when to replace old compost
By Songbird
United Kingdom 
hi there, song bird here, been a bit busy, but need to get a few jobs in the garden done. I have several pots, containers etc with various plants in them which has had the same compost in them for at least 4 or 5 years, time to change them? do i do it now or in the spring, the one's that concern me most are the hosta's, geranuims, and a spring flowering climbing elizabeth,which is going to be differcult to move the pot around, thanks
6 Nov, 2008
Answers
thanks for reply spritz . the c. montana is in a large pot so that it flowers around my old porch, only flowers once a year, what do i fed it with in the spring? songbird
7 Nov, 2008
When you say 'Geraniums' do you mean hardy ones, or Pelargoniums? If they are Pelargoniums, you can repot them when you take them under cover for the winter. If hardy Geraniums, then leave them until the spring. For the 'Elizabeth', which I assume is Clematis montana 'Elizabeth', I think that the best thing to do is to scrape off the top layer of compost now, without damaging the roots, and to replace that. Then feed it in the spring. I am surprised that if it is a C.montana it is OK in a pot - they are such vigorous plants that they really do better in the ground. The others I would leave until the spring and change all the compost, potting the plants up a size or splitting them if necessary if they are staying in pots. Your Hostas will be going towards dormancy now, so you don't really want to 'boost' them at the moment.
7 Nov, 2008