Posted by john hamilton on July 18, 2010, 6:54 am
When the local council have pulled out all the 'finished' plants they have
put out in flower beds, they throw them on a big unsightly heap in a remote
corner of the cemetery.
After a while it ends up being a very sandy type of compost. It doesnt look
like there is much loam in it.
Would this be good to throw into garden pots mixed with some additional
soil? I guess the dead plants would just rot down and add some nutrition to
the mix?
It also has a lot of small bits of chopped tree bark in it. Would this tree
bark help with moisture retention, or would it be a waste of time from that
point of view? Would I be better picking out the tree bark and throwing it
away? Thanks.
Posted by Bob Hobden on July 18, 2010, 9:35 am
"john hamilton" wrote
> When the local council have pulled out all the 'finished' plants they have
> put out in flower beds, they throw them on a big unsightly heap in a
> remote corner of the cemetery.
> After a while it ends up being a very sandy type of compost. It doesnt
> look like there is much loam in it.
> Would this be good to throw into garden pots mixed with some additional
> soil? I guess the dead plants would just rot down and add some nutrition
> to the mix?
> It also has a lot of small bits of chopped tree bark in it. Would this
> tree bark help with moisture retention, or would it be a waste of time
> from that point of view? Would I be better picking out the tree bark and
> throwing it away? Thanks.
If it's all rotted down then I can't see a problem. Presumably it's the
original compost mixed with rotted plants and a bit of bark, sounds good to
me. Try some and see.
I often use bark chippings in compost, aids drainage without adding weight,
and it's not only orchids and citrus that appreciate it.
--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK
Posted by Wallace on July 18, 2010, 11:43 am
> When the local council have pulled out all the 'finished' plants they have
> put out in flower beds, they throw them on a big unsightly heap in a
> remote corner of the cemetery.
> After a while it ends up being a very sandy type of compost. It doesnt
> look like there is much loam in it.
> Would this be good to throw into garden pots mixed with some additional
> soil? I guess the dead plants would just rot down and add some nutrition
> to the mix?
> It also has a lot of small bits of chopped tree bark in it. Would this
> tree bark help with moisture retention, or would it be a waste of time
> from that point of view? Would I be better picking out the tree bark and
> throwing it away? Thanks.
I would think that stuff would be ok. Why not experiment? Plant some with
it and some with an alternative, and see what results?
Posted by Dave Hill on July 18, 2010, 3:43 pm
> > When the local council have pulled out all the 'finished' plants they have
> > put out in flower beds, they throw them on a big unsightly heap in a
> > remote corner of the cemetery.
> > After a while it ends up being a very sandy type of compost. It doesnt
> > look like there is much loam in it.
> > Would this be good to throw into garden pots mixed with some additional
> > soil? I guess the dead plants would just rot down and add some nutrition
> > to the mix?
> > It also has a lot of small bits of chopped tree bark in it. Would this
> > tree bark help with moisture retention, or would it be a waste of time
> > from that point of view? Would I be better picking out the tree bark and
> > throwing it away? Thanks.
> I would think that stuff would be ok. Why not experiment? Plant some with
> it and some with an alternative, and see what results?
One thing you might find is the plants growing short, most of the pot
Mums will have been treated with a growth retardant chemical which can
stay in the soil for quite a time
Posted by Cheryl Isaak on July 20, 2010, 7:05 am
On 7/18/10 11:43 AM, in article i1v7f5$rl9$1@news.eternal-september.org,
>
>> When the local council have pulled out all the 'finished' plants they have
>> put out in flower beds, they throw them on a big unsightly heap in a
>> remote corner of the cemetery.
>>
>> After a while it ends up being a very sandy type of compost. It doesnt
>> look like there is much loam in it.
>>
>> Would this be good to throw into garden pots mixed with some additional
>> soil? I guess the dead plants would just rot down and add some nutrition
>> to the mix?
>>
>> It also has a lot of small bits of chopped tree bark in it. Would this
>> tree bark help with moisture retention, or would it be a waste of time
>> from that point of view? Would I be better picking out the tree bark and
>> throwing it away? Thanks.
>
> I would think that stuff would be ok. Why not experiment? Plant some with
> it and some with an alternative, and see what results?
>
>
Honestly, I'd use it too - use it to lighten heavy soil or mix in with good
compost. Waste not, want not
> put out in flower beds, they throw them on a big unsightly heap in a
> remote corner of the cemetery.
> After a while it ends up being a very sandy type of compost. It doesnt
> look like there is much loam in it.
> Would this be good to throw into garden pots mixed with some additional
> soil? I guess the dead plants would just rot down and add some nutrition
> to the mix?
> It also has a lot of small bits of chopped tree bark in it. Would this
> tree bark help with moisture retention, or would it be a waste of time
> from that point of view? Would I be better picking out the tree bark and
> throwing it away? Thanks.