Today we’re talking all about SOIL — and one of the MOST common questions we get every spring:
👉 Can you reuse potting soil in your planters and containers from year to year?
The answer is YES… but there are definitely some important things you need to know first!
We’ll share practical tips and pointers for getting your old soil refreshed and ready for another season of beautiful flowers, hanging baskets, and containers.
In today’s Live:
✅ Can old potting soil still be used?
✅ When you SHOULD throw soil away
✅ How to refresh and recharge used soil
✅ Why soil quality matters more than people realize
✅ Common mistakes that lead to poor plant growth
✅ What we add before planting season starts
✅ Tips for healthier roots and stronger plants all summer long
Good soil is the FOUNDATION for amazing flowers and healthy plants. Get the soil wrong… and everything else becomes harder!
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📍 The Flower Patch in Effingham, IL
Grow like the pros this year with Beat Your Neighbor fertilizer for stronger roots, healthier plants, and BIG beautiful blooms all season long!
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#LiveFromTheGreenhouse #Soil #Gardening #ContainerGardening #PottingSoil #Flowers #GardeningTips
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What should I do with last years soil?
Thank you, this was very helpful!
From Southern Ontario/Canada – This is such good information – I had a chuckle as you were showing the growing pot sizes – there came a point when I said nope that is to big for me ha-ha. Very Nice update.
I reuse my potting soil all the time. I add compost and manure along with Bio-Tone. And I do add “some” new potting soil, too. Old roots from last year’s plants, all cut up helps to add organic material. On the very bottom, I’ll throw in some landscape gravel, just a smallish handful is all.
Great planting pot information. I reuse when I can, and always add some new to the top too. I have found when adding things to the bottom of large pots, my plants do not do as well.
My husband made a sifter that I can put over a wheelbarrow so I sift all my pots (over 100) and then add new stuff on top of the old stuff.
Today I passed along your information to my favorite greenhouse hoping they will be one of your new fertilizer carriers. I reuse my Pro-mix soil but I add new soil and a little bit of Bio-Tone to help the root system of my new plants. Enjoy all your videos!!!!
What do you think about filling the bottoms of those really large containers with kitchen scraps or things that are compostable? Let it create compost down at the bottom? Haven’t done that yet but seems like a good idea…
Yes, I reuse what I can of the previous season… I take into consideration how the container was stored. Without a potting shed or garage, I like to cover snuggly w cardboard to protect from larvae / bad eggs bc our temps jump, really JuMp 🦘 all through the winter season 😂
I prefer to not be overly welcoming to those bugs. I enjoy your videos & your vibe 🌼
I always break up the soil even in my 22 inch containers but I always have fresh soil to mix with the old soil this seems to work for me 😊
I have been experimenting with planting perennials in my very large containers I put a Japanese lace leaf maple in a whiskey barrel several years ago and it is big and beautiful ❤
We have fourteen pots for annual snapdragons and African daisies we reuse the same compost every year. We have forty eight pots of perennials, the annuals and perennials are fertilised with tomato food once a week from mid April to mid August. We mulch the flowerbeds every February with homemade compost, and they get no fertiliser. We use watering cans to conserve water from our water barrels.
oh wow, excellent video- thank you ! I've always wondered about this too.
Yes I reuse it
Empty and clean all soil from all pots and mix it all together .. add some nutrients .. and it’s ready for next spring .
For very large pots that the plant will not have deep roots
I fill 1/2 – 3-4 of pot with empty plastic jugs . Pool noodles .. styrofoam . And cover it with landscaping fabric .. then the soil …
I also use Lanscaping fabric at the bottom of each pot so dirt won’t seep out holes ..
For my big planters, I use old plant pots and water jugs to fill the volume, then a layer of weed barrier, and just for good measure I cover all the drainage holes in all my pots with 3 layers of brown basket coffee filters. Then the top soil is amended with compost and fresh potting soil as another person had suggested. What a wealth of knowledge from all of you! It’s much appreciated!
I absolutely reuse my potting soil. Key is to take the plant out of its pot and let it soak in a bucket with 3-4 inches of water. Swish it around a couple times, let sit for about 10 minutes then work the soil out of the roots and let it fall into the bucket of water. I can usually get the soil out of 3 plants. Then I add a little homemade comfrey fertilizer and depending on how much soil is in the bucket I’ll add 1/8 to1/2 cup of worm castings.then I mix it really well while adding some new soil. Let it set over night and it will be dry enough to use the next day.
I use a nit of old leaves and wood chips always add nutrients if uding old soil. This year i mafe my own soil, so next yesr I will definitely be reusing soil if plants are healthy.
Love your videos. Great information.
Do you ship to Canada?
I've been reusing my potting soil for years. I break up the remaining root masses, mix in some homemade compost, add some slow release granular fertilizer, and plant. For my whiskey barrel sized planters, I put wood chips, leaves from last fall (mixed with grass clippings when they were collected with a riding lawnmower), or grass clippings in the bottom 3-4" of the pot. Any of those will eventually break down, adding more organic material to my potting soil.