[sathya]

l'm a new member. been growing veg in my garden for 2 years . have a small veg bed but I use containers to grow root veg, salad crops, soft fruits etc. I use multi purpose compost only in the containers. my question  is - do I need to change the compost in containers on a regular basis or can I add fertilizer and keep the old compost. thanks

ps : I bought john's book last week and must admit it's brilliant and a bargain too.

[Val H]

As a general rule you are better off changing it annually. There's quite a bit of info on the site on Container Vegetable Growing

Container Gardening

[DANNY]

l'm a new member. been growing veg in my garden for 2 years . have a small veg bed but I use containers to grow root veg, salad crops, soft fruits etc. I use multi purpose compost only in the containers. my question  is - do I need to change the compost in containers on a regular basis or can I add fertilizer and keep the old compost. thanks

ps : I bought john's book last week and must admit it's brilliant and a bargain too.

[DANNY]

l'm a new member. been growing veg in my garden for 2 years . have a small veg bed but I use containers to grow root veg, salad crops, soft fruits etc. I use multi purpose compost only in the containers. my question  is - do I need to change the compost in containers on a regular basis or can I add fertilizer and keep the old compost. thanks

ps : I bought john's book last week and must admit it's brilliant and a bargain too.

Hi
Your better off changing the compost every season but I must ask "Why are you buying compost???
You,d be much better making your own from your household waste and adding the verious feeds etc to the compost, you,ll find your own compost isnt hard to make and is much better than the bought stuff.

[Kagganz]

Sathya, next year will be my very first container gardening season.  Have you had any real failures of veg in containers also what been the best cropping veg for containers please?    

Thanks Karen

[sclarke624]

kagganz
Get yourself some chucked out mushroom boxes from T e s c o and grow lettuce, radishes, mixed salad leaves in them.  The boxes are blue, contain the loose mushrooms and usually chucked in a cage as they are shelf filling around the store.  I usually just take them, which can be difficult as you have to walk them up the cage and out through the metal cage, if someone is around they usually open it and give them to me.  I have them on full view at the chck out they don't mind, in my store.  They're free of course.  Grown all the above in them very succesful.  They are about 15" long by 12" wide and 7-8" deep very approx as too cold to go out there and measure them.

Me self blanching celery did well in a plastic stacking box the ones that used to come in  threes at homebase.  New tats do well enough in pop up refuse bins the green springy things.

Of course you can use pots if you want.  Don't forget to make some holes in the bottom of make do containers.

[Kagganz]

Thanks for that advice sclarke, I do shop at Tesco so shall have a mooch later this morning.

I also have some plastic boxes with some broad beans in and they are growing nicley (holes in too)

Thanks again Karenx

[sathya]

kagganz,

I have successfully grown radishes, baby carrots, dwarf  french beans and strawberry in pots. I have blueberry and a goose berry in pots, there r doing okay. I grow mint and coriander as well in pots and they're doing very well.  I had regular supply of radish from late april till early november using 3 containers. carrots from early june till early october.
disappointments - spinach, I tried all varieties but no success. plants were leggy and didn't  do to their potential. i'm going to try next year as well with cloches and coldframe, which I bought recntly.
 I use wooden containers, very wide, around 2 feet and 1.5 feet deep. I don't  fill soil to the very top but keep it shallow. this way u can give protection around the sides and cover them with a plastic sheet or net at the top  if need be.

if u r buying plastic containers then get the big ones. small ones tend to  fly away during strong winds even with the compost in them.
good luck..

[sathya]

DANNY

thanks for ur advice. my problem is that most of my containers are big ones[whisky barrel type]. I have about 10 of them and some big plastic ones. I just did a count and I have 36 pots in my garden. it will be a massive job to change compost every year. that's why i'm looing for for some alternative method.

i'll consider ur point regarding making my own compost but I doubt I can produce enough compost for my pots.

one question regarding compost making - do I need to keep the compost bin on soil. how about keeping it on paving stone is that okay.
thans

[londongardener]

Hi
Your better off changing the compost every season but I must ask "Why are you buying compost???
You,d be much better making your own from your household waste and adding the verious feeds etc to the compost, you,ll find your own compost isnt hard to make and is much better than the bought stuff.

Isn't hard to make?  My compost heap seems to take ages.

[kezlou]

I too use a LOT of compost for my containers, and its not cheap either.

My plan is too mix up the old compost with some fish, blood and bone or some tomato feed to see if i can boost it up with a bit of fresh compost.
Not sure if it will work but its worth a try.

[mrs bouquet]

I only have a small garden and thats it, this year we grew pots, which did from early until late, and we are still eating them, tons of runner and french beans, likewise toms,cucumbers, lettuce, rocket, garlic, spring onions, herbs, beetroot, spring onions etc, and loads of peppers and chillies, we are still picking lettuce and leeks, which did well.  I had over 65 pots, and the ornamental ones I will remix on a 20/80 basis, but I will not risk it with the veg ones.   That is the price to pay for a small garden !!
Mrs Bouquet

[kezlou]

So true Mrs b, its shame really the council should provide us with either free or subsidised compost. Think i have about 70 odd pots, well some old barrels cut in half, don't think i could produce the sheer amount of compost i use.

but i'll try my mixture on some of the veg and see how it goes.If it doesnt work aw well no harm trying.