How long will container mix last?

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TomF
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Andrew, how many seasons can you get from the container mix before you should rematch it? I have not got many veggie containers at all but did 4 wicking beds for the last two seasons. I did top up second season as things settled quite a bit and the tomatoes did not do as well this past summer wither.

I did rebuild one of the beds because it was made in a different manner that the other 3 and did note allow the water to fill as I did not have a good design on the ability for the air to escape when filling. When I was taking the soil out and got to the part that was hanging down into the water, It was fully anaerobic swamp mix. I just reworked the base to breath better but did not change it for any other material. This spring I was going to remove al later soil, and put the anaerobic stuff into a compost mix after drying and aerating it and just use sharp sand for the water wicking zone and put the soil on top of that with a lot of seasoned compost added too.

That is a bunch of work though so does your mix set a good base that can just be topped with good compost each season?
Danoost
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I'll let Andrew answer this in more detail but my experience with containers is that the soil should never be replaced.

In containers we use the same mulching method we use in our gardens. applying compost and mulch throughout the growing season.

If you're getting anaerobic conditions, your container might be too large for the type of plants you're growing and things are being overwatered. The roots of the plants we're growing, when mature, should occupy most of the container.
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Andrew
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Which container mix are you using?

I like to use something like Gaia Green 4-4-4 all purpose organic fertilizer blended into a premium compost and monitor and then top dress once per cycle. A premium compost is one that includes worm castings, and has been aged at least a year ideally. If it's a biodynamic compost this means that the compost is much more likely to have the full spectrum of plant needs.

There is no need to empty out your beds, all re-amending can be done by top dressing.

Other ways to refresh your containers:

- Digging finished bokashi into a trench before planting is another great way to refresh containers and beds.
- Using leachate from bokashi bucket when watering through the season
- Using leachate from a worm bin when watering through the season

For a comprehensive blend you could make for re-amending see the Cannabis section for the soil recipe listed there and it will give you and idea of the sorts of ingredients that can be used.
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