Should I pot simple plants in compost or soil?

Also - Bay trees - should they be planted in soil or compost - a few died
last year and they were planted in compost....

Regards

On Mon, 9 Apr 2007 22:38:56 +0100, "Jim" wrote:

Should I pot simple plants in compost or soil?

Also - Bay trees - should they be planted in soil or compost - a few died
last year and they were planted in compost....

Regards

Compost is meant to enrich soil, not to replace it.

Use soil, amended by compost.

Persephone

On Mon, 9 Apr 2007 22:38:56 +0100, "Jim" wrote:

Should I pot simple plants in compost or soil?

Also - Bay trees - should they be planted in soil or compost - a few died
last year and they were planted in compost....

Regards


First you have to define "compost." It is very easy to kill a bay
laurel by overwatering it. They are also not very hardy in areas
where frost is nearly constant in winter.

I'm on the edge of its hardiness in Texas, USDA Zone 8b.

Jim wrote:
Should I pot simple plants in compost or soil?

Also - Bay trees - should they be planted in soil or compost - a few died
last year and they were planted in compost....

Regards



Compost is a good component of potting mix. It adds the soil bacteria
needed to release nutrients. See my
http://www.rossde.com/garden_potting_mix.html for a recipe for a
do-it-yourself potting mix.

In the ground, plants should have a mixture of the native soil and soil
amendments. I strongly recommend that the planting hole contain not
more than 50% amendments; the rest should be native soil. Otherwise,
roots might fail to penetrate beyond the planting hole. Straight
potting mix should be used only in containers. As an amendment in the
ground, even potting mix should be limited to 50%.

Bay (Laurus nobilis) can grow in the ground as a large shrub or small
tree. I have one in a 12-inch flower pot, but I keep the top trimmed so
that foliage doesn't exceed the ability of constrained roots to supply
moisture during the heat of summer. Where winter temperatures drop
below 20°F, bay should be grown in a container and moved indoors in the
winter.

--

David E. Ross
http://www.rossde.com/.

Anyone who thinks government owns a monopoly on inefficient, obstructive
bureaucracy has obviously never worked for a large corporation. © 1997

Persephone wrote in message
...
On Mon, 9 Apr 2007 22:38:56 +0100, "Jim" wrote:

Should I pot simple plants in compost or soil?

Also - Bay trees - should they be planted in soil or compost - a few died
last year and they were planted in compost....

Regards

Compost is meant to enrich soil, not to replace it.

Use soil, amended by compost.

I usually mix my compost (more correctly pecan leaf mold) at 50/50 with
the sandy loam soil of my yard for potted plants. However, I planted
tomatoes (Celebrity and a black heirloom) this year in 100% compost and they
are amazing looking right now and are bearing already after only a month.

In article ,
Jangchub wrote:

On Mon, 9 Apr 2007 22:38:56 +0100, "Jim" wrote:

Should I pot simple plants in compost or soil?

Also - Bay trees - should they be planted in soil or compost - a few died
last year and they were planted in compost....

Regards


First you have to define "compost." It is very easy to kill a bay
laurel by overwatering it. They are also not very hardy in areas
where frost is nearly constant in winter.

I'm on the edge of its hardiness in Texas, USDA Zone 8b.

Which bay laurel are we talking about?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_leaf I'm on the edge of a temperate
rain forest in northern California and our California bay trees have no
problem with over watering.

- Bill
Cloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)

William Rose wrote:
In article ,
Jangchub wrote:

On Mon, 9 Apr 2007 22:38:56 +0100, "Jim" wrote:

Should I pot simple plants in compost or soil?

Also - Bay trees - should they be planted in soil or compost - a few died
last year and they were planted in compost....

Regards

First you have to define "compost." It is very easy to kill a bay
laurel by overwatering it. They are also not very hardy in areas
where frost is nearly constant in winter.

I'm on the edge of its hardiness in Texas, USDA Zone 8b.

Which bay laurel are we talking about?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_leaf I'm on the edge of a temperate
rain forest in northern California and our California bay trees have no
problem with over watering.

Bay laurel (also called sweet bay) is Laurus nobilis. This is the
traditional bay leaf used in cooking.

California bay (also called California laurel) is Umbellularia
californica. This can be used in place of L. nobilis in cooking with
some caution. The flavor of U. californica is much stronger than L.
nobilis, so you must use less. More important, some people are
violently allergic to U. californica when they are not at all allergic
to L. nobilis.

U. californica is hardier than L. nobilis. Being quite different
plants, their culture is different (including soil and water needs).

--

David E. Ross
http://www.rossde.com/.

Anyone who thinks government owns a monopoly on inefficient, obstructive
bureaucracy has obviously never worked for a large corporation. © 1997

On Mon, 09 Apr 2007 23:37:56 -0700, William Rose
wrote:

Which bay laurel are we talking about?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_leaf I'm on the edge of a temperate
rain forest in northern California and our California bay trees have no
problem with over watering.

- Bill
Cloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)

I have a Bay Laurel – Laurus nobilis