Topic: What to do with the soil from pots?

[Barnowl]

I grow all of my tomatoes and most of my chillies in containers.  At the end of the season when I've cut down the plants what should I do with the  (usually rootbound) soil in the pots? I usually throw it under a big camellia but am running out of space.

Also, I just wash the plastic posts in hot water and washing up liquid which seems to work, but has anyone tried putting them in the dishwasher after getting the worst dirt off (when OH isn't looking, of course)?

[sally_cinnamon]

Great question barnowl, that's something I'd like to know too (about the soil)  I was planning on just chucking mine into the compost bin as I'd had no luck whatsoever re-using the compost, no water retention at all!

As for the dishwasher, I guess it would be worth trying one to experiment, maybe on a low heat setting.  Perhaps not with the casserole dishes!

[supersprout]

has anyone tried putting them in the dishwasher after getting the worst dirt off (when OH isn't looking, of course)?

My plant trainers go through the dishwasher, it was one of their key selling points!

[Kea]

I just put all my used soil on the flower garden. It helps improve my clay soil.

[sally_cinnamon]

Ooh, good idea - I have a patch I was going to use next year and thats clay - what time of year do you dig it in, Kea?

[Doris_Pinks]

Pots do well for me in the dishwasher, but can leave your runners a bit gritty! :-\ ;D

My used  soil goes on the garden or into my composter.

[STHLMgreen]

good question and a good suggestion... use it to break up the hardest clay patches on the allotment!

[froglets]

I use my old pot compost as a winter mulch, helps to bulk up my sandy soil.

[Barnowl]

Thanks, our allotment fairly sandy so I'll give it a try.

[Kea]

Ooh, good idea - I have a patch I was going to use next year and thats clay - what time of year do you dig it in, Kea?

I just spread over the garden about this time of the year and leave it for the worms to work in, it seems to work. My garden is heavily planted with perrenials so it's the only way to do it.

[rosebud]

I mix all mine together put in some slow release fertiliser and water granules good old mix,  bag it up and use it all over the place in the spring.

[supersprout]

the slow release fert. is a great idea rosebud, I'll do that
I'm lucky enough to have a supply of used compost from a pal ;D and just throw it everwhere to add to the m*lch :)

[ACE]

Use the old compost for overwintering your tender plants when you bring them in, as they do not need nourishment.

Get a cheap steam cleaner for your pots, they need sterilising not just washing.

[Barnowl]

I mix all mine together put in some slow release fertiliser

That sounds a good idea as well. Thanks Rosebud

[lorna]

Ace. Another use for my carpet steam cleaner, never thought of that one. I was pleased when I found I could defrost the freezer with it so quickly. Thanks.
Lorna.

[ACE]

Hold fast about re-using your old compost. I was talking about it at work today, saying that Monty Don said use it for overwintering plants.

Revitalising it with plant food is not a good idea either.

The gardeners I was talking to all came up with the same reason for ditching it. VINE WEAVIL.

There could be VW eggs in it and the little buggers will ruin your plants.

[Barnowl]

Have done a bit of a search. These vine weevils sound really nasty. There is biological control called Grubsure (nematodes). Dan Pearson wrote this in the Observer last Sunday

"The old, slimy leaves on the succulents that may rot in the crowns are pulled away and the soil carefully checked for vine weevil grubs by tipping them out without disturbing the root ball, as this is the pest's most active season. I now treat the soil in all my pots in the autumn with a biological control called Grubsure from www.defenders.co.uk. The microscopic nematodes arrive in an envelope in a batch of several million, suspended in clay and in temporary stasis. All you have to do to liberate the nematodes is to make a solution and water it on before the soil temperature drops below 5C. The nematodes burrow their way into vine weevil grubs and breed there. A gory end, to be sure, but one that does not entail the use of chemicals."

[sally_cinnamon]

...saying that Monty Don said use it for overwintering plants...

The gardeners I was talking to all came up with the same reason for ditching it. VINE WEAVIL.

Yeah, I heard MD saying that - it was on this weeks GW wasn't it? 

And what are these vine weavils?  What sort of plants do they live in/on?

[Barnowl]

This is one of the sites I looked at.

http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/vineweevil.htm

RHS have an article as well

http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0600/vineweevil.asp

[Garden Manager]

Used compost makes a good mulch or soil improver, particularly if its relatively free of roots and weeds.  Used compost thats still of good quality may be used to pot up tender plants for overwintering or for winter containers. Its OK that it has little nutrients as most plants dont need much food over the winter and anything kept in it for over wintering purposes wont be in it for long anyway.

Of course use common sense, if you know the plant that was growing in it was diseased, particularly a soil bourne disease or fungus, then dont use it again, ditch it or dump it in a quiet corner where nothing important is growing.

If the compost has had any insect pest in it (such as vine weevil), then obviously dont reuse it in a  pot as the grubs will just attack the new plant, but i dont see why such compost cant be reused on the soil, as i am sure the local bird population will appreciate the grubs/eggs/whatever.

personaly i would never bin any compost i didnt think could be reused in some way. Any organic matter is precious as far as i am concerned, particularly if its peat based (ie from a non renewable source).

Hope this helps.