Topic: 15 down, only 20 to go...

[aquilegia]

Last week, I planted eight tomato plants, sharkstooth style, in my well manured border and popped a few marigolds into the spaces.

Yesterday I planted another tomato in a large pot filled with a mixture of sieved soil and homemade compost. Then I planted another six in half old compost bags filled with the same growing medium. (It seems to make a really rich, moist, but draining compost.)

The best thing is that all of this is entirely free: the seeds were either leftover from last year or a swap I did with EJ, the manure is free from the stables, the soil is from where we dug the pond, the compost bags would have otherwise gone in the bin and the pot was one gran was going to throw out. I love recycling!

Trouble is - I've now run out of compost bags, large enough pots and border space, but I have 20 plants still homeless.

Would they be ok for now in 8in pots until I find something more suitable? (I refuse to actually go out and buy any more pots!)

[allotment_chick]

Hi Aqui - better that than stunt them too much in small pots, I would say.  :D You will probably have to stake them.  Give them a dressing with comfrey leaves!
AC x

[gilgamesh]

It's biannual "special rubbish collection" day on the next estate. We retrieved 9 pots (all bigger than a builders bucket) for our toms that will be going in the "overflow" collapsible greenhouse, sunk into the soil by 1/2 their depth. I'll stick about 5-6" of "weed supressing mulch" - patented and approved by our rabbits & hens - around them, and dig that in when tomato time is over.

[aquilegia]

Gilga - I keep an eye on skips. There was a bucket in one recently, but it had lots of hard cement or plaster in it. so I left it. But i found, joy of joys, two 10in terracotta pots in one recently. One had a crack in it (lining it with off-cuts of pond liner will sort that) and the other had flaky paint on it (a good scrub with a stiff brush and it'll be good as new). But I still need more!

[gilgamesh]

Too right about skips - our garden bench & table, an "luxury living for lagomorphs" project all sit on lovely solid bases of slabs from that source! Actuallly, though, our twice-yearly "special" collections of stuff that won't go in the bin are at least as good. Our vaccuum cleaner came from that source, knocked & asked to be told "It doesn't pick up the dirt". Took it home, fitted a new band and - hey presto!

[Garden Manager]

Pity we dont live closer Aqui, i have loads of empty composr bags in my garage, just waiting to be used. I never throw them away as they are usefull for storing loose stuff in like garden rubbish or homemade compost when it comes out the bin. Still always seem to have plenty about.

About your compost for your toms, what proportion of soil to compost do you use. I am thinking of doing the same with my own compost.

Tomatoes seem to like a loam based planing mixture. i was advised a few years ago to use a 50:50  JI3/ loamless multipurpose mix for my tomatoes. I know this costs a bit of money but it certainly gets good results!  ;D.

Happy growing!

[carrot-cruncher]

Nice to see others into recycling just as much as me.   My latest acquistion is two empty drums from the council blokes who do the cavity wall insulation where my parents live.   They were only going to throw the drums away.   A good wash and a coate of hammerite later & my climbing roses are having a field day.  

The strawbs live in two old jam pans & my herbs live in an old tin bath.

Cost of this little lot........£6!!!

CC


ps - if anybody knows how to get hold of an old 20 gallon oil drum or two I would be grateful

[aquilegia]

Richard - thanks - but it's a bit of a way for me to travel across the width of the country!  ;) I've been using about 50:50, although there's probably a bit more compost than soil in reality. I just keep adding and mixing until it feels soft and fluffy (soil is heavy clay). It's holding the water very well - I haven't watered them since saturday and they still look fine.

I'm now down to 10 homeless plants. I potted the other 10 up into 8in pots, but I've run out of those too. Some begging round the neighbours and family is going to be required!

[Ricky]

Ever thought of using those one ton builders bags, the ones with handles on for forklifting??? about a metre square I think and never rot, part filled and sides add protection.... just a thought.
Ricky

[traceym]

I use builders bags as compost bins,not very pleasing to the eye but they do a great job.

[Garden Manager]

I use builders bags as compost bins,not very pleasing to the eye but they do a great job.

I use a couple of those to but mainly for spare topsoil and/or old turf (to make new topsoil) Never thought of them for a compost bin. How does it work when the 'material' is not in contact with the soil due to the base of the bag? I have always thought compost bins had to have soil contact at the base to work properly  :-\