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Tomato soil - dispose or reuse?

Hi

I have some tomato plants in fabric planters. I have picked all my tomatoes now, so I have a question about the soil (John innes 3). What should I do with it? Should I keep it and reuse it next year, or dispose it and use fresh soil next year?

thanks

Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Put the used soil on your garden and start afresh next year.
    The used compost may contain a build-up of tomato-specific pathogens and the like.
    It may be ok to use, but I'd not take the risk.
    I grow mine in the ground in the greenhouse, but I replace 1 spade's depth of soil every 3 years - a chore I don't look forward to.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • McRazzMcRazz Posts: 440
    I ameliorate mine with composted fines and reuse the following year. I've never had any issues although I do feed my Tom's fairly regularly so this could be masking potential nutrient deficiencies.

    If you suffer from blight then it may be wise to use fresh soil, but I've never experienced this so am not really qualified to advise.

    Other options would be to spread in the garden, JI3 is a fine soil - I use it for nearly everything. 
  • RedwingRedwing Posts: 1,511
    I grow my tomatoes in growbags (though this year I used the compost from the local council) and reuse it for anything other than tomatoes the following year.  Usually I mix it with my home made compost and use it for flowerpots or spread it on the flowerbeds. 
    Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
  • I either add it to the veg patch, or use it in containers for bulbs or  summer flowers like nasturtiums that need low fertility. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Thanks! Will reuse it somewhere else then 
  • LunarSeaLunarSea Posts: 1,923
    I have always added mine to the compost heap where it all gets mixed in eventually. But this year the compost heap is so full I can't so it's all in a builder's sack.

    Our flowerbeds are so full of plants I couldn't accommodate it there. I learned a very useful lesson one year when I dumped a load of compost over the top of dormant herbaceous plants - ie. it's not a good idea - I lost several.
    Clay soil - Cheshire/Derbyshire border

    I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful

  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487
    You'll need to assess what crops/plants will grow on what's left after your toms.  I used to get great crops of onions from cast off strawberry grobags.
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