Hi after some advice I've a few plants in big pots & planters from jasmine to prunus nipponica brilliant and a red Robin and was wondering am I supposed to top up with compost every year? Or can I get away using miracle grow or fish bone & blood?
For anything established that is long term in a pot the usual drill is to top dress with fresh compost and I'd say probably better to use a liquid fertiliser in the growing season as a guaranteed way to know it reaches what must be quite an extensive root system in the pot.
Planting composts/media only have enough fertiliser to last 90 days so yes you need to top it up every spring with a generous dollop of slow release fertiliser such as pelleted chicken manure, BF&B or specialist feeds for roses, celmatis or tomatoes which are great for flowering plants.
In addition, you can add a liquid feed once a week between March and mid July. Do not feed after this as you'll promote soft growth that doesn't have time to mature and harden before frosts start.
If you want to continue getting advice you need to move to another forum as this one is closing tomorrow. Many of us have already moved to Gardeners Corner.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Planting composts/media only have enough fertiliser to last 90 days so yes you need to top it up every spring with a generous dollop of slow release fertiliser such as pelleted chicken manure, BF&B or specialist feeds for roses, celmatis or tomatoes which are great for flowering plants.
In addition, you can add a liquid feed once a week between March and mid July. Do not feed after this as you'll promote soft growth that doesn't have time to mature and harden before frosts start.
If you want to continue getting advice you need to move to another forum as this one is closing tomorrow. Many of us have already moved to Gardeners Corner.
Thank you, yes I signed up the other day I can't believe there closing these forums they've been a brilliant help for me,so many people with so much knowledge.
With the BF&B I've always been unsure how to use it, do I have to dig down and sprinkle that in or can I just sprinkle on top and water?
I just add it to the surface and blend it in either by hand or with a trowel. It will slowly dissolve with each watering. It's slow release so don't be too anxious if you can still see it for a while! Also worth checking whether your plants are pot bound with a congested root system. You can then either root prune, depending on the plant, or move to a larger pot with fresh soil based compost like John Innes no 3.
I usually use a hand fork to loosen the compost and mix in the chosen fertiliser. Helps with clearing any weedlings and also aerating the compost a bit.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
I just add it to the surface and blend it in either by hand or with a trowel. It will slowly dissolve with each watering. It's slow release so don't be too anxious if you can still see it for a while! Also worth checking whether your plants are pot bound with a congested root system. You can then either root prune, depending on the plant, or move to a larger pot with fresh soil based compost like John Innes no 3.
Thanks I was just wondering about sprinkling on top as I've small stones on top of the soil so I didn't fancy having to move all them but if I had to no problem.
I've had a full box of FB&B for a while now and not sure what to use it for I was tempted to add it to the buxus plants on the front but I scared I'm adding the wrong stuff.
I've also got tubs of miracle grow balls & liquid fertiliser.
Should I be adding anything to roses atm as there starting to come back?
I'd try to move the stones aside. BFB is good for Buxus too, I use for it for those in pots and in the ground. Roses would also benefit from BFB or a specialist rose food. Miracle Gro granules and liquid are synthetic alternatives to BFB. Use one or the other of these three, overfeeding can be as problematic as underfeeding. Dosage instructions should be on the containers.
Yes, move the stones, add the feed then replace the stones and rinse them as you water in.
BF&B is balanced so good for most plants. Leafy plants like buxus may appreciate a more nitrogen heavy feed or you could buy or make some nettle tea which contains a lot of nitrogen. Comfrey tea is better for roses, tomatoes and any flowering and/or fruiting plants.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
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In addition, you can add a liquid feed once a week between March and mid July. Do not feed after this as you'll promote soft growth that doesn't have time to mature and harden before frosts start.
If you want to continue getting advice you need to move to another forum as this one is closing tomorrow. Many of us have already moved to Gardeners Corner.
With the BF&B I've always been unsure how to use it, do I have to dig down and sprinkle that in or can I just sprinkle on top and water?
I've had a full box of FB&B for a while now and not sure what to use it for I was tempted to add it to the buxus plants on the front but I scared I'm adding the wrong stuff.
I've also got tubs of miracle grow balls & liquid fertiliser.
Should I be adding anything to roses atm as there starting to come back?
BF&B is balanced so good for most plants. Leafy plants like buxus may appreciate a more nitrogen heavy feed or you could buy or make some nettle tea which contains a lot of nitrogen. Comfrey tea is better for roses, tomatoes and any flowering and/or fruiting plants.