Grow Mediums Soil re-use

[Crow River]

Hello all,

Just a wee question to anyone out there who uses "synthetic" nutrients rather than totally organic grows.

Do you re-use your soil? If you do, any issues with nutrient build up? And I so, how do you reduce that or mitigate the effects? It's been suggested by another grower to flush/rinse the soil before use / re-mixing, but I wonder if this will be sufficient and/or necessary?

So any non-organic / semi-organic growers re-using soil? Or do you just buy new each time?

 

[Olderfart]

I've done it, but not with what I would call good results. The problem is that you just do not know what is left in there, so you can end up with nute imbalance issues. If you are talking soilless rather than soil, the problem is slightly different, and flushing might work ok, but with soil, you need to re-amend, and that is where you can run into problems - how much of what needs to be added to what is left. Not a simple question, and not easily measured.

My take on this is that a newer grower should go with fresh mix each time until you have things pretty much dialled. Once you are on top of the process, experimentation with re-amending might be worth playing with because you by then may be able to interpret the results. Just my two cents of course. Good luck with it.

 

[Crow River]

Thanks for your thoughts. Yes, this is the problem - uncertainty. I'm coming round to the idea that new soil each run is probably simpler for now. The old soil can be used as a mulch in my vegetable patch.

 

[Dabber]

Hello all,

Just a wee question to anyone out there who uses "synthetic" nutrients rather than totally organic grows.

Do you re-use your soil? If you do, any issues with nutrient build up? And I so, how do you reduce that or mitigate the effects? It's been suggested by another grower to flush/rinse the soil before use / re-mixing, but I wonder if this will be sufficient and/or necessary?

So any non-organic / semi-organic growers re-using soil? Or do you just buy new each time?

I reuse my soil mix almost always I just remove biggest of the roots put in a tote add some new to it mix and pot