Instead of using fresh new compost in our flower tubs & containers each year (which is what I have been doing at an expensive cost), I have heard that seaweed feed applied annually will help revitalise the compost to allow it to be re-used for another two or three years. Any more information on this please? ???
I'm sorry but that sounds like wishful thinking to me. For healthy and productive plants I would always advocate using fresh potting compost every year.
G x
I too would agree with Georgie. Seaweed feed is brilliant but it is only a plant food it is unlikely to make soil/compost more fertile! But I am not a scientist!
I use seaweed in its raw state on my beds and that is pretty good but I put it on every year along with normal compost and manure!
Old Bird
;D
Top dressing with seeweed powder should do the trick but I would think it will need repeating a couple of times during the season. I would have thought chicken manure pellets would have a similar effect but might be a bit nitrogen high for flowering plants.
I'm not a scientist either but it's something to do with the structure of multi purpose potting compost which makes it unsuitable for using for more than a year. You will notice that the soil level in the pots drops over the course of the year as it 'wears out'.
I grow perennials in pots and so I use a soil based potting compost (either bought or home made) as this maintains its structure much better. All I need to do is replace the top inch of so each year, add slow release organic fertilizer in spring and give the plants the occasional foliar spray with seaweed solution.
G x