On 19/02/2020 14:42, Martin Brown wrote:
On 19/02/2020 11:28, john west wrote:
We want to put some bamboo plants and also some Conifers in large
buckets (holes drilled for drainage).

Would wood chip (or anything else) be useful to add to the bottom of
the buckets to provide future nutrition when it has rotted down?

That's a bad idea. Wood takes up nitrogen as it rots. A bit of slow
release fertiliser will do no harm though. You may lose bamboo in
containers in hard winters if the roots freeze or in summer become too
dry. Perlag to add bulk but less weight might not be a bad idea. Tall
things in pots tend to fall over a lot when it gets windy.

Mine in containers all expired one particularly cold -12C peak winter.

If tall plants are going to blow over then you waant MORE not less
weight in the pot.
If you live where there are foxes then Hoof and horn or Blood fish and
bone are NOT a good idea as they atract foxes and they willdig looking
for food.
Using a good liquid feed every couple of weeks during the growing season
should work as you will be watering regularly.