Is it safe???

[Perpetually Automatic]

Hi everyone, looking for some advice.
Tried a couple of plants outside as the weather is so nice, went out today to find one of them completely gone… assuming eaten by something. Doesn’t really matter freebie anyway, my question is:
Will it be safe to reuse this pot and soil as I usually would and move it back into my indoor grow, or am I likely to bring outdoor pests inside? I’ll be replacing the top 5cm or so of soil anyway, as per biotabs feeding method/ schedule.
Any input appreciated, thanks in advance.

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

Hi everyone, looking for some advice.
Tried a couple of plants outside as the weather is so nice, went out today to find one of them completely gone… assuming eaten by something. Doesn’t really matter freebie anyway, my question is:
Will it be safe to reuse this pot and soil as I usually would and move it back into my indoor grow, or am I likely to bring outdoor pests inside? I’ll be replacing the top 5cm or so of soil anyway, as per biotabs feeding method/ schedule.
Any input appreciated, thanks in advance.

Once something is used outside never bring it inside. There is just too much exposure to insects and molds to take the chance. After visiting outside gardens always shower and change your clothes before visiting your inside garden. Just one adventure with the "Borg" make all of this caution worth the effort.

 

[EP3]

Is it worth the risk?
EP3

 

[Olderfart]

Hi everyone, looking for some advice.
Tried a couple of plants outside as the weather is so nice, went out today to find one of them completely gone… assuming eaten by something. Doesn’t really matter freebie anyway, my question is:
Will it be safe to reuse this pot and soil as I usually would and move it back into my indoor grow, or am I likely to bring outdoor pests inside? I’ll be replacing the top 5cm or so of soil anyway, as per biotabs feeding method/ schedule.
Any input appreciated, thanks in advance.

I tried a variation on that theme. I brought an infestation of gnats with the soil. It was so bad, I canned the grow. I will not be moving outdoor soil inside again.

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

I tried a variation on that theme. I brought an infestation of gnats with the soil. It was so bad, I canned the grow. I will not be moving outdoor soil inside again.

You can make the soil safe by pasteurizing it. Most people do not have the means to do this in a large volume. You can also compost it in a closed bin but it must get hot. I have baked soil in the oven in a big pot but Ms. MOG was none to happy about that . It was a bit stinky . If you do pasteurize you need to reinoculate it with bennies like Recharge etc.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

contaminated
not worth it
dont ask me how i know this

 

[Olderfart]

You can make the soil safe by pasteurizing it. Most people do not have the means to do this in a large volume. You can also compost it in a closed bin but it must get hot. I have baked soil in the oven in a big pot but Ms. MOG was none to happy about that . It was a bit stinky . If you do pasteurize you need to reinoculate it with bennies like Recharge etc.

I can imagine what Ms. MOG thought about the smell of baking soil. I plan on not going there myself... My better half has been quite patient until now, but I suspect that there is a boundary in there somewhere...

I have thought about sterilizing, and at some point may set up a steam sterilizer with a 45 gallon steel drum. However, until I settle on a long term plan for the medium/soil/nute combination that I like, I will remove the extra complexity of outdoor pestilence from my learning process. Fewer variables bouncing around in this elderly skull would be good. In the meantime, my outdoor gardening mischief will have a ready source of decent used potting soil. Much better moving the used medium in that direction.

I got rid of about 80 liters of it yesterday planting a couple Potentilla shrubs near the driveway. Should be happy bushes once they settle in.

 

[Perpetually Automatic]

Thanks for replies everyone. I won’t be taking the risk of bringing it back inside, let one of the kids plant a tomato or something instead.

 

[MotaZona]

We have similar situation with our mushroom substrates that we recycle or repurpose. I generally soak for a few days and than solar sterilize with black plastic covering a layer of OM. Works well, but it’s not used in a cannabis grow...yet.