Dirt after the harvest

[LuciferN]

I was just wandering, as I never grow yet, when you harvest a plant, do you leave the roots there is the soil and put another plant or you need to remove some of the roots before planting again ?

[texas grass]

it is a good idea to get out the main roots(dont need to get all out). rest serves as good organic mater
it is best to compost the old dirt to put benneficials back in the soil and to rebuild to a better quality.
another good thing to do is to put about 50% nutes back into the soil because the majority were used but not all.

good luck

[Mr. Clandestine]

If you're going to reuse spent soil, you'll also want to do a heavy flush on it to wash away some of the salts that may have built up over time. Another good idea would be to put the soil inside a black trash bag, and leave it sitting out under the sun for a few days. The heat should kill off any pests that may still be in there that could potentially infest your next crop.

[SnSstealth]

i re-use my soil, but for my other garden....after-nug soil works GREAT on melons, strawberries,cucumbers and jalapenos!!!!

[Mr. Clandestine]

i re-use my soil, but for my other garden....after-nug soil works GREAT on melons, strawberries,cucumbers and jalapenos!!!!

I've started collecting spent soil in a big 55gal drum in my basement for this exact same purpose. Next year, I plan on starting a good sized herb and veggie garden in my back yard. My biggest question: I've done a good bit of container gardening, but never produced, well... produce. Is it common to use perlite as a soil conditioner for outdoor veggie gardens? I don't want my neighbors thinking I'm weird, or weirder than they already think I am.

[texas grass]

I've started collecting spent soil in a big 55gal drum in my basement for this exact same purpose. Next year, I plan on starting a good sized herb and veggie garden in my back yard. My biggest question: I've done a good bit of container gardening, but never produced, well... produce. Is it common to use perlite as a soil conditioner for outdoor veggie gardens? I don't want my neighbors thinking I'm weird, or weirder than they already think I am.

i would build up a bed for the garden and that will help prevent over watering. dont really use perlite for outdoor bed gardening, if you need improved areation use a humus/mulch mix. if you need to bring soil in try a local garden center and get a premium mix. most will have humus, dirt, compost, and some will have manure in the mix.

good luck on your dirts:D

[Mr. Clandestine]

i would build up a bed for the garden and that will help prevent over watering. dont really use perlite for outdoor bed gardening, if you need improved areation use a humus/mulch mix. if you need to bring soil in try a local garden center and get a premium mix. most will have humus, dirt, compost, and some will have manure in the mix.

good luck on your dirts:D

Hey, thanks for the reply. I should have been a little more clear, the soil that I'm keeping in the drum is spent indoor soil that already has the perlite in it. I just thought it might look weird if used outdoors, as I didn't think most outdoor gardeners used it in their soil mixes. Thanks for the advice on the bed, though. That's something I will definitely be doing. :thumbsup:

[stinkyattic]

I use spent soil in raised-bed or other outdoor container gardening where a good rainfall will flush out the excess salts. Remove as much of the root mass as you can first, and burn it or compost it offsite- root balls may be used as evidence should the unthinkable happen.
Indoors, choose fresh unused soil to avoid weed seeds, pests, unwanted fungus, and fertilizer salts.

[LuciferN]

Well as I think about a grow in an appartment, so I may just change the dirt after each harvest and dump the old dirt in a near forest... Well that good to know to figure out the cost of my growing operation. If you have any other idea, tell me. Thank you all for these nice answers.

[Greenthing]

If you want to use your soil agian, (and correct me if i am wrong)
you can use enzyme's that will eat the old dead roots so to speak.

[LuciferN]

you can use enzyme's that will eat the old dead roots so to speak.

This look like a nice solution for my problem. Now do you know what kind of enzyme I need or where I can find those ?

Is getting some worm in my soil is a good idea ?

[stinkyattic]

There's one called 'cannazyme' that is nice. But you still need to remove the excess salts somehow, and re-using soil poses potential pest and disease problems as well.
If you have no good way of disposing of old media, switch to DWC or a hydroton-based system where the medium is either re-usable and sterilizable, or entirely absent.

[LuciferN]

I'm using organic fertilizer so I think I don't have to worry about salt. Can you please confirm this ?

[Greenthing]

I'm using organic fertilizer so I think I don't have to worry about salt. Can you please confirm this ?

I would say you dont have to worry, dont take my word for it double check.:)

[stinkyattic]

There are so many reasons to start with fresh soil that the levels of salt in used soil from organic grow are pretty mcuh moot. Yes, you do get fert buildup and interactions. The term 'salt', applied in its chemistry sense, does not refer exclusively to Sodium chloride.

[rudolfskis]

Ive heard of big grow companys reusing soil.....Thinking of trying it itll save me approx 30 bucks a grow,More money to use for fertlizer i figure.....Course i know i have to flush the old dirt and thinking ill somehow try to kill any lil pests that may be in from previous grow.Like above somehow putting in sun for several days let it totally dry out and bake in the sun to kill anything in it?
Figure ya itd be better to buy new BUT hate to keep wasting being the stuff i use isnt really dirt but just a grow medium for roots.
Jus Sayn

[Shovelhandle]

Easy to reuse indoor medium that has organic nutrients. Just add some quality amendments.

Otherwise you could flush it out good and compost it for a while before reusing it.