If you've ever grown anything in a planter, indoor flower pot, or raised bed, figuring out what to do with the old soil is a very important decision to ensure you have successful gardening next year. There are several ways to reuse your old potting soil: Here are helpful tips on what you can do with it.
Can old potting soil be reused?
In general, it's okay to reuse potting soil if the plants you grew in it were healthy. If youbut pestsor have discovered diseases on your plants, you should sterilize the mixture to avoid infecting the plants next year. First, remove all roots, larvae, leaves and other debris from the old potting soil. Then decide on the best method for eliminating microbes and insects.
Sterilize and recycle old potting soil – clever tricks
Luckily, there are some simple steps you can take to get your potting soil back in good condition for at least another year or two.
Solarization
One method of sterilizing the earth is solarization. This involves placing old potting soil in large buckets with lids or black plastic bags that are tightly closed and placed in the sun for 4 to 6 weeks. Just enough heat accumulates in the buckets or bags to kill pests and pathogens.
Sterilize in the oven
You can also sterilize old potting soil in your oven. Place them in an ovenproof pan, cover with foil and bake at 85 to 95 degrees for 30 minutes. It's also important to check the temperature of the soil with a meat thermometer to make sure it stays below 95 degrees. Higher temperatures can release toxins. When ready, remove the soil from the oven and leave it covered until it cools.
Sterilize old potting soil in the microwave
Place old, moistened soil into microwave-safe containers. Cover with microwave-safe lids (never use foil) that you can poke ventilation holes in or tear open to allow steam to escape. Heat at full power for about 90 seconds per 1 kg of soil. Remove the containers, cover the ventilation holes with tape, and allow the soil to cool completely before using.
What to do with old potting soil?
Compost them
Old potting soil can easily be incorporated into the compost heap. Make sure your compost pile contains a good mix of different ingredients so that it decomposes quickly anda balanced compostarises.
Use the soil as fertilizer
Although yoursold potting soil lacks nutrients, it still contains traces of compost and useful humus and has few weed seeds compared to garden soil. Therefore, this soil is ideal for covering newly planted vegetables and seeds that are slow to germinate. This top dressing with old potting soil can help retain moisture so your plants can thrive.
Old potting soil for new plants
Easiest way to reuse old potting soil? Simply remove old plants from their containers, loosen the soil and replant them. If you have used the same soil for several years or a white surface crust has formed, you may need to mix it with 50 percent new soil and/or apply fertilizer. Of course, you don't just have to reuse the potting soil in your flower pots. You can also use them in the following places.
- In flower beds.
- In vegetable gardens.
- Around Old Trees: Just be careful not to use too much soil around the tree.
- When growing herbs.
- When you create a new garden bed.
You also have a great opportunity to create a new garden. This particular technique uses layers of organic material to create a new plant bed directly on top of the existing turf. To do this, lay out some cardboard or newspaper, cover it with your old potting soil, and then place several layers of shredded leaves, untreated grass clippings, old manure, kitchen scraps, straw, and other organic matter on top. It will be ready to plant in the spring.
Host a plant swap meet
You can store a few trash bags full of used soil in the fall. In spring you can then use this old soil, for example to pot daylilies and other perennials and share them with friends. Since these plants will find a permanent home in a garden, they will not stay in the pot long enough to notice the lack of nutrients.
Use your old potting soil for the lawn
Do you have bare spots on your lawn where grass just won't grow? Applying old soil to freshly sown grass seeds is a good way to keep them moist and encourage them to germinate. Just remember, regularlyto pourand to mark the spot so you don't step on it.
