My gardening knowledge is poor, so advice appreciated please
I have about 18 largish ceramic pots on my patios, and a few years ago they were quite nice. Now however, they have all manner of weeds, grass etc sprouting from them. I intend to empty them all out and start again....my question is, should I buy a builders bulk bag of topsoil and use that, having first added drainage in the bottom ( broken pots, polystyrene) or use a mix of 20L bags of compost and smaller bags of top soil bought from a local garden type shop?
The former is probably a cheaper proposition
Any green fingers out there?
( not you Kermit)
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I am not a gardener but we do pots with plants and veg and only use compost which we replace every year. Also I made sure the pots had holes to allow excessive water to drain away, as SWMBO has a tendency to over-water.
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If you use compost you need to be using a soil based compost like John Innes no3 for containers.
If you can source it cheaper though top soil would be perfect with some slow release fertiliser granules mixed in with it to give the newly planted plants a boost.
Now, what are you going to plant in them:)
Pat
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No idea Pat
Absolutely no idea! The planters vary from 12 to 15'' tall, diameter between 12 & 16''
I can easily have a bulk bag of top soil delivered ( earlier this year I helped spread 70 bulk bags onto a new lawn) then mix it with the JI number 3, or just use the latter exclusively?
Suggestions please. Remember it's wet n windy rural N Yorks and the patios are exposed at an altitude of 500'
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Good top soil will do fine LL and retain the moisture as well as giving stability in the wind.
I'm trying to cook (smoked haddock) at the moment so will give it some thought and report back in the morning......about 2.30am!
Pat
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Mrs C suggests that pot size is more annuals than perennials, and it's a bit late for summer bedding like petunias or whatever. Perhaps ornamental grass would survive happily, or succulents if they can be protected in winter, or how about herbs? Loads of those and good to have fresh if you cook too.
Just a thought.
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Herbs
Like grass ( wink wink)
I've planted, grown & harvested it at my friends in sunny CA but outdoors in upper Ribblesdale could be problematic
Thanks anyway
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The first thing you need to do is decide what you want to grow and when decide on the appropriate growing medium.
Topsoil is not a good choice. It contains relatively little in the way of nutrients and a pot plant is dependant on a comparatively small volume of soil for all its needs. If you intend to grow shrubs or trees in pots John Innes No 3 is what you want. For summer planting you could use John Innes No 2 or a non soil based compost. Personally I use a blend of the two. If you want to grow lime hating plants such as Azaleas or Camellias then you need an ericaceousl compost.
The bulb planting season is not far away and for those a non soil based compost is fine although I usually add a bucket or two of leaf mould.
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John Innes No.3, definitely. It's specifically designed for long-term use.
Depending on the plants, some addition of sharp sand, fine grit etc. may be necessary to achieve quick drainage - some plants don't like to be waterlogged or anything approaching that.
Also, the addition of some "real" compost, i.e. rotted/composted kitchen/garden waste will provide a modest amount of nutrients, but, more importantly, improve the texture and provide better water retention (i.e. moistness - not the same as waterlogging!).
However, if you're planting rhododendron, azalea, camellia or acid-loving plants, it is essential to use ericaceous compost.
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Careful what you do with the old dirt from the pots. A couple of months ago I emptied a large wall basket of dirt onto the garden and raked it into the existing soil. A few weeks later what looked like weeds were appearing in the garden where I'd tipped and levelled the old dirt. Upon closer inspection it's tomato plants - loads of them.
The old dirt from the wall basket was once used to grow tomatoes in, but that when it was a grow bag. Once they were over the growbag soil was recycled and used in hanging baskets and this wall basket. For at least 5 or 6 years now we've planted flowers in the wall basket, not bothering to change the dirt at all, and not once have any tomato plants appeared in it.
I guess stirring up the dirt has somehow managed to rejuvenate the tomato plants once more.
Looking forward to a nice crop of tomatoes in a few weeks time.
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I remember when young my father buying fertiliser called "Dagfert" I think from Dagenham sewage works.
Contains loads of tomato seeds. Passing thorough the human gut and being composted at a sewage works won't render them infertile. Amazing thing nature.
Last edited by: CGNorwich on Wed 3 Aug 16 at 19:09
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>> I remember when young my father buying fertiliser called "Dagfert" I think from Dagenham sewage works.
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>> Contains loads of tomato seeds. Passing thorough the human gut and being composted at a
>> sewage works won't render them infertile.
>>
When I was a kid staying at grandma's in the country, she had a lorry load of similar fertilizer
delivered and tipped on the garden. Yes we had a forest of tomato plants.
Re plant pots in addition to allowing drainage I put a piece of the garden plant insulator fleece in the bottom to keep the slugs out.
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>> Contains loads of tomato seeds. Passing thorough the human gut and being composted at a
>> sewage works won't render them infertile. Amazing thing nature.
Yep. Some years ago now but there was a decent bed of tomatoes growing between the rails of platform 1 at Northampton station. Formed in clumps around the points where train toilets deposited on the track.
Chunks of Poo and bog paper were also present.
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I grow so many long term plants and small shrubs in containers and always seem to be successful with either good top soil or John Innes 3.
I do change the top 1’’ of soil every year or so to give them a boost though.
I wouldn’t bother with summer or winter bedding and would certainly plant them up with hardy permanent plants to minimise the maintenance but give a good range of colours and interest.
Most of the list below are fairly shallow rooted and also very hardy to withstand the wind and cold conditions.
Ferns. A wide variety of colours and shapes are available
Hebe. Evergreen and again a wide variety of variegated leaves and pink/white/blue flowers
Blue Fescue Grass. No flowers but blue grass like leaves which does great in a small container
Dwarf Buddleia Buzz. Pink/Blue/White flowers all summer
Heuchera. Wide variety available with leaves from black to a beautiful lime green and all shades in between
Phormium Black Velvet. Loves an exposed position and has black spiky leaves.
Lavender.
Dwarf ornamental conifers
All of the above are very hardy and need little or no maintenance but will give a good contrast of colours and shapes to the garden.
Look for anything with Alpine or Dwarf (not runner beans!) on the label.
Pat
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I've always used a mixture of well-rotted garden compost (rotational system with 4 enclosures, fill one per year) and topsoil.
The moles are being very helpful at the moment, digging up lots of fine tilth and leaving it in handy heaps ready for collection.
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Talking of moles, a friend of mine had a new lawn laid a few years ago. It was a wondrous sight, looked amazing. He went on holiday and as a jape we bought a bulk bag of topsoil, and spent half a day sieving it, then when it was really fine prepared our own moles hills for his delectation.
How we laughed
Many thanks for all help & advice... In the next few days I shall buy some bags of topsoil ( not the bulk bags and hopefully without grass seed) plus JI 2&3, get some of my mothers compost, and make up a mix!
I shall then decide what to put in the planters following your suggestions...Gracias peeps
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I know it's a bit of a trip south for you but if you could get yourself into the Fen, leg it over the dyke and fill a few bags with some lovely black soil, you'll be able to grow anything!
Pat
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Then get locked up at Her Majesty's Pleasure
Thanks but no
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Replanting ceramic planters - smokie
