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container How to recycle container potting mix

chile_freak

chile_freak

OK so I have 90 or so pots the smallest of which is 3gal all of them are filled w/ last years potting mix,
Im sure I can use it but, it needs to be sterilized or something before using it again right? I would hate to throw away what amounts to a couple of hundred cubic feet of potting mix. Any thoughts?
thanks in advance
-Paul
 
Why does it have to be sterilized? Did your plants suffer from a soil disease? If not I don't see why potting soil couldn't be used again with maybe some stuff to replenish the nutrients that might have been depleted.
 
if this be the case then great! so far I have only emptied the overwinters, 2 of the overwinters that died had big white grubs in them,I assume maybe that their roots were eaten by said grubs, not sure, but no, no diseases all the plants did wonderful last year, minus a couple of bug infestations, some nasty heat issues in july,and an early bought w/ overwatering :scared:
Perhaps im being overly cautious, but I wanted some advice before going ahead w/ the recycle, I would hate to have spent all the time and effort on the peppers so far them dunk them in bad soil
 
I don't know if you have the time or the means, but I would think composting used potting soil would work nicely, get some new organic ferts in there, and I think the hot house effect would take care of most of any nasty stuff left over from last year.
 
I recycle my potting soil by cutting it 50/50 with new potting soil/compost mix. I take the what ever is left and throw it in the compost bin or into my raised beds. I throw my root balls into the clay areas of my market garden and till them in to help break down the clay.
 
I've been doing it for a couple of years. I add a couple of handfuls of worm castings and about half a gallon of Happy Frog Soil Conditioner to each five gallons of old mix.
 
I always re rejuvenate my old stuff, i just grab a bag of compost from the garden center & chuck everything in a wheelbarrow & mix it all up, i always save my potting mix bags so i can refill them with the stuff i have saved/made.

Any root matter or stuff like that goes in to the composting bin.

Mezo.
 
POTAWIE said:
Just mix it with some new soil or compost it and then re-use it
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yup preaty much thought the same thing i was thinking, but also with the edition of a small amount of ESPOMA PLANTONE and mixed maybe some coffee grounds and some crushed egg shell for natural calcium and your set

#2 option plan ahead, at the end of this season if you have a compost heap throw it in mix it up and let it sit till the following season and use it again with more new soil
im one of those people that is unwilling to throw out anything i know full well will be useful later :whistle:

thanks hope this helps

your friend Joe
 
I just started a compost heap this winter, dead leaves, grass clippings, vegetable scraps, egg shells, coffee grinds, and cow manure so far, but not ready for this season, I will have to remember to throw my potting mix on there @ the end of this season! thanks for the advice guys!
 
chile_freak said:
I just started a compost heap this winter, dead leaves, grass clippings, vegetable scraps, egg shells, coffee grinds, and cow manure so far, but not ready for this season, I will have to remember to throw my potting mix on there @ the end of this season! thanks for the advice guys!
Click to expand...
your welcome
 
I few years ago I picked up a large trash can, added a bunch of manure and put in a huge heap of excess worms I had from my worm farm. I toss in a few extra scraps when the worm farm is full and rotate the soil every once and a while. I now have a large amount of "black gold" that I can add to my new soil along with fresh worm castings.
 
its funny though Joe, that u mention Espoma as i started using their biotone starter in all my repotting this season,so far it seems to be doing well, or maybe its just that I know more this season, who can say but this season is starting well, and I hope it continues to improve, one thing I'll be on the lookout for is the ridiculous amount of bugs we will have this year cuz we had basically no winter, a couple of light frosts and one 2 inch snowfall. hopefully there will be enough beneficials to deal w/ the pests!
 
yeah i didnt till now realize we may be in for a bad year bug-wise
that early ice storm in Oct nuked my garden good

espoma is a good product

oh by the way in my original post here i said plantone what i meant was gardentone but either one works just as well

thanks your friend Joe
 
Yeah, same here! it occured to me that if I had been able to cover my garden like 12-13 nights we got below freezing or if I had known it would so mild I could have grown at least the potted plants all winter. Hindsight being what it is and all. @ least I have my overwinters! :halo:
 
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