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Used wrong compost what can I do

(15 Posts)
Cherylg Mon 04-May-26 08:03:43

I potted up some large plugs to grow a bit before planting out geraniums and carnations. Rather a lot of them too. I used compost for azalea instead of multipurpose should I feed with something to reduce the acid and leave to grow or plant straight out in the garden

Farmor15 Mon 04-May-26 08:06:29

I'd water them with a diluted liquid feed and leave them grow a bit before planting out. They'll probably be fine.

Casdon Mon 04-May-26 08:10:32

I’d remove them as soon as possible and put them in multi purpose compost, as the roots will wither in acid compost.

JaneJudge Mon 04-May-26 08:13:34

This is the kind of thing I would do. Usually I keep quiet and hope for the best

Shelflife Mon 04-May-26 08:45:57

In your situation would cross my fingers and hope for the best. Good luck !

Visgir1 Mon 04-May-26 10:04:17

I would feed and keep my fingers crossed. They are tough plants I think they will be OK.

Esmay Mon 04-May-26 10:10:41

If you can change the compost .

Casdon Mon 04-May-26 10:45:14

The geraniums might go yellow but survive, but carnations don’t like acid soil so are likely to die if you don’t change the compost I think.

Allira Mon 04-May-26 11:06:37

I'd probably change them before they settle in but you could water them with a lime solution if it's too late.

25Avalon Mon 04-May-26 14:18:42

Trouble with watering young plugs with lime solution is that it could burn the leaves. Potash might be better. Personally, although I know it’s a lot of work, I would take them out and replant them. Carnations definitely don’t like acid and more likely to die and adult geraniums have yellow leaves, but these are young plants who need all their strength to grow.

Cherylg Mon 04-May-26 17:01:04

Thank you. Some of the geranium are going yellow already. I think tomorrow I will clear a bed of spring flowers and replenish the compost in it. Then I will put most of the plants out there in the correct compost and water with miracle grow. It will mean they are in their final place. The others I will put in new troughs with the correct earth too. I can’t believe I did it. But only this year bought some azalea and camellia so had a big open bag of the compost in my garage with the multipurpose open and against the opposite wall.

David49 Mon 04-May-26 18:48:16

The problem is to neutralize all the compost is going to take a lot of lime and lime takes time to get activated in the soil.
If it's only one bag of compost I would rescue the plants remove the compost and replace it. Give an extra feed and they should recover

WithNobsOnIt Tue 05-May-26 13:57:35

Get in touch with Monty Don from Gardeners World. Of

Silvertwigs Tue 05-May-26 18:24:45

Trust me, they will be fine 🌷🌷

Silvertwigs Tue 05-May-26 18:26:00

If it were the other way round, you could be in trouble, but what you’ve planted in ericacious compost is ok