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Re-using grow bag compost...

• Message 1. 

  Posted by zoomer44 (U14019069) on Tuesday, 17th May 2011

  I've done this for a couple of years and had mixed results and wondered how other people have faired.
  
  The first year I had four bags of spent compost after growing spuds. Not wanting to waste all that compost/soilI planted a second lot of spuds in them and had vine weevil in one.
  
  I've had vine weevil in a few other pots which has been put down to using spent growbag compost.
  
  I tried growing spuds for Christmas last year which was an also ran as they all died but not wanting to waste the compost seived it in February after the soil defrosted, into bags, which were kept in the GH. I've used this mixed with new stuff and home grown compost, for pots and this years spuds.
  
  The old compost didn't go far but I've had spud plants coming up in pots. This hasn't been a problem as they are recognisable and easy to pull out.
  
  The only other plant which seems to have been affected and I used this mix in it's pot is mint.
  
  Who said you couldn't kill mint. I may have done, mine has orange modules around it's stems and roots.
  
  How have other people faired by re-using grow bag compost from pots.

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by thedogcody (U14659366) on Wednesday, 18th May 2011

  I've done this for a couple of years and had mixed results and wondered how other people have faired.
  
  The first year I had four bags of spent compost after growing spuds. Not wanting to waste all that compost/soilI planted a second lot of spuds in them and had vine weevil in one.
  
  I've had vine weevil in a few other pots which has been put down to using spent growbag compost.
  
  I tried growing spuds for Christmas last year which was an also ran as they all died but not wanting to waste the compost seived it in February after the soil defrosted, into bags, which were kept in the GH. I've used this mixed with new stuff and home grown compost, for pots and this years spuds.
  
  The old compost didn't go far but I've had spud plants coming up in pots. This hasn't been a problem as they are recognisable and easy to pull out.
  
  The only other plant which seems to have been affected and I used this mix in it's pot is mint.
  
  Who said you couldn't kill mint. I may have done, mine has orange modules around it's stems and roots.
  
  How have other people faired by re-using grow bag compost from pots.   I would only really use spent compost as a soil conditioner - sounds like you are going to a lot of work- I would worry about transferring bugs and diseases and there is little nutrient in spent compost -however if you on a budget and with time to spare i suppose it depends on the end result but not for me.

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by CaptainZucchini (U14832117) on Wednesday, 18th May 2011

  I also use spent compost as soil conditioner. However I have occasionally mixed up new and old (mostly in cases when I had little new compost and some 'urge' to plant something). The plant did well, and there were no particular infestation. So mixing can work, but I would also recommend using it only for soil conditioning if that's an option.

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• Message 4

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by figrat (U3054696) on Wednesday, 18th May 2011

  I dump old potting compost into a dalek compost bin. I use it mixed in with new potting compost, home made compost, leaf mould and a handful of chicken pellets, especially when I've got a large container to fill. I sometimes use it as a mulch, or as a soil conditioner. I do check for vine weevil before I put it in the bin, and again when I take it out. A friend was round the other day and informed me that I have got bulb flies hatching in there, which are a specific pest of narcissi apparently, so they're getting squished on sight.
  I wouldn't use it for seed sowing, though I understand that it can be sterilised in a microwave.
  Overall, it can be useful, but I would suggest only as a supplement to other ingredients.
  Remember that it will be nutrient poor, so some form of nourishment will need to be added.

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• Message 5

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by figrat (U3054696) on Wednesday, 18th May 2011

  Forgot to mention that you might have rust on your mint... has info and advice.

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• Message 6

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  Posted by thevodkarose (U13048111) on Wednesday, 18th May 2011

  Vine weevil love mint too in my experience, and although mint can recover it would leave it sickly and open to infections.
  
  I reuse my compost, but always check for vine weevil first, and only use at the very bottom of a large container up the the halfway mark and only ever with established plants.
  
  Also, don't reuse compost for autumn and winter plantings - this is when the vine weevil will still be eggs or so tiny you'll miss them. I did this once, and never again.
  
  I've never found vine weevil to be a problem in compost bins - they must only like eating fresh roots.

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• Message 7

  , in reply to message 6.

  Posted by zoomer44 (U14019069) on Sunday, 22nd May 2011

  It's been autumn when I've used spent compost, usually only in small quantities but last year as I had four spud bags and the plants had died relatively soon aftet planting decided to re-use more than usual and added nutrients, mixed with new compost. I'd seived it because I kept coming across marble sized spuds.
  
  I check for vine weevil but missed them probably due to them still being eggs. In furture I'll be either putting spent grow bag stuff on the compost or making a trip to the tip.
  
  And it looks like rust on the mint, will replace the pot
  
  
  
  

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• Message 8

  , in reply to message 7.

  Posted by northwards (U14324094) on Sunday, 22nd May 2011

  Now you've got me worried. Last year I filled a dozen large pots with grow-bag compost intending to grow tomatoes in them, but the tomatoes got frosted (it's a long story) so in the end nothing was planted in the compost. This year I was going to mix this old compost 1:1 with fresh stuff, but I;'m beginning to panic a bit about vine weevil etc.
  
  If the compost is old but nothing was grown in it, is it still going to be a problem?
  
  

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