I put my organic compost in this small spot in the yard when I put up a bird feeder in September. After a few weeks it was the greenest and most lush spot on the lawn. Now after it being winter for a while, it is the ONLY spot in mine and my neighbor's yards still growing green and tall (or at all), AND was the first place in the yard to melt after our massive southern snow this week. Good compost is amazing.
I have a question regarding compost.... Do any of you add home-made composte to your indoor grow medium?? I would be concerned about introducing bacteria and other organics of unknown source into a controlled indoor environment. On another subject - I have begun to recycle a percentage of my indoor grow mix (usless formula) into my new soil. I take loose soil leftovers from transplants and harvests and put it in a rubbermaid bin. I add some peat to this and sit it aside. When I mix a new batch of soil, I add in about 10% of my total volume from the recycle bin. Any feelings on doing this???
I do exactly the same thing Dxe. Old loose soil that sitting in the bin gets mixed into new batches of soil mix. The only thing that gets tossed is the actual rootball.
I've always tossed everything out because when using Smart pots the entire pot is one huge mass of roots & I've always read reusing soil that contains dead roots is bad juju. If I had an actual compost pile going then of course I'd toss my old soil in for recomposing.
You're right Duc, composting is a must for old soil, thus the bin. Pathogens, pests, and decomposing roots (to a lesser degree if you don't use the actual root ball) are the main issues. For me it's toss the old dirt in the bin at the end of a cycle. Wait a cycle for it to breakdown, then use. If all you got is root and no loose soil then just toss the entire thing. I dunno about you...but being a less than a perfect grower I get plants that don't always live up to their full potential. When that happens I just recycle the soil.
When I was growing inside I composted and reused my old soil. I was at the point my last grow where I only had to buy a few bags of soil to add with the compost bins I had going. I added my compost to my soil as well. It helps build a healthy soil system if you have a healthy compost. I also used it to feed with teas. It is just amazing that one spot of grass in the entire neighborhood has continued to grow and stay green in the winter because of compost!
Oh yeah!! I recycle used soil. I made a strainer out of a trash can lid that catches the bulk of the roots. I'll add some Sensi-zyme which has the enzymes to help break down the plant and root material that aren't filtered out and use it later. I use about 40% recycled and 60% new Promix. Saves money and build up of old shit to have to find a use for or dispose of. Be Cool, CG
