Container Plant soil

I just wanted your opinion on this idea.
I have a lot of container plants---tomatoes. In the fall--i want to take the used soil ( 1/2 compost manure and 1/2 peat moss) from these containers and clean the roots out of it and put it in a 4x16 tin framed bin. ( like a 2 foot raised bed ) Then cover it with plastic to kill any diseases (sterilize it). Then come spring, I want to plant my squash in it. Does this sound good?
I will also do another one just like it for a Broccoli and Cauliflower bed. And another one for Strawberries.

Cricket

So much for that idea

Cricket

This message was edited Sep 17, 2004 5:11 PM

Your idea sounded good to me but I would also add manure and all sorts of compost material (egg shells, leaves, plant material, etc.) so it could rot over winter. I basically did this same thing last year and it worked great!!! Why did you decide not to do it???



This message was edited Sep 20, 2004 1:08 AM

No I didnt decide not to do it. I was sad cause no-one commented on the idea. But I also thought about cutting the tin in half long ways so its not so high. And I dont know if the tin is a good idea or bad idea. Will it get too hot. Will the rust cause problems? should i paint the tin on both sides?

cricket

cricket...I seldom come to this forum. This may have been a good thread for the Container Forum though. Have you posted it over there?

i cant remeber if i did or not. i have posted everywhere hoping for a response. : )

cricket

Hi Cricket,
Tomatoes carry a lot of soil born diseases but seems like it might work. Since you never take as much soil out of a pot as you put in, you are going to have to add ammendments. why not just add more compost and if you worry about sterilizing in the spring, just drench it with boiling water. Sometimes, that solarization process in the winter turns out to be a mushroom farm with composted manure. Check for earthworms, not grubs, and if you got them, you did real good. Rusty metal has no effect on the plants.

well-----my front yard is full of large oaks-----lots of leaves----lots of worms------i will be chopping the leaves for my beds and transplanting wormsssss.
So i guess if they stay, all is well.

thanks

cricket