Creating A Potting Soil Compost Pile –from Simple Garden Life

“So, what is the easiest way to create a potting soil compost pile? For starters, choose a small dedicated space in your garden or yard that has good drainage. If you don’t have space, you can also use a large drum or trash barrel with drainage holes.

By creating a separate compost pile for your potting soil, you can have it ready for spring use!

Begin by removing all of the stems, roots, leaves and other plant material from the potting soil before adding it to the pile. This includes any fruit or seeds that might have fallen onto the soil. If there are roots you can’t remove, chop them up into smaller pieces.

Next, it’s time to add materials that will help to heat the pile up quickly – all while also adding loads of nutrients. Some of the best choices for this are grass clippings, shredded leaves, coffee grounds, and crushed eggshells.

It’s always important to chop up anything that you add to the pile into small pieces. The smaller the pieces are, the quicker they will break down and start to decompose. And for a potting soil compost pile, that’s the biggest key of all to have it ready by next spring!

Adding Fresh Compost

Last but not least, you need to add the final key ingredient – fresh compost! The finished compost will help give the pile a head start on breaking down. At the same time, it will revive the potting soil with loads of organic matter, nutrients, and good bacteria. These are all items needed to power another year’s worth of growing tomato plants in containers.

Aim to add one part of finished compost for every five to ten parts of potting soil. Add all of the materials within a few weeks of one another to really get the pile heating up fast.

You can either use homemade finished compost or purchase bagged compost to add to your pile. Both work equally well to recharge the old potting soil quickly.

Maintaining Your Potting Soil Compost Pile

It’s important to turn your pile often. This will help keep the pile hot and active. Although weekly turning will work, giving your pile a turn every couple of days is best to add plenty of oxygen to speed up decomposition.

Continue turning your pile until it freezes solid in the winter. Once the pile thaws out in the spring, continue to turn until everything is fully broken down. Before long, your recycled and re-energized potting soil will be ready to use again to power another year of plants grown in containers!”

Thanks to Judy V. for sharing this article from Simple Garden Life.