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gardening

katie
Nov 26, 2017
7
Question

I live on the 3rd floor of a walk up (no lift). We installed planters last year and they are quite large and hold a lot of soil. Do we need to change the soil every year? Can we nourish the soil and keep it for several years?

Mark L-W

No you do not, feeds can replenish the soil. You will need to find the right ones for your plants.
Drainage is probably the most important thing to consider.
A garden centre can advise you on this.
Pépinières de Boitsfort is fairly good.
A bit further out but very good is Garden Center Paul Coquette. A wide range of plants and very good advice.

Nov 26, 2017 16:45
xl

Relax until spring 2018 - get a good garden book now ;-).
Start at a garden center with a list of your plants and get the correct fertilizers - and start fertilizing according to their information (of garden center or on the package / bottle).
We are terrace gardeners since 25 years (south-west facing) with dozens of big and smaller pots (trees, roses, herbs, flowers ...), we x-change the soil every 3-5 years ...and yes, that's hard work for hands and backs.
Good luck xl

Nov 26, 2017 19:51
kasseistamper

My wife was an extremely keen gardener.
When she died I was left with a range of plants in pots and planters.
My knowledge is limited to how to water - but not to overwater - how to remove dead leaves and flowers and how to re-pot something that has become pot-bound.
I've never changed the soil and I never saw my wife do so, nor have I ever used fertiliser. After 10 years in my 'care', everything is still flourishing.

Nov 27, 2017 11:07
katie

Thank you. So far I have a honeysuckle climbing up a trellis and 3 grasses which are permanent on our terrace. We then had a tomato plant last year and some summer annuals. Can anyone recommend other perennial plants which are suitable and would thrive on the terrace.

Nov 27, 2017 12:22
CC_R

I would suggest two things one is plant different thing so any diseases don't remain in the soil the second is buy good quality liquid feed and use that if your now renewing your compost if you plant something g it will use a lot of the nutrient contents and the. Next flowers or plants will be less strong and bright .
Things like Box buxus are ever green wind and sun tolerant and can be clipped into pleasing shapes. Also maybe leave a hole for a plant pot that can be popped in and out for seasonal bulbs many of which you find in shops like delhaze and are great value pop in and remove whole pot after they die off. Keep bulbs for next year and then you're only ever replacing a small quantity of soil

Nov 29, 2017 12:50
anon

I bought this book for my daughter earlier in the spring this year when it first came out. She enjoyed it thoroughly, and already had a beautiful terrace by the summer when I next visited.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/RHS-Big-Ideas-Small-Spaces/dp/178472078X/ref=sr...

Nov 30, 2017 21:06
NasirAbbas

For buying Indoor Plants, Outdoor Plants and other gardening related products and services you can visit this Online Nursery in Islamabad

Aug 25, 2020 11:23