Do I need to buy fresh soil?

riotlady

Hi! I don't have any gardening experience at all but have inherited a yard with a bunch of pots that are filled with soil but not much else except for occaisonal weeds. I'd like to have a go at sorting it out and making it look pretty but I'm not sure where to start- do I keep the soil currently in the pots? Throw it all out and buy new stuff? Mix it 50/50?

Thanks!

Farway

When you say "yard" do you mean it is all concrete except for the pots?

If there is some garden there, borders or whatever I would tip the pot contents onto the borders and start with fresh compost in the pots

If all concrete, the fact weeds grow in the pots shows there is some life in the soil in there

What are you thinking of putting in the pots? Ordinary bedding plants, like begonias will be fine if you just mix some blood, fish & bone in into the soil before planting, and if you get some Growmore, add a small handful of that as well

Even if you start with new compost you will need to feed it now and again because the nutrients will get used up over time

riotlady

Yeah, it!!!8217;s all concrete except for the pots. I was hoping to do a few flowers in some and possibly a little bit of veg in a couple? Quick growing salad leaves or something as it!!!8217;s quite late in the year

ed1178

Dump the current soil. It's likely exhausted and full of weed seeds, whatever you plant will prefer fresh compost and will stand more of a chance if it doesn't have to compete with weeds. Mix in a little slow release fertiliser too, your new plants will thank you for it. And don't forget to water regularly- possibly daily in this weather. Pots can dry out in hours.