Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Growing in Greenhouses & Polytunnels => Topic started by: brother on April 16, 2012, 13:52

Title: Greenhouse soil help
Post by: brother on April 16, 2012, 13:52
Hi everyone, Im looking to use bags (100x40x40) in my greenhouse this year rather than grow bags as I have in previouse years.
My problem is, I dont know what to fill them with. I will only be growing toms and cucumbers with the odd other thing thrown in. So do I just fill them with compost and add a little oganic manure or do I add some soil to the mix.

Also will I need to change the soil everyear or will I be able to reuse them, say for 2 seasons buy refreshing part of the mix.

Many thanks
Ian
Title: Re: Greenhouse soil help
Post by: JayG on April 16, 2012, 14:20
Specialist growbags are basically multipurpose compost to which (one hopes!) has been added nutrients suitable for the crops usually grown in them.

Ordinary multipurpose should also be fine, as you will presumably be feeding your crops with a tomato-type fertiliser anyway at some stage.

It's very tempting to re-use old compost, but the nutrients will be very depleted, and there is always the risk of carrying over any pests or diseases from the previous year even if mixed with fresh compost (and adding soil adds to your disposal/wastage problem.)
Title: Re: Greenhouse soil help
Post by: brother on April 16, 2012, 14:57
Many thanks Jay. Is it worth me adding some well rotted manure with the compost? and if I do should I keep it to the bottom of the bags so letting the plants establish before hitting the good stuff.
I might also try a couple of different mixes as I have four bags to fill.

As for changing it every year, it just means the lotty will benefit.
Title: Re: Greenhouse soil help
Post by: JayG on April 16, 2012, 16:30
I wouldn't bother, but it wouldn't hurt (and I am rather partial to the occasional experiment myself!)  :)

(Multi-purp is usually reckoned to have enough nutrients for about 6 weeks, although that has to be a wide generalisation as it will depend on what type and how vigorous the plants are you are growing in it are.)