On 17/11/2011 18:41, Dave Hill wrote:
On Nov 17, 10:29 am, stuart wrote:
Just a little update. Every last one of the B&Q violas I planted late
September has now died. No sign of any pests but the roots had not
spread at all, and the root balls had just disintegrated. Again, I
think this might have been a case of their suppliers being caught out
by the weather. The warm autumn had caused the plants to put on too
much growth so that in reality they were "past it" by the time they
reached the shelves. On refection maybe I should have cut the root
balls with scissors but they are so delicate that it would probably
have killed them at the outset.

Fortunately I bought another batch from my local Wyevales in mid
October and gradually put them in the same compost as the old ones
died off. There was a risk of the second lot dying as well but I had a
hunch the problem was with the plants and not the soil. The new lot
had virtually no roots visible on the outside of the ball, and are now
thriving, so I guess the gamble paid off. Just as well really because
I hate dumping spent compost and, in a small garden, I have no option
but to take it to the local tip.

Why can't you dig the old compost in, or use it as a mulch?

Because I have raised beds that are already too high for the surrounding
brick/fence. If a bag of compost comes in, one has to go out. It's that
tight.