Can I reuse earlier potting soil?

Provided it’s disease-free, clear up this potting soil and reuse it in raised beds, planters, and totally different container gardens.

First, can I reuse potting soil?

Like many options of gardening — it depends upon.

If the potting soil has merely been used one season and all the vegetation have been totally healthful, optimistic. Nonetheless, for those who acknowledge your vegetation ended up hit with downy mildew, or totally different plant sickness, chances are you’ll want to each toss the soil or spend some time sterilizing it. Many fungi and viruses CAN overwinter in soil, making them significantly laborious to eradicate from yr to yr.

Sterilizing Potting Soil

Solely a reminder — killing off the “harmful” viruses will even kill off the “good” micro organism and microorganisms which is perhaps essential for soil and plant effectively being. Soil sterilization is perhaps completed throughout the microwave and even throughout the oven, although this may increasingly make for an indoor mess.

Or favorite method? Using the photo voltaic, generally known as solarization. Solarization leaves no chemical residue, is safe for pure crops, and is easy enough for home gardeners to complete.

Take away all the contaminated stems, leaves, and roots out of your potting soil. Place the contaminated potting soil in a black plastic trash bag.
In case your potting soil is completely dry, add considerably little little bit of water; merely enough to moisten the soil completely.
Seal the bag and place it in sunniest, brightest spot in your yard.
Solarization is every time and temperature dependent — relying in your gardening native climate, your soil may be sterilized wherever in between 4 and 12 weeks. Most weed seeds are killed off at lower temperetures, however additional heat is required for plant sicknesses. Soil solarization is environment friendly in opposition to fungal pathogens similar to wilt, Fusarium, and Phytophthora root rot, and bacterial pathogens such potato scab.

How one can Reuse Potting Soil

Okay, you’ve got determined your earlier potting soil is disease-free. Now with considerably TLC, you can repurpose that potting soil for a further batch of beautiful hanging baskets, glorious patio planters, or ravishing raised beds.

1. Excessive It Off

If the extent of soil in your raised mattress has dropped and you plan to yard within the similar home, mix in some additional latest potting mix to regain depth as soon as extra. Ideally, the soil entails inside an inch or so of the rim of the planter or raised mattress. Use a fork or hand instrument to combine the model new soil into the earlier soil.

Combine new soil into the earlier soil.

Gardener’s Present Pure All-Operate Fertilizer and Container Booster Mix

2. Recharge Soil Nutritional vitamins

Potting soil WILL get depeleted of nurtients over time — it’s obligatory to position in to your soil what you depend on to get out of your yard beds. Compost and an pure fertilizer will ship much-needed minerals and pure matter to your potting soil:

– A granular, pure fertilizer, like Gardener’s Present Pure Fertilizer, will slowly launch nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus into the soil over time. Use 1/4 cup per sq. foot.

– No compost accessible at home? No disadvantage. Attempt a compost-based modification like Vermont Compost Container Booster Compost Mix. Use 3 cups per sq. foot. That’s the key sauce! This potent, all-organic technique comprises concentrated plant and manure compost, washed granite, black rock phosphate, and totally different pure parts.

Sprinkle fertilizer and each compost, or a compost-based modification, on to the ground of your earlier potting soil. Then combine with a trowel or cultivator.

Now plant! Direct seed, or transplant flowers, herbs, or your favorite edibles. Not getting the outcomes you had hoped for? Take into consideration testing your soil for nutrient deficiencies or pH shifts with an easy-to-use soil examine package deal.