar wrote: »

You are not alone - I thought that too
However, on the subject of the actual bags, I recycle those too by using them to line planters which would otherwise leak or rot i.e. hanging baskets or my old wheelbarrows.

I will have to save mine now that I know I can use them for something useful!

Ta!

looneyleo

Abosultely reuse the compost. I'm not an expert, but I thought that certain plants take certain nutrients from the ground to grow, So any old compost I re-use to grow something different in the following year (i.e. tomatoes one year, maybe flowers in a planter then next) Then i'll put it on the compost heap or just use as mulch.

giftbouquets

I like sb44 idea of growing potatos the next year. Has anyone tried this.

angie_loves_veg

giftbouquets wrote: »

I like sb44 idea of growing potatos the next year. Has anyone tried this.

As sb44 says, growbag compost that has been used once would not have the required nutrients for potatoes (they like rich soil), however the bags themselves could be used for growing in (with new compost).

To answer your question - I am growing a few potatoes in *new* growbags this year, and so far they are looking good.

I use spent compost, like others, as a mulch on my (clay) borders and/or in the compost bin if my borders are all done...