Plants typically benefit from being repotted every 12 to 18 months, depending on how actively they are growing. Some slow growers, like cacti, can call the same pot home for years, but will just require a soil replenishment.
If it's been awhile, and your plants aren't performing well, maybe it's time you looked into it. Typically, changing the soil in your potted plants should happen every 12 to 18 months.
Fortunately, most potting soil can last up to two years because that is the lifespan of the peat moss it likely contains.
Water Well. Water thoroughly after repotting to help the soil settle around your plant's roots. Plenty of moisture will also help your plant recover from the move better.
The nutrients in the old soil will start to degrade over time and it won't be able to retain water as well. Your plants won't grow as well as if you used fresh potting soil. If you have potting soil that is more than a few years old, I would recommend getting new potting soil.
– Shelf Life of Miracle Gro Potting Mix
The miracle grow potting soil variant comes with a shelf life of about five years, it is important to know that it contains sphagnum moss, ammonium nitrate, perlite, and compost and can go bad if compromised. Therefore, store them right and use them as per its instructions.
If plants died from bacterial, fungal or viral disease, then you definitely do not want to reuse the soil, as soilborne pathogens can still be present and active. However, if the plants that grew in the soil before were healthy, it is generally OK to reuse the potting soil.
However, all is not lost just because your potting soil has celebrated its second anniversary. “If your potting soil has passed the two-year mark, you can still make use out of it by amending it or adding it to raised beds for support or sprinkling it on flower beds,” says Sears.
Once your old potting soil has been sterilized, you'll need to replenish its nutrients. You can combine equal parts of new potting soil with the old and add a dose of slow-release fertilizer pellets ($19, The Home Depot) according to package directions.
The best time to repot a plant is in the spring so that actively growing roots will have enough time to grow into newly added potting mix. There are several signs that houseplants can exhibit when they are pot-bound. First check the frequency you are watering the houseplant.
Most potting soil can be stored 1-2 years without spoiling if stored properly, but its nutrients will still degrade. So, yes, of course you can use old potting soil, but it will not provide the same results that new, nutrient dense potting soil will.
If you don't repot when plants need it, you run the very real risk of plants becoming pot bound - they outgrow their existing pots. Their roots may completely fill pots, displacing the potting mix and depriving them of water and nutrients. Pot bound plants will struggle to survive.
MG is so strong that if used incorrectly, the fertilizer will actually burn the leaves and roots of your plants (you may have already experienced this). Imagine what it's doing to the healthy bacteria, fungi and other soil microbes that are working so hard to provide the nutrients your plants need.
If your plants did well last year and weren't showing any signs of disease, go ahead and reuse it this season.” Even though the potting soil still looks good, gardeners may have to amend the potting medium for optimal results.
If the weather is too hot, the soil tends to stay soggy and get fungus in it from the heat and the roots once again die from root rot. If you try to fertilize then the problems are compounded since too much fertilizer stays in the soil along with all the salts that are part of all fertilizers, and salts kill plants.
Potting soil vs. potting mix: Though these terms are used interchangeably, there is a difference. Potting soil may or may not contain soil, while potting mix is strictly a soilless medium. Potting mix is sterile, which makes it safer for plants because it doesn't contain pathogens such as fungus or other diseases.
Unhealthy soil doesn't have the moisture and nutrients needed to thrive, which makes it dry, crumbling, and cracked. When you pick up the dirt, it might crumble quickly in your hands or be difficult to break apart. Proper watering and irrigation will improve the soil's condition in these instances.
Coffee grounds can be used to add nutrients to the soil, but only certain types of plants like high acidity, like azaleas. So be careful not to add too much. Can you reuse soil with roots? Yes you can reuse soil with roots in it.
Loosening the root ball when repotting is only essential when the plant has become completely root bound. In cases where they are not completely rootbound, you may be able to plant directly into the next pot. If the roots are not wrapped tightly around each other, there is no need to cut and disturb them.
Roots packed tightly in a pot don't take up nutrients efficiently. To promote good nutrient absorption, trim the roots and loosen up the root ball before replanting. Use a sharp knife or pruning shears for this job, removing as much as the bottom third of the root ball if necessary.
Repotting Plants: How to Do It
Make sure the plant is well watered 2-4 days in advance. You don't want to repot when it's sopping wet but being too dry will cause stress. Take the plant out of the pot. If the rootball is a bit tight, gently massage the roots to loosen them up.