Hi all - my first post on the site.
Grew new potatoes for the first time this year in large pots and the results were excellent. Thanks to Jerry for the idea.
Is the compost still useable? It cost a fair bit and I have put in some carrot and radish seeds. Will they grow ok and afterwards can I throw the compost on my vegatable patch at the bottom of the garden or should I dispose of it?
Many thanks
Steve
It certainly won't harm anything - may need some feed - but why are you thinking of growing carrots and radishes in the pots? is the soil on your plot a problem?
The plot at the bottom of the garden is full of beans, corguettes, cucumbers etc. The pots I put the potatoes in were placed on the patio.
What I'm not sure about is whether there would be any goodness left in the compost once already used. If there was then I thought that I might be able to enrich the soil in the garden come the end of the gowing season.
Have now got myself a compost bin, but i guess this will not be ready for ages.
Steve
Even if there are few nutrients left in the compost you've used, I'd still mix it into my garden soil. But then, I'm on heavy clay, and add anything to open it up. It's going to have some organic matter in it.
You can try it :) Gardening is much about trial and error after all :) I understand (and hey I'm no expert) that carrots and radishes don't need particularly rich soil so I'd have a go :)
When you've finished using the compost you could put it in your compost bin where it will get heated up to kill off any weed seeds in it. Or put it onto your patch :)
i wouldnt put it on the plot, just incase of any diseases that are in the compost. would just transfer the problem onto your patch and then may cause endless trouble.
I'm growing some of mine in an old metal bin a la Monty Don, having run out of space on the veg plot. Interestingly the ones in the ground look as though they will be ready first - I thought it would be the other way round.
I'm planning on doing crop rotation in my bin and planting runner beans next year. I "earthed up" the potatoes with grass clippings which should have rotted down nicely by next spring so the soil shouldn't be too impoverished and hopefully it will work...
Greatpalm (or anyone),
How deep a pot do you need to grow the carrots in?
I have not had much success on the lottie with carrots,
as they seemed to find every teeny stone, so the resulting
carrots were small and not straight.
Debs
Greatpalm, I would (and do) happily reuse compost in the way you mention. Some nutrients will have been taken by the spuds, so was with a liquid feed when your carrots and radishes are doing their thing and they will do just fine. Then, I would use the compost for potting up other things, altho not seedlings, or I would use it on the garden or plot as a topdressing.
Debs, my kids have grown great carrots in the long pots you somethings get plants in from the garden centre, and also just regular black pots that small shrubs come in. Okay, they aren't huge donkey carrots, but they pulled some lovely baby carrots, about pencil thick, and then a couple of weeks later, loads that were much thicker - just perfect for them! ;D