Ericaceous compost on other, 'normal' plants?

bundly

I've had to buy a whole bag of ericaceous compost just to repot one small acer :-(

All I have is a small patio with potted plants and two small trees, and I do not have even one other plant that requires ericaceous stuff (I've read through the whole list online).

Rather than waste it, can I just (a) use it to repot other plants, or can I (b) mix it in with the 'ordinary' regular compost?

Bundly

(PS this question was asked on here by someone else 5 yrs ago but nobody answered the actual question.)

torbrex

The acer will get bigger so unless you intend restricting its growth you will need more compost for it next time.
You should be renewing as much as you can this time anyway but any that you have left over will not hurt most plants if you mix it in with other compost when using.

bundly

Thanks for the reply. Most of my other potted plants are shrubs, so I hope that will be OK.

With regard to keeping it for the acer's next repotting, I read somewhere that compost loses its nutrients whilst in storage and so would it not mean that by the time I repot the acer (in a year or two) the ericaceous compost will be 'dead'?

torbrex

I may have worded my reply wrong, I was not suggesting keeping the compost, more that you will need to go through the same process next time

I just used all the leftover ericaseous over the rest of my garden but it should be fine in pots if you mix it with other compost

Ectophile

Ericaceous compost is slightly acid, so don't use it for lime-loving plants. But for most plants, just mix it with other compost.

I_have_spoken

YOu could mix in powdered lime to neutralize the acidity

bundly

Thanks to both.

Now I have to find a list of lime loving plants and make sure I don't use it on them. Or see if I can cheaply buy lime to be delivered (of course there comes a point where it's cheaper and easier to just chuck away the ericaceous stuff). :-)

I have so much to learn about gardening!

ColinFishwick

I would keep it myself even use it to top up acer next year by taking top inceh of compost.

bundly

ColinFishwick wrote: »

I would keep it myself even use it to top up acer next year by taking top inceh of compost.

What do you mean by taking top inceh, please, Colin?

ColinFishwick

Scrape top inch and compost it and replace it so it had new compost which has nutrients, its a top dressing. I do this often with pot plants especially as they have few nutrients in after a year or so.