Allotments 4 All
Allotment Stuff => The Basics => Topic started by: Barnowl on October 26, 2006, 12:48:30
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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)?
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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!
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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!
(http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e220/supersprout/smilies/lavarepiatti.gif)
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I just put all my used soil on the flower garden. It helps improve my clay soil.
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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?
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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.
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good question and a good suggestion... use it to break up the hardest clay patches on the allotment!
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I use my old pot compost as a winter mulch, helps to bulk up my sandy soil.
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Thanks, our allotment fairly sandy so I'll give it a try.
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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.
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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.
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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 :)
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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.
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I mix all mine together put in some slow release fertiliser
That sounds a good idea as well. Thanks Rosebud
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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.
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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.
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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."
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...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?
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This is one of the sites I looked at.
http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/vineweevil.htm (http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/vineweevil.htm)
RHS have an article as well
http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0600/vineweevil.asp (http://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profiles0600/vineweevil.asp)
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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.
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Vine weevil is nasty indeed, but if your plant hasn't had problems, there won't be eggs in the compost. I think it's a matter of getting the thing in perspective. If the plant in the pot had some sort of problem, sling the compost on your next bonfire.
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You could also leave the compost out as a layer on a old compost bags and let the birds turn it over and the frost get to the eggs. The eggs are laid amongst the plant roots so if you have a problem, in general, the plant will come away from it's root ball when you lift it up as the previous grubs will have eaten through. Notched leaves are also a give away.
I have vine weevil in the main garden around my primulas & am careful to keep them in check, but as I also have thingy chafer grubs and lily beetle and heaven knows what else that must have all migrated in from the surrounding gardens, there is only so much you can do sensibly in the ground to avoid bugs.
Keep your plants healthy so they can withstand the onslought and deal with any obvious damage as soon as it occurs. Do everything possible to encourage "good" wildlife & you will achieve a balance.
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Seeing as most of the plants that are in good condition stay in their pots or get potted on, the majority of spent compost is from pots that have had dead plants in them. I have done the same as most of you and tipped it on the ground to be dug in. But from now on I will spread it first so the birds can rake through it and clean out the bugs or wait until it is really frosty and spread it out the freeze the little varmints out.
Freezing seems a good option for most of you on the north island, but seeing as we can sometimes go all winter without a frost on the sunny I.W.
I am at a disadvantage. ;D
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Freezing seems a good option for most of you on the north island, but seeing as we can sometimes go all winter without a frost on the sunny I.W.
I am at a disadvantage. ;D
You might be surprised to learn i do not consider being frost free to be a disadvantage. i find the frosts we have here in dorset are enough to damage plants but rarely cold enough to kill off pests or break down soil. I have been plagued by snails this autumn but i'll bet the winter wont be cold enough to kill most of them off. They seem to be tough little blighters. Vine weevil ditto - although wet seems to discourage them.
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That's exactly what I used to find in Cornwall.