used potting mix

[mark smyth]

How do you, Ian Y. and Tony G. and others, recycle your potting mix that is used for growing bulbs? Since I have started repotting I have quite a large amount in bags.

[Ian Y]

Mark
I somtimes I will re-use the mix for repotting other bulbs so if it was used for frits I will add some extra leafmould and use it for erythroniums.
Also after adding leafmould I use it in troughs, for other non bulbous plants or just to add to some add some extra to the garden beds.

[art600]

I mostly add mine to the new beds I create by reducing the lawn - never enough space, and too big a lawn.   

[Paul T]

Mark,

Always recycled into the gardens where possible, or else into large tubs if I am planting something larger.  Special stuff is put into a separate bag for careful allocating to maximise chances of any bulbs in it being able to grow (i.e shade loving special stuff is always placed in a shady area in case there are left over Frits, Erythroniums etc in there that will grow on.  Last autumn I repotted my Anemone blanda seedlings from seed from Thomas H...... had had brilliant germination and growth and ended up with 104 tubers which I put up into a polystyrene box and back into the large original pots.  I put that mix aside in a bag because I knew there would some in there that I missed, then forgot about it.  Discovered it about 6 weeks ago with shoots coming through in the bag.  Not wanting to disturb them I have just put the bag outside in a sheltered area with the top folded back.  Lots of nice leaves in there now.... must be at least a dozen tubers in there that I missed, so this way they can grow for this season then I can put the whole lot out into the garden in a sheltered area once they die down.  That was the original intent but I forgot about the bag.

And Thomas...... I got a couple of first flowers from them this year as well, so some are already reaching flowering size.  Thank you kindly Sir!! 

[Lesley Cox]

First of my blandas from Thomas also flowering now, but there are STILL new seedlings germinating in the same pots, three years after the first ones.

[Paul T]

Lesley,

I must check the recycled bag then, because any remaining seed would be in there if they were germinating this year.  Amongst their little "not found" brethren in the potting mix.  So what colours are your seedlings?  The two of mine that have flowered were both blue, but to me any blanda is a good blanda, regardless of the colour!    Still hoping for some mixed colours in there in the future though.

[Lesley Cox]

Mine are blue too but some darker, some lighter. Odd how difficult it is to get decent pinks. I have a few but they don't set seed.

[Paul T]

Lesley,

Yes, 'Pink Star' grows and flowers well for me but NEVER sets seed.  'Charmeur' I think set a few seed last year, but not 100% sure of that.  I take pollen from the pinks and put it onto the others, just to see what results seedling-wise.  'Radar' sets seed to a small degree, but this year hasn't even surfaced so I have suspicions that that one has unfortunately gone to the Goddess. 

[Lesley Cox]

I lost 'Radar' years ago and though a couple of people still seem to have it, it's never offered commercially. The pinks (and others) which are offered by garden centres, in little packets of 5, are always so shrivelled up like bits of dull coal, that they rarely come up at all. A. blanda shouldn't be dried out, likewise, A. nemorosa, but they won't be told of course.

[tonyg]

I have a couple of nice raised beds and use it to 'improve' garden soil.  I also reuse some for repotting bulbs, depends what it feels like.  Last years has a really nice sharp grit in it so makes a good 'additive'.  I add bonemeal/vitax to beef up the final mix, hopefully replacing some of the lost nutrients.
.... Oh and I swapped 10 bags for some paving slabs in a neat freecycling excercise recently

[Thomas Huber]

Paul and Lesley, great to hear about my seeds reaching flowering size. There will also be white ones
and surely intermediates in future flowers for you. I have lots of white ones in my garden, too!
But only a few pink ones