Can You Reuse Potting Soil? - A Beginner's Guide To Recycling Potting Soil

[@mattandbarbhartt2860]

Great video! Thanks.

[@TheUpBeetGardener]

Thanks Barb! From the little garden that could, “Keep your hands in the dirt and your eyes on the stars 🌟”

[@ildiko1vt]

Good to hear this....I always recycle my used soil but need to add some of your suggestions. Thank you from VT! Will have to share this with my son in AK.

[@TheUpBeetGardener]

And I’ll have to share your comment with my stepson in Vermont!

[@johntheherbalistg8756]

Depending on what I used it for, I've been known to use homemade compost, chicken poop, leaf mould from under our ancient oak trees, mealworm frass, bone/blood meal etc. By far, my best results have been just setting it outside and allowing weeds and whatever to grow in it for a full year. I have also combined this with all the other methods I can imagine.

[@TheUpBeetGardener]

Interesting about setting it outside... I'm curious...what are your steps after that? Thanks!

[@johntheherbalistg8756]

@@TheUpBeetGardener Let the weeds grow in it for a year and a few weeks before I'm ready to plant in it, I cut the weeds off at the soil level (or dig up those that will grow back from the roots) and pile up the dead vegetation on top as mulch. This won't work for seedlings unless you sift it, which might mess up the recovery process, idk

[@robertjohnson6586]

Enjoyed your vid. I live in Gunnison, Colorado at 7700 ft, the 2nd coldest city in the lower 48; a place where we have 6 months of what most people call winter. Your vid sounds like what I do and would say. My Comments on your video: No bonemeal or source of AVAILABLE Phosphorus (rooting and many growth processes require LOTS of P)? I use llama beans when I can get them (no aging needed). Well made homemade compost is loaded with the right kinds of micro-biome, has a pH of 7, and brings the soil pH toward 7 from either side. I would be real careful about using manure from wild animals (we have H5N1 bird flu going around and it has to be in bird poop as well as cattle manure -- so, only well aged, composted manure.

[@TheUpBeetGardener]

Really good insights. I love hearing how gardeners in different regions, cope with pH, compost, and available materials. Brilliant! As for phosphorus, gardeners here had a rude awakening when an extension agent visited and took soil samples. I had always heard that you could never have too much phosphorus, right? But she told us that a lot of the soils in our gardens, had way too much phosphorus. Too much phosphorus can cause nutrient imbalances, especially in zinc and iron. I admire your challenges gardening at almost 8000 feet! What are your best surviving garden variety vegetables?

[@heathers7681]

Too much talking saying nothing

[@TheUpBeetGardener]

I try my best. I try to be authentic, knowing I can't make everyone happy.