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Re-using compost for potted lettuce?

Joe Brown2Joe Brown2 Posts: 65
in Fruit & veg
Hi folks, 

I was going to have a go growing a variety of lettuces including some cold hardy varieties in multiple trough shaped pots within a cold frame.

I was wondering once I've taken the lettuces out will the compost actually be suitable to just plant another lot in or is there a recommended product to 'revitalise' it with nutrients? I was going to pick up some westlands peat free multipurpose with John innes, obviously it claims it feeds plants for 5 weeks.. But since I know nothing unsure if that's just marketing or if I would need to add something.. 

Posts

  • ShepsSheps Posts: 2,236
    edited July 2023
    Hi @Joe Brown2 I believe the thinking is you shouldn't plant the same crop twice in the same soil and crop rotate instead.

    I have to admit in not doing this and removing part of the soil, about a 3rd and replacing with fresh compost and planting out my lettuce, in fact I did it this morning.

    I did add some Fish, Blood and Bone to revitalise the existing soil to help with the nutrient levels.

    So I guess it's up to you, maybe give it a go and see how you get on.


  • nick615nick615 Posts: 1,487
    I generally buck the trend by always having a tub of chicken manure pellets on hand to, as you say, revitalise my trays between sowings of lettuce.  I know of no disease that affects them by doing this, so I put a handful of pellets in a plastic container of water, shake vigorously, and water my old compost with it.  After all, it's only a temporary measure before relocating to the 'proper' soil.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I don't plant lettuce out in open ground because of slugs, so mine are all potted and just divided/split and moved into pots of their own etc. Some of the existing compost/soil is therefore re used for them as I pot on, along with some fresh,  and I can't say I've ever had a problem doing that.
    A bit of general food would do if you want to reuse the compost though. Not something I've ever done, but in your situation, it could be useful. Liquid seaweed is ideal for any leafy plant, and for future, you could try making nettle tea if you have access to plenty of nettles. As an alternative, you could always remove of the old compost, and use that elsewhere, then replace with fresh compost. Commercial compost has slow release food added, so the new stuff you mix in will be enough to keep the seedlings, or small plants, growing for a good while.
    The plants will be getting moved on as they grow, as @nick615 says, so the initial process is temporary, and seed doesn't need much to germinate and grow on for a few weeks.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Joe Brown2Joe Brown2 Posts: 65
    Fairygirl said:
     and seed doesn't need much to germinate and grow on for a few weeks.  :)

    Not sure what's happening with my phone by quoting you and cutting most out I'm trapped in the quote haha.

    But I might be getting mixed up on the best practice then as there's discussion about moving the plants on. 

    My idea was to fill a long trough with compost, sow the seeds, thin them out as needed and let them grow to maturity (or when I've taken all the leaves) and then start again. But obviously that's a few months for most types I suppose. 

    Sounds like I'd need to top up nutrients in the compost as they're growing then, I'm just used to tomato feed them flowers emerge haha. So it sounds like after say 5-6 weeks I might need to sprinkle some fish blood and bone around the plants while watering or use chicken manure pellets in a similar manner.. 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Don't worry @Joe Brown2- I understand the problem with the quote thing. It's sometimes easier to do the answer and then remove the bits of quote you don't want. yet another glitch on this site...
    I think I follow what you're saying re your lettuce. Most folk would sow the seed in trays or pots, then prick the individual seedlings out and plant them in a similar way to @Sheps's pic above, moving them again as they get bigger, or plant clumps in pots/troughs to use as a cut and come again crop. Or a mixture of  both methods.
    You'd then sow again a few weeks later to ensure a succession, because if you have lots of lettuce all maturing at the same time, it's not easy to use them up quickly enough, and they don't freeze like other crops.
    The problem with doing it the way you're describing is that you're wasting quite a lot of seed, but you're also having to wait a long time to re use your trough and compost, so that makes a difference to the reusing of the compost.  :)
    Tomato food is fine for flowering plants, and those that have a fruiting crop, but not so suitable for things like lettuce.   :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy Posts: 6,774
    Just to add a little to what has already been said.  The convention of crop rotation really applies to crops like tomatoes, courgettes which are heavy feeders and also susceptible to certain pests and diseases. 
    Plants like lettuce are not so demanding and you can replant into the same area, but not endlessly.  As mentioned a little extra feed , nitrogen in particular will help boost the soil.  There are products which were designed to add to things like coir, to provide nutrients if making your own compost mixes. You can use small amounts of this to "refesh" used soils. 
    AB Still learning

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