what do you do with old potting media

[mnguyen110]

I have a compost bin and worm bin but was wondering if its safe to compost old used potting media? Or does everyone just puts it in the trash?

[greengarden]

I usually just throw it in the garden or in the compost bin. The main reason it's no good anymore is because it breaks down too fine and the garden plants aren't worried about that. if I had identified something particularly nasty in the pot in terms of a fungal infection or whatever I just put it in the bin but regualr repots go back into the gardening system.

[Andrew]

My old mix just goes in the compost bin. I don't put it in my worm bin because my mix is still probably too fibrous for worms when I repot and I'm a bit cautious about any residual pesticides in the mix going into the worm bin.

[RosieC]

Mine goes in the compost bin. Not sure what a worm bin is, there are worms and bugs in my compost bin helping it compost down.

Sometimes if the plant was sick when removed from the pot I instead put it in the bin that goes to the council for disposal. They compost in a hot fast compost rather than a slow one like you get at home. A hot compost is more likely yo kill anything in it than a slow one.

[Ordphien]

Mine also goes back into the garden.
My blueberries love the stuff.

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[greengarden]

oo good thinking, blueberries would love it as it would be a bit acidic, might have to start mulching the blueberries and strawberries with it!

[Ordphien]

Originally Posted by greengarden

oo good thinking, blueberries would love it as it would be a bit acidic, might have to start mulching the blueberries and strawberries with it!

Haha...
My strawberries and raspberries really like it too!

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[Ordphien]

Hmm.... it won't let me edit that.
They all love actively decomposing material as well. So orchid bark and sphag that's bringing down seemed three perfect fit to me.

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[mnguyen110]

Cool, I'll mulch my strawberries and put the rest in my compost bin.

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by RosieC

Mine goes in the compost bin. Not sure what a worm bin is, there are worms and bugs in my compost bin helping it compost down.

Worm bins/worm farms are vermicomposters. The small scale, home systems are really only designed for soft materials like food scraps.