soil from containers

15 years ago

Hi! We have a roof terrace and have about 20 or so containers. Probably 2/3 are annuals. The issue with the soil from the annuals is it usually contains too much old roots to use the next year. I usually try to take the plant out of the pot, shake off and collect as much dirt as I can and "collect" the dirt . However, is there some way, over the winter, I could compost the roots? Most of the seeds could be removed (and, if not, oh well).

Thanks!

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Comments (4)

novascapes
15 years ago
Interesting that you posted this when you did as I have the same problem on a much larger scale. I talked to a wholesale nursery grower about what they did with their dead plant material. They said it was piled up in back. I messed up and agreed to haul it off, before looking at it. The pile is about 2, 18 wheeler loads. I made the deal so will live up to it. I have the equipment and can take it to the farm for composting. I plan on grinding it with a hammer mill used for hay. The question is what to amend it with for compost. It is made up of a lot of ground pine bark, perlite and roots. the other option is to plow it directly into the clay soil I have. or use it for mulch.
Sorry for stealing the thread.
In your case I would buy a machete or use a meat cleaver to chop it up. I would then add it to the compost. The problem we both have is that the potting medium is usualy made up of materials that do not compost very fast. Like the pine bark. It was designed for good drainage as to not build up the salts, and at the same time hold moisture. The material is used because it does not break down very fast. I think.
Kimmsr
15 years ago
If you mix in an adequater amount of Nitrogen to feed the bacteria that might be there and add just enough, and not too much, moisture that old potting soil and those plant roots should compost. If the potting soil is primarily peat moss you may find that does not compost very well, as I have, even with a fair amount of a Nitrogen source added. The bacteria that digest these materials appear to not like peat moss much. i have not had a similar problem with finely ground bark potting soils.
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Belgianpup
15 years ago
Add some regular soil from the ground and some kitchen waste (fruit and veg peelings, too ripe, 'furry', etc) and mix it all together. Keep it just damp, and it should be fine next spring.

Sue
david52 Zone 6
15 years ago
Due to a spell where physical activity wasn't an option, this past year, I tried leaving the dead plants in the containers, snipping off the stem at the ground, and just planted something new, leaving the old, dead root ball/soil combo intact. This worked just fine.

novascapes, if I had your problem*, I'd lay those two truckloads of organic matter / perlite out about 8 inches thick and till/mix it into your clay garden.

* wish I had 'problems' like that :-)