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- Recycling potting soil
Posted by Jim K z7a NJ on April 8, 2009, 16:11:40
How many growing season's can potting soil be used? I left a banana in a pot oer this past winter and am getting pots ready for planting. I cleaned out all the old roots from the banana and want to know if it's okay to reuse the soil.
By the way, I noticed today that Arundo Donax is popping up. - Re: Recycling potting soil
Posted by Ron (DE Zone 7a) on April 8, 2009, 18:03:38, in reply to "Recycling potting soil"
Jim,
I frequently re-use potting soil - including if it has been left outside all winter - if it still seems "good" and useable - and if it has some rotted banana plants in it, it may even be better than before! So I say go ahead and re-use, especially if it's for potted plants that will be outside all summer. And sometimes I recycle old potting soil back into the garden. I certainly never throw out old potting soil because ANYTHING improves my native clay.
The only thing I try to avoid - when possible - is bringing any soil left outside, for any length of time, back in the house ("potting" or otherwise), because it may harbor critters - however, I do bring potted plants back in every Fall so I don't really totally avoid this either. - Re: Recycling potting soil
Posted by Jim K z7a NJ on April 8, 2009, 18:59:42, in reply to "Re: Recycling potting soil"
Thanks Ron. I figured it would be ok to use, I just wanted to check. I also mix old used potting soil into different parts of the yard, especially in an area of lawn that might need a seeding patch.
I hated to dump out all the soil because it was in a pretty large pot, and it seemed like such a waste (and waste of $$'s) to have to replace the soil. - Re: Recycling potting soil
Posted by Steve, N.J.,7-a on April 8, 2009, 22:54:01, in reply to "Re: Recycling potting soil"
Don't reuse soil for plants prone to root rot. Potting soil breaks down and compacts over time, meaning roots may suffocate. - Re: Recycling potting soil
Posted by Jim, Wilmington, DE, 7a on April 9, 2009, 8:37:06, in reply to "Recycling potting soil"
No problem with all the other advice. But I would add a "Wilmington Jim" corollary:
Whenever I have a potted plant die (regardless the reason), I trash all the soil in that pot.
...The idea being that maybe it was something in the soil that contributed to the fatality. - Re: Recycling potting soil
Posted by Joe K on April 9, 2009, 17:39:59, in reply to "Recycling potting soil"
I will generally not reuse potting soil for crops but will personally use it galore, I don't ever waist any soil. Worse case scenario you'd just add some new soil to your old soil every few years. - Re: Recycling potting soil
Posted by lk
on April 10, 2009, 7:49:20, in reply to "Re: Recycling potting soil"No need to throw it away. rarely is it contaminated in any way. it can always be composted if you fear something is bad about it. the heat will kill all. or simply put the pot or soil in a heavy black bag, sit it in the sun for a few weeks and the heat will kill most insects etc. a sprinkle of sulfur will nip fungus. add a handful of perlite if you think you need more drainage. i have reuse pro mix for years and years and never, never had a problem. wash pots in clorax to kill fungus , spread soil out and let the sun bake it , fungus be gone!
Or toss the soil in a garden bed if you really don't want to use it in a pot.
Recycle !
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