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One of the essential ingredients for planning is potting soil, this is because potting soil allows plants to grow and gives the plant the necessary nutrients it requires.
Eventually, plants use up the nutrients in the potting soil as they grow, and the mix can become compacted and filled with roots. Pest and diseases may reside in this soil and attack when you replant in the mix.
So what then can be done with an old potting mix? Should it be thrown away immediately? It takes time, money, and effort to prepare a new soil condition that is required by the plant, so instead of throwing it all away, why not put in a little effort to recondition your old potting soil fit for planting.
Is It OK To Use Potting Soil?
Old potting soil Mk in planting can be recycled and brought back to life if careful handling and the necessary tips are being put to use. There are tips used below to improve the nature of potting soil.
- Mix New Potting Soil With Old One
Mix equal value of old potting soil and new potting soil, you can add organic materials to help increase the nutrients found in the soil. Note that this process only works with an old potting mix from a healthy plant.
- Apply Heat Treatment On Old Potting Soil
When potting soil is exposed to high temperatures, it can kill diseases and help sterilise the soil.
To sterilise the soil, put it in a plastic bag and place it outside under the hot sun. After heating allows the soil to cool, add the old potting mix together with a new one and use it for planting.
What To Do With Old Potting Soil
Most old potting soil is filled with diseases and infections, but that doesn’t mean that the soil cannot be used again.
Using new potting soil can be risky to healthy plants if they are not handled properly but it saves you a lot of money too.
A few suggestions have been given below on what to do with old potting soil.
1. Filling Up Holes
Instead of throwing the potting mix away, they can be used to fill up holes around your garden. Holes created by dogs, rabbits, and even moles can be filled up with the potting mix.
2. Planting Perennial Plants
old recycled potting soil can along be used to put perennial plants, some of these perennial plants may include flowering plants and other house plants.
3. Prepare A Compost Mix
Old and used potting mix can be utilized as a key ingredient in compost pits. This helps to prepare a well-decomposed compost that is rich in nutrients.
4. Prepare gardening/sheet compost
Old potting soil Can be used to prepare a garden bed made up of layers of organic material. The cardboard should be filled with old potting Mix and then kitchen waste, weed, grass and old manure should be added on top of the old potting soil.
Risks Of Recycling Old Potting Mix
Despite how careful we are, the used potting mix can put your plants at risk. What are some of those risks?
- Some old potting soil may be lacking the necessary nutrients needed by the plants. As a rest, the. plants might become Diseased and eventually die.
- Old potting soil may contain insects and diseases, these diseases might affect the new plants that are planted in it.
Reusing old potting soil can pose certain threats to your plant. irrespective of that the risks can be solved. Why Are some ways in which we can do that?
How To Reduce Risks
- Make Use Of Organic Fertilizer
To repair the loss of nutrients due to excess exposure to climate conditions, make use of organic fertilizers to boost nutrient availability in the potting mix.
- Sterilise the old potting soil
Ensure that old potting soil is sterilised by baking the old soil or placing it under a real sunny day. This will help get rid of those little pests and also prevents certain diseases from affecting the soil.
- Avoid Using Soil From Diseased Plants
When most plants that have diseases die, the potting mix still contains those pathogens and if a new plant is replanted on the soil. They might make the soil infected again and transfer the diseases to the new plant.
Does unused potting soil expire?
Yes, it can, and no it cannot. What do I mean? Potting soil can expire if kept for years without being used. However, it is difficult for old potting mixes that have been used to expire easily.
If a little rejuvenation is carried out on the plant, it can help the plant sustain the necessary nutrients it requires and can stay for more than 5 years.
How Do I Know If My Potting Soil Is Bad?
Since you know that old potting can still be used and they are good, how can you determine if your old potting soil has gone bad permanently? A few major signs help us to see if your potting mix.
- It is infected with diseases
- It is dense and compacted together
- It has a bad odour
- It has insects around continuously.
- It has dusty, yellow or green mould on the soil.
How Do You Store An Open Bag Of Potting Soil?
An open bag of potting mix will break down the material in the soil due to moisture and it might last for only 6 to 12 months. The is different from an unopened bag which can last for several years.
To store an open bag of potting mix, place the bag in an airtight container or prevent excess moisture from entering the plant and causing it to break down.
As a better option, simply seal. the opened bag with a take or ziplock bag and keep in a warm environment.
Are you still thinking of throwing your old potting soil away, well I hope with this article you have been able to see that your old potting soil can still be put to good use In several ways in your home garden?
