Photo: Ahmed akacha

Can you put old soil in compost?

Compost It. Old potting soil can easily be added to a compost pile, though any small, white pieces of perlite will remain, even after the compost is finished.

hobbyfarms.com - 4 New Uses For Old Potting Soil - Hobby Farms

Do you oil the inside of shed?

The interior walls of timber sheds can be painted using any exterior or interior wood treatment. These come in a range of forms; including...

Last updated May 13, 2020

What is the highest paying carpenter job?

High Paying Carpentry Jobs Master Carpenter. Salary range: $42,000-$64,000 per year. ... Union Carpenter. Salary range: $45,000-$63,500 per year....

Last updated May 10, 2018

Promotion

As the traditional gardening season comes to an end, we gardeners are finishing up the last of our seasonal chores. One task that easily fills an autumn day in my garden is the deconstruction of all my container plantings. I grow many different edibles, tropicals, annuals and perennials in glazed ceramic patio containers every year. While the fig and banana trees go into the garage and any perennials find their way into the garden, those containers that housed annuals and frost-tender edibles now need to be emptied before being stacked in the shed for the winter. Leaving them full of potting soil and exposed to the damaging freeze-thaw cycles of winter almost always results in cracked terra cotta come spring. The quandary I’m always left with after this chore is completed is what to do with all the used potting soil I pull out of them. Potting soil should not be reused for container plantings from one year to the next as the nutrients have mostly been depleted and it may harbor pathogens. Although I sometimes “recycle” a small percentage of my potting soil by amending it with a heavy dose of compost before using it again, most of the potting soil I use is replaced every spring. But I’m always looking for other ways to use my spent potting soil. Here are four ways to breathe new life into old potting soil.

1. Host A Plant Swap

In years past, I saved a few garbage bags full of my used potting soil every fall and stored them in our shed. In the spring, I used this old soil to pot up divisions of hostas, daylilies and other perennials to share with friends. Because these plants will find a permanent home in a garden, they won’t be in the container long enough to notice the lack of nutrients.

2. Make A Potato Bin

I sometimes pile my used potting soil into a 4-foot-tall, box-wire frame, lined with newspaper. I combine it with shredded leaves, aged horse manure and compost every fall. Come spring, I plant seed potatoes into the top of the wire bin. By the time late summer arrives, I’ve got plenty of spuds to harvest.

3. Make A New Garden Bed

Sheet composting—aka lasagna gardening—is a great way to make a new garden. The technique utilizes layers of organic matter to create a new planting bed right on top of existing sod. To do it, throw down some cardboard or newsprint, cover it with your old potting soil, and then top it with several layers of shredded leaves, untreated grass clippings, aged manure, kitchen scraps, straw and other organic matter. By spring, it will be ready to plant.

4. Compost It

Old potting soil can easily be added to a compost pile, though any small, white pieces of perlite will remain, even after the compost is finished. I’m careful to ensure my compost pile has a good mixture of ingredients to help it decompose at a good clip and create a balanced compost.

Are Barndominiums built on a slab?

Barndominiums are typically built on a concrete slab. The frame is secured to the foundation to give your barndominium a nice stable base. So...

Last updated Mar 11, 2021

What can I use as a drywall anchor?

Some type of drywall anchor will likely be your best friend. Commonly, you've got your plastic sleeve anchors, your self-drilling threaded anchors,...

Last updated Dec 5, 2020

Can I build my own shed?

Yes, with the right plans you can build your dream shed.

Learn More »

Promotion

How many water barrels does it take to heat a greenhouse?

Calculate Number of Barrels Divide the number of gallons by 55. That's the size of most large barrels. The resulting number is how many barrels you'll need to heat your greenhouse.

homeguides.sfgate.com - How to Heat a Greenhouse During the Winter With Water - Home Guides

A greenhouse provides an environment for frost-tender or exotic plants to continue to thrive during the colder weather of winter. Heating a greenhouse in winter extends the growing season from before the last frost in the spring to after the first frost in the fall. How much heat is required depends on how cold the winter temperatures are and how warm the greenhouse needs to be. For example, USDA zone 10 has mild winters while USDA zone 6 has cold freezing winters according to United States Department of Agriculture. Water in containers in a sunny location help do the job.

Can you put a shed on dirt?

It might seem easier to place a shed directly on the ground, but that's a bad idea for two reasons. First, the build site should be a level surface...

Last updated Aug 23, 2019