Does Potting Soil Go Bad? (How to check if it’s still Usable)

Does Potting Soil go Bad? How to check if it’s still Usable? Have you ever gone through the shed or basement and found an old container of potting soil? Are you wondering if you can still use it? Me too! I needed to understand if potting soil could become “bad,” so I researched to learn the truth. I then used what I learned to provide answers to crucial potting soil questions in this guide. 

Quick takeaways:

• Premium potting soil is necessary for both indoor and outdoor plant growth.
• Any home gardener to succeed, understanding when and how long potting soil goes bad is essential.
• If you have a love for indoor plants and place potted plants in all the right places around your home, potting soil is a necessity for your enthusiasm for gardening. 
• Given that it is only soil, one might assume that potting soil would never expire or at the very least have such a long shelf life, but nothing could be other than the truth.

When it comes to purchasing, utilizing, and storing potting soil, I hope this information will assist you in making informed judgments. Let’s get going!

Does Potting Soil Go Bad? 

Whenever it comes to horticulture & planting, potting soil is essential, especially if you’re utilizing raised beds or a container garden. You need top-notch potting soil, whether you’re growing plants inside or outside, to provide them with the greatest care possible. Plants resemble newborns.

They need attentive care, the proper nutrients, and suitable habitat to thrive. Plants are given the nutrients they require for a healthy existence and optimum growth when they are in potting soil. Your plant’s entire body is fed and nurtured by the proper potting soil, which does more than just guarantee strong roots.

Does Potting Soil Go Bad? Does It Have Any Expiry Date? 

Potting soil can go bad, but if it’s unused and you’re prepared to do some potting soil rejuvenation, it usually doesn’t. Old potting soil may still be useful after hanging around for a while. A long list of reasons why you should throw away your old potting soil is provided on certain websites when they inform you that potting soil goes bad. 

I support gardening in an environmentally friendly way that is also as cost-effective as possible. In light of this, I advise keeping your old potting soil. Technically, potting soil has no expiration date. However, because potting soil is frequently not stored in ideal conditions and contains a variety of chemicals, over time you should anticipate changes in:

• Texture
• nutrients present
• Moisture level

The organic stuff in potting soil decomposes more quickly the longer it is left out. The soil may become denser or have a “dustier” texture as a result. Both are naturally occurring and artificially usually obtained in potting soil and will gradually deteriorate. 

The likelihood of potting soil drying out or becoming soggy from rain is higher when it is placed on a shelf. Potting soil is packaged in airtight bags to protect it from moisture and fixungus spores.

The soil inside the bag can be used for up to two years if you maintain it in a dry, well-ventilated area. The potting soil’s shelf life would be dramatically shortened if the box developed any cracks.

When Potting Soil Is Opened, How Long Does It Last?

Your potting soil can only be stored for up to 6 months after it has been opened. Once more, this is the typical shelf life under ideal circumstances. Peat moss typically deteriorates quickly in humid environments. 

Mold may develop on the potting soil if it becomes contaminated with fungus spores. As long as the potting soil is free of bacteria from a sick plant, it can be used again. The time some used potting soil spent in the pots also plays a role in this.

You can use the soil again if it is still relatively new and has only been in the container for a few months; but, if it has been there for more than a year, you should replace the soil in the pot with new soil.

What To Look For In Poor Potting Soil?

1. Invasion of insects 

Hate the annoying bugs that emerge from potting soil? These little insects are called fungus gnats. Through small holes, the gnats crawl inside the potting soil bags and lay their eggs. Although the gnats are irritating, mature plants shouldn’t be seriously harmed.

The roots of young plants are especially susceptible to fungus gnat harm. The potting soil can be placed outside, away from your planting area, or you might search online for great-controlling techniques.

2. Unsavory odor 

Your potting soil was likely sitting in water if it smells strongly of rotten eggs. Under damp conditions, soil-borne bacteria swiftly proliferate. Additionally, because older soil is denser, the air spaces that keep helpful bacteria alive are eliminated.

Anaerobic bacteria produce a strong stench when they develop. The stinking potting soil should be spread out and let dry in the sun to assist the bacteria to die off. Once it has dried out, you may use it without risk.

How to determine if the potting soil has gone bad? 

The following are some ways by which you can determine if the potting soil has gone bad or not.

Compaction:

• It refers to the heavy or tightly packed potting soil. 
• You can easily see the problem of going bad in old soil or mixes that usually contain paid moss. 
• The soil density increases when it gets decomposed with the organic material and if you mix Peat moss their viable for only one to two years

Foul Odor:

• If you are getting a foul odor from the potting mix it indicates that it has gone bad. 
• The smell does come from anaerobic bacteria that are found in old damp and compacted soil.

Mold:

• If you see the mold growing from the potting soil it does mean the soil is bad. 
• Mold growth happens if you store the moist soil in a compacted bag and leave it for a long time, especially during the warm weather.
• In this case, don’t use the porting mix with the soil that will cause root rot when you apply in container plants. 

Insects:

• Find the insects like fungus gnats which will indicate to you that the soil is gone bad.
• The fungus is used to feed on the decomposing opening matter that is present in the soil and will damage the plant roots so you cannot use the potting soil having insects. 

How to Store Potting Soil? 

The following at the ways by which you can store the potting soil:

• In case you have already opened the potting soil then you need to make sure the unused potting soil is totally dry. 
• As any moisture present in the soil will start to form mold and mildew in the potting soil. 
• Make sure to try the potting soil and after that only store it in a plastic container with a trash bag. 
• In case if you have not opened the potting soil bag then you can store them in a cool dark place just like a garage or shit. 
• Storing them in a cool space will help the potting soil to last for a longer time.
• A bag of potting soil that is not open can easily last for 1 to 2 years when you place it in a perfect location. 
• The porting soil which is opened is able to maintain the quality for around 6 to 12 month

The Difference Between Potting Soil and Garden Soil?

There is a big difference between Garden soil and potting soil. In case you are looking for soil to be used for your house plans as seed starting potted plants which are planted in smaller containers never use a big Garden soil. The garden soil is enriched with compost, fertilizer, organic matter, and many more.

You can use Garden soil for a larger area that will help you to build up the soil by adding structure to existing soil and also you can use raised beds. The garden soil does contain pythogenes, weed seeds, diseases, fungus and more so if you are using the garden soil you are not clear what you are using it for as using them for young plants and house plants will be a risky option.

Wrap Up!

So we have discussed the query: Does Potting Soil Go Bad? We hope you find this article helpful. Stay tuned for future articles. Let us know how much you like these articles and share them with loved ones who love gardening. Thanks for reading!

FAQs