Q.
Should I be saving potting soils from seasonal purchase plants? I have been
saving soils for years. Should the soil be thrown away at some po
int.
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| Garden Gourmet potting soil from Viragrow. It is made lighter in weight for containers or pots. Soil amendments like perlite, peat moss and even compost can be lighter in weight and hold water or nutrients. |
A.
Potting soils can be saved and reused for years. They can be valuable when
added to our soils because of the “organics” they contain. These never go bad. But
these “organics” don’t contain any plant nutrients and they can harbor diseases
if used during their first few months after saving.
Rid this aggregated potting soil of any
diseases it might contain by moistening and then placing it inside a clear plastic
bag. Place this clear plastic bag full of potting soil in the summer sun for a
few days. When it reaches a temperature of 180°F for 30 minutes or more, it
will be sanitized of any diseases. Once sanitized, they are ready to reuse.