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Compost for container raspberries

ForTheBeesForTheBees Posts: 168
in Fruit & veg
I've bought three container raspberries I need to pot up this weekend. The general recommendation seems to be to use a 80 percent MPC and 20 percent loam mix (eg https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=148).  However as someone who's trying to avoid peat wherever possible, I'm struggling to know what to buy for that 20pc. All the peat-free stuff seems to fall in the MPC category, and anything sold as being loam rich is also stuffed full of peat.

Any suggestions for something I have a chance to walk in and buy this weekend, be it something for the 20pc loam part or something that's suitable for raspberries as is?

Thanks

Posts

  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Ericaceous compost mixed with leaf mould (if you can get it, but don’t think GCs sell it) and loam would better replicate the slightly acidic, woodland conditions raspberries like. For the loam component, any chance you could nick some soil from the garden or someone else’s garden? With permission re the latter of course  :D

    I would avoid general MPC. The RHS has some funny ideas, sometimes...
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    PS - had another thought - hummus made from worm casts should be peat-free!
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    I always used to use mole hill soil mixed with home made compost. They preferred growing in the ground though.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • purplerallimpurplerallim Posts: 5,287
    Why not just get a bag of top soil from the GC to mix with MPC , as this will last the couple of years the raspberries will be in pots before they need putting in the ground.
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