By Shirlwhirl
Gloucestershire,
United Kingdom 
I have a half barrel tub going spare this year & I think I would like to plant some of the bigger begonias in it. What is the best compost to use? We have a bit of our own rotted down compost - could we use some of that mixed with something else?
20 Mar, 2014
Answers
Thank you Derek, I will have a go at all that.
I might put some polystyrene in the bottom if we still have some - we just threw a load away a couple of weeks ago!! Isn't it always the same?? :(
However as it is insitu, we won't be moving it once it is planted up, so that won't matter so much.
Thanks again.
20 Mar, 2014
Hi, I would use a little of your compost, if it's well rotted, just in the bottom of the tub, 2 - 3 inches, the rest I would use a mix of John Innes number 2, and multi purpose compost, and horticultural grit, in the ratio of 1 part grit to 1 part each of the compost, and mix it well, I presume your container has drainage holes in the bottom, you can use chopped up pieces of polystyrene as crocks, to help make it a bit lighter to move, Derek.
20 Mar, 2014