Need opinion on reuse of soil

[keico]

Was wondering what everyone's opinion is on reusing soil to start seedlings before they are transplanted into their final pot.

I have just started my third grow and waiting for them to come up out of the the jiffy starter disk.

I normally go from their to a one quart container. and then into a 3 gallon bucket.

I want to use my old soil for the seedlings in the one quart containers

What do you think

 

[cracker420]

i re-use all my soil, but i also compost it before i reuse it to put some nutes, and bacteria back in it. i just throw the whole root ball in my composter (large rubbermaid container with holes drilled in the bottom and 1/3 of the lid removed) and let it set for awhile. i usually reuse the dirt once the roots have decomposed.

 

[Lisdexik]

This might work if the soil is properly limed and earthworm castings are added in before hand, and they are fed N teas.

we need to know more about the soil recipe and was the soil was last used for to properly answer the question. Also what you feed the plants would help (ammendments or bottled nutes).

 

[Clackamas Coot]

keico

I've been 'recycling' my potting soil for about 2 years. My soil gets better and better with each flip and I suspect that there any number of reasons on why that is but since it's strictly anecdotal observations on my part they're probably without much merit in the whole scheme of things.

What I can tell you is that do some research on the time it takes for a typical cannabis grow using 'bat guano' for the bat guano to actually become available to the microherd - it's 6 months at the very least.

This article titled Is “0-20-0” phosphate bat guano 3 times better than “0-7-0” bat guano?

Keep in mind when you review this article that it is written by the actual importer of 'Archipelago Bat Guano - 0-7-0' which is used in any number of organic nutrient formulas, i.e. he has no axe to grind.

Hopefully you'll find this article informative and helpful.

CC

 

[mad librettist]

I wish they wouldn't call it "re-using" or "recycling". It's like saying you recycle your house if you live in it next year.

Growing more than once in soil is just using soil. It's growing once and throwing it away that should get a special name IMO.

 

[Grass Lands]

I use my soil back, may have to add a little to it, but I always use back what I can. One big factor in using soil back is to ensure it is properly flushed if it is going to be used to start seeds, or if rooting cuts...if not flushed properly the excess nutes could burn the seeds up or cause the cuts to take a long time to root and that's if they root at all.

 

[jjfoo]

I wish they wouldn't call it "re-using" or "recycling". It's like saying you recycle your house if you live in it next year.

Growing more than once in soil is just using soil. It's growing once and throwing it away that should get a special name IMO.

I fully agree. The state of my soil is something I work for and would feel dumb restarting every time. I've invested in my soil and I continue to maintain it, it is not a one off. It surprised me when I first learned of people dumping their soil like it was rock wool.

 

[blackone]

We have a new subforum for this topic Perhaps ask a moderator to have this topic moved there?

 

[mad librettist]

 

[keico]

Ok my soil mix was Blazeoneup's recipe.

The only nutrients I added was Neptunes Harvest a few times during flowering.

I was planning on using that soil for the one quart containers, and adding some roots organic along with General Organics BioWeed Grow.

Once they become rootbound, I will transplant to the 3 gallon containers, using blazeoneups soil recipe again.

Figured I give some more info on what is was I wanted to do.

 

[johnipedestran]

the only things I add are worm castings, bone and blood meal, dried kelp, dolomite lime and greensand.

i take away the stems and big roots. leave the little ones in. have not dumped soil in like three years now.

peace
jip

 

[keico]

I use my soil back, may have to add a little to it, but I always use back what I can. One big factor in using soil back is to ensure it is properly flushed if it is going to be used to start seeds, or if rooting cuts...if not flushed properly the excess nutes could burn the seeds up or cause the cuts to take a long time to root and that's if they root at all.

When you reuse your soil do you add more perlite or just leave it the way it is

 

[beejium]

When you reuse your soil do you add more perlite or just leave it the way it is

you have to add back to your mix after time... it all depends on how much of what gets wasted or broken down.