[evie2]

We are growing veg this year as a family, our garden's huge so there's plenty room but not enough soil.  Can we use normal potting compost to add bulk to what soil we have?

[Yorkie]

Yes, although I suspect you'll need far more than you think to make any significant difference.

[evie2]

I know and it doesn't help the garden slopes.  There's a bit of soil we can move, we grew potatoes on it but it's been covered and not use for 2 seasons and I was thinking about adding it to that.

[Goosegirl]

You could always get some mushroom compost and add it to cheap compost then dig it into your soil to bulk it out.

[Spr0ut]

maybe look up lasagne gardening on the 'net - might help to bulk up your soil beds without the expense of shop bought compost and quicker to construct than you might think.

[evie2]

No such thing as lasagna gardening   Put on my reading glasses and hay presto lasagne gardening always helps to have the right glasses on   That looks interesting

[Spr0ut]

No such thing as lasagna gardening   Put on my reading glasses and hay presto lasagne gardening always helps to have the right glasses on   That looks interesting

- of course - it helps if I SPELL it right! I've been gardening like this for a few years now and I have given up digging, just need a fork to lift some veggies at harvesting. Only other tools you need are a trowel and hand fork. Tons of worms!

[NewSteve]

You absolutely should add compost and/or manure to your garden soil. The extra organic matter is vital for making water and nutrients available to your veg. And you won't grow much without fertilizer either - organic or otherwise!
 
Be careful what you mean by "normal potting compost" though. Potting mixes are designed for just that (potting) and have added nutrients to meet the needs of potted plants. This obviously makes them way more expensive than generic multipurpose compost (MPC).
 
There's a never ending dsicussion about the merits of different compost brands on here, but I'd get down to B&Q and grab a few 125L bags of Verve MPC for £6 each. It's cheap and it's compost.

Steve

[Nobbie]

We are growing veg this year as a family, our garden's huge so there's plenty room but not enough soil.  Can we use normal potting compost to add bulk to what soil we have?

Why not just get some more topsoil delivered in bulk bags? Probably be cheaper and longer lasting than compost that will gradually disappear.

[3759allen]

compost would be an expensive way to go imo.

if you really do need it for this season then mushroom compost or rotted manure would be the less expensive option. or asking for good quality top soil on freecycle or gumtree would be even cheaper.

if you can make do this year with what you've got then getting fresh manure, dead leaves, and organics to add to a compost heap you could make your own material to add to your soil next year. again freecycle or gumtree have been very useful to me for getting free organic matter, as you as you don't a bid of effort to collect and rotting down.

[evie2]

Horse country round here so always bags of the good stuff for free I looked at top soil and it was very expensive.  The potting compost I now realise, was MPC which I've used before in large tubs and at the end of the season added to the soil along with well rotted manure and home made compost.  Lots to think about, thank everyone

[Welsh Merf]

We are growing veg this year as a family, our garden's huge so there's plenty room but not enough soil.  Can we use normal potting compost to add bulk to what soil we have?

Why not just get some more topsoil delivered in bulk bags? Probably be cheaper and longer lasting than compost that will gradually disappear.

For some unknown reason, when the council decided to remove the old manure heap from the allotments and put a plot there instead (mine!), they used an excavator - and took off all the topsoil underneath (the wallies). I looked at buying topsoil from a local company, and they were charging £80/tonne for it.

So, maths time: let's say that 125L bag of compost weighs about 20Kgs, at £6/bag.

1-tonne of topsoil = 1000 Kgs = 50 x 20Kg bags.
@ £80/tonne = £1.60/20Kg

1-tonne of compost in 20Kg bags would cost you: 50 x £6 = £300

This means that one tonne of topsoil would cost £80, and one tonne of compost would cost you £300.

Looking at that, I know which way I'd go!