Topic: I don't make my own Compost -

[tim]

 - so what's best for containers - Grow Bag material or Multi-Compost?

[Digeroo]

Gloucestershire/CDC have black composting bins on special offer at the moment, one per household.  Good time to get composting

[Tee Gee]

If you add Chempak potting base http://www.chempak.com/ you can increase the fertiliser content  of either of these products meaning you can go for the cheapest.

Note check the price /litre a growbag might work out more expensive than mp because of the smaller bag content.

Follow instructions on packaging which is;

 if you use it  x1 this is roughly equivalent to JI 1

x2 ditto JI2

x3 ditto JI3

So for containers you can make your own JI 2/3

[tim]

Thanks, Diggers - we're OK for the moment with 5 on-offer (like these) [attachment=1] bins.

Tee Gee - oh, dear! - no peace - I thought that one or the other would do 'as is'. Like Grow Bags do till the fruit sets?

Ah, well - I'll speak to my Head Gardener! But thanks - V helpful.

[laurieuk]

We seem to be mixing two different subjects.
Garden compost and growing compost. Garden compost is what we make from garden waste and is not suitable for growing plants in pots etc,
 Growing compost is JI compost (7parts loam  2 parts peat 1 part sand mixed with different amounts or fertilizer to make JI 1;JI2 or JI3 also peat based compost and all the various peatfree composts that are coming on the market.
I make my garden compost using 4 stakes and a bit of wire netting (can be seen in fun photos) but generally buy my potting compost.All various makes of potting compost seem to vary time to time.
We used to stack turf to rot so as to use as loam and use leaf soil in place of peat.A different recipe would be used for different plants.

[tim]

Not me, Laurie. I'm looking for the effortless container compost.

[laurieuk]

Hi Tim  Not sure what you mean I grew potatoes,parsnips and carrots in containers and used general purpose compost. The only container compost I have come across was the Levington one with the insecticide in for vine weevil but they have taken that off the market

[tim]

Meaning? Has GP Compost got the makeup/guts of a Grow Bag?

[Georgie]

I think it depends on what you intend to grow in the containers.  But assuming it's edibles, in my experience there is little difference between the various products on the market as all will need supplementing with extra feed after about 6-8 weeks.  I used to use Levington MP but this year I've been using New Horizon organic and peat free.  In both cases I added Vitax organic fertiliser for container grown plants - one application lasts all season - with good results.  That's about as effortless as it gets.

G x

[tim]

Forgot to say what I'm growing - Toms etc of course - I'm not into things you can't eat.

So, Georgie, you added Vitax AND fed them after 6-8 weeks?

[Georgie]

Forgot to say what I'm growing - Toms etc of course - I'm not into things you can't eat.

So, Georgie, you added Vitax AND fed them after 6-8 weeks?

No, the Vitax IS the feed.  :)

G x

[tim]

Given progressively, as with any other?

[Georgie]

No Tim, it's a slow release and lasts all season.  I find that there is no need to supplement it.

G x

[cleo]

Well Tim for what it`s worth I use a combination of compost bin stuff and JI No3.

The bottom half or so is bin compost and then topped up with JI.

This saves the cost of too much JI while supressing any weed growth .

[tim]

Aha! - thanks, Georgie.

Ah, but you're still young, Stephan!