[willnbirdie]

Hi

I believe that it is ok to put used multi-purpose compost from tomato plants on the open garden but can you plant in it again next year - say for tomatoes?

Some of the pots left behind in the greenhouse have water retaining gel in the compost can this be put on the garden?

What do you think of water retaining gel?

thanks

willnbirdie

[lincspoacher]

Very useful, expensive to buy, no harm in putting in the compost bin but a bit of a waste, otherwise no reason yoo cant recycle it, but judging the amount per L of compost might be tricky, since you dont know the properties of it..

[richyrich7]

I'd plant salad crops in it that's about all but you will still need to feed them well. As I would have thought it's nutrients would be about exhausted. I usually just chuck it on the garden or in the compost bin.

Water retaining crystals are great I use them in my window boxes and flower tubs, again I just chuck 'em on the garden or in the compost when finished. I don't think you could call them organic tho' if you bother with "organic".

[weeeed]

I'm with you richy, I always put the used compost on the garden as a mulch. omatoes are so greedy I always think it would be a waste of seeds doing anything else. Unless beans would work? :?:  :roll:

[wighty]

We always put the compost from pots, troughs etc on the garden in a heap and leave it to overwinter, looked down the garden one night and thought 'our compost is glowing' (cue Alien type music)  When we checked it was the water retaining crystals (relief all round).

[Trillium]

Same here. All my old potted plant soil goes into the general flower/veg beds only to add more tilth. Nutritional value is too low for anything else, and definitely not to replant in without adding lots of manure and such.

[willnbirdie]

Thanks everyone - compost on the garden at the end of the season - water retaining crystals and all.

Cheers

willnbirdie