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Hanging baskets

• Message 1. 

  Posted by watkinsroger29 (U14823125) on Thursday, 24th March 2011

  I made some hanging baskets last year for the first time. I want to do the same this year but I need to know whether I have to completely change the compost I used last year or whether i can simply use the old compost to put in new plants? Should i also revitalise whatever compost with some growth feeds? Bit basic but if anyone can help, I'd be grateful

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  Posted by Rainjustlearning (U12861332) on Thursday, 24th March 2011

  What I've done be it wrong or right I sieved the old compost to get rid of the roots from the previous year and mixed it with equal parts of new compost and put some food pellets with water retention crystalls in gave it a good mix up and did the basket, I can't afford to waste compost now I've retired from work.
  
  Rain

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  Posted by daintiness (U3887838) on Thursday, 24th March 2011

  I would use completely new compost.Compost only has nutrients in it to last plants about 6 weeks on average and then they are reliant on you. Put a resevoir in the bottom of your basket so that water does not just run out on watering.Feed your basket a weekly liquid feed in order to encourage it to keep flowering once the plants are established . I use tomato food which is cheap and easy to mix.

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  Posted by Niblet (U14438752) on Friday, 25th March 2011

  Always replace the growing medium in containers unless you are potting plants that thrive in poor soil, especially in the case of hanging baskets where the compost is shallow and every time you water a great deal of nutrients are washed away through the porous lining. I recommend a liquid feed too. Limited space + no nutrients = fail!
  You could recycle the old compost by bunging it on your compost heap.

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  Posted by watkinsroger29 (U14823125) on Friday, 25th March 2011

  Many thanks for all your help and suggestions. It's very clear I need to replace the compost and give regular feeds. I was hoping I could get away with it for another year as I live three floors with a small balcony and no garden.
  
  Many thanks again.

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  Posted by Pumpkin_Patch_Paul (U14565900) on Friday, 25th March 2011

  Cant see why you compost cant still be used again if you are adding feed to it,new compost only as 6 weeks worth mixed in ..So why cant you mix in your own,I did last year and I make it last 2-3 years before it goes on the compost heap...

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  Posted by northwards (U14324094) on Friday, 25th March 2011

  I think a lot depends on what kind of compost you originally made up the baskets with. If it's John Innes, or something sturdy with loam, it might be OK for a second year (if you replace nutrients, as people are suggesting)
  
  However if it's something like peat-based general-purpose compost, then the texture of the compost will have deteriorated and broken up, so it will be very thin and dusty, and even with added fertiliser the plants won't like it. In this case you really would be best off replacing it
  
  Or you could just find plants that like thin and dusty soil!

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  Posted by Niblet (U14438752) on Friday, 25th March 2011

  Hmmm. It's not just food that's the issue here though, is it? Disease is a problem in old compost in containers and as well the the quality of the medium degrading. Good compost provides organic matter to nourish the organism as well as anchorage. I would have thought that plant food is a booster which contributes to better blooms, not a substitute for adequate compost. Maybe try one hanging basket with new compost to compare to the others? I grow more veggies than flowers so maybe it matters less for flowers.

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