Topic: Container Gardening

[jo9919]

Don't know if this is a silly question or not, but all those of you who grow their veg and salad in containers, do you re-use the compost?

I have first early potatoes growing in a large container at the moment, I was wondering if I would be able to plant my leeks into the same container and compost once I've harvested the potatoes.

Also, (silly question), how do I know when my spuds are ready? I've read some posts about potatoes flowering and not flowering. Should they flower or not? I must say, they seem to be doing really well, they're Pentland Javelin. I have added extra compost twice already, and they seem to be shooting for the stars, lots of lovely green growth (I hope this is good and doesn't mean that there's nothing growing underneath!!!).

Last question. I planted my leeks into cells but they seemed to be really spindly and long so I repotted them into a large pot, all leeks together. They are now thickening up and are getting quite long, some of them could be about 10 inch. If it is ok to pot them on into the potato container, will they be ok in the pot until I harvest my potatoes? Also, how do I plant them? Should they be planted deeper than they are now?

Last weekend I pulled up my raddish. They were delicious and perfectly formed!!! The first home grown thing I have harvested.

Thanks for your help,
Jo.

[Uncle Joshua]

I would never re-use compost because all its nutrients will be spent.

You spuds should be ready around 12 weeks after flowering and as far as I know they all flower. (now someone will prove me wrong)

If you can it would be good to get your leeks into the ground or at least much bigger pots and plant fresh raddish's every few weeks.

My opinion may be wrong as I'm not the most experienced  allotmenteer.

[greatpalm]

As your potatoes are first earlies, they should be ready once they start flowering. Have a look and if they are the size of hens eggs then they are ready

[jo9919]

Thanks for your replies.

Would I be able to mix the old compost in with new compost or should I use all completely new?

Also, how do I plant my leeks? Should they be planted deeper than they are now?

Jo.

[Barnowl]

I suppose you could re-use if you watered in an all purpose like Maxicrop and/ or mixed in some slow release fertiliser?

[JRP]

:) Hi Jo9919,I don't know if you already know but I grow everything only in plastic containers,and I reuse the same compost over and over again,and I have done so for the past 10 years,and I've had no problems growing most things. As for potatoes I have 450 containers on my allotment plot to empty out all the year round,and I do this normally when all of my top leaves are dead,I then know for sure they must be ready to harvest,whether they have flowered or not. Please note you can transfer most things as long as they have a good roots on them,like onions or leeks I have found. Mother nature is my gardener so I will always get some sort of crop harvest because she will always try to grow something in the poorest of my compost,with not a lot of water added too, I have found.
May you and yours and what you grow live long and happy. John. J.R.P.  :)

[gordonsveg]

When using compost from containers that have grown veg, would mixing in a few handfuls of fish, blood and bone help?

[MrsKP]

i sling my used compost into the (very slowly improving) borders that used to be solid clay.  I can now dig down a spade's depth without breaking my back.

this does cause a problem however that left to their own devices the beds would now be 5' deep !  so some of it has been deposited on the front bed which will be dug in when i see fit (as it belongs to her upstairs).

i've still managed to use 25 growbags and a few hunnerd ltrs of new compost this season and really must get around to riddling my two full compost bins.

[jo9919]

Thanks for your replies.

I think I had better just get rid of the old compost then (putting it on the flower border is a good idea) and I'll use new for each container.

Can anyone help on the Leek front? How deep do I need to plant them? They're not pencil thickness yet, maybe just over matchstick thickness, is this thick enough to plant out? They're quite tall.

Jo.

[gordonsveg]

 ;D    Morning jrp
   Do you reckon i could grow celery in the black flower pots we all seem to have begged, borrowed or got. Just thinking of one plant per pot?.

[emmy1978]

don't see why not gordonsveg. I don't know how many you'd put in a bucket. I've never grown celery, it's a new one on me this year.  ;D

[Stevens706]

Hi

Leeks are planted into hole made by a dibber (piece of pointed broom handle) to a depth of about 6 inch. Don’t fill in the hole, just water in and the water drags a little soil onto the roots.

Hope this helps.

[Spookyville]

getting back on topic, I have 4 black dustbins full of compost form container growing potatoes last year.
If I mixed that with new compost say 50-50 and then add some fish & bone would it be OK for potaties again??
TIA

[mr plasma]

i don't see why you cant reuse the compost providing you replenish it with nutrients ie fertiliser. imagine the borders in your garden do you replace the soil every year?the answer is no, of course you don't but feed it . the plant only needs nutrients that can be obtained from any medium that it is planted in ,hydroponics is a good example no soil or compost but water carried nutrients to the plants

[jo9919]

Thanks for your help Stevens.

I think I had better get them planted soon  ;D

Jo.

[Marymary]

I reuse the compost from my container grown early potatoes & after other crops too but often the compost is just a mass of roots so then I put it one the heap & start again with fresh.

[lin]

I have to add that the compost I use to grow things in one season is used to plump up my flower borders ... although I have reused compost before I am always worried that something in the earth from the previous growing season could be transferred to any new things being planted.

And I do the same as you Stevens706, I wait till my leeks are about 8" high and thickening up, then dib a hole, drop them in and just water. When I first came on the allotments, all the oldies told me this was the way to treat leeks and I have done it since and got sturdy leeks.

This year though I have also just planted a row direct into position and I am going to compare the growth of the ones sown direct and the ones transplanted later...
Lin

[JRP]

I reuse the compost from my container grown early potatoes & after other crops too but often the compost is just a mass of roots so then I put it one the heap & start again with fresh.

Hi Marymary,I always reuse my compost again not long after emptying out what ever I have grown, and I normally just strip off all the fine roots to leave what they have in them to feed the next crop of what ever I want to grow. Mother nature does the rest.
The only thing I do is remove the odd weed now and again, apart from that and any top dead growth which is dry enough for someone to burn.
May you and yours and what you grow live long and happy. John. J.R.P.  ;D