Chiggachamp
Active Member
I had a clone i transplanted into the final pot and i just found out it is a hermi. Was wondering if i could use the soil thats in the pot for another clone instead. Theres not roots left in the pot either.
using old soil?
- Thread starter Chiggachamp
- Start date
Vindicated
Well-Known Member
Your not supposed to. It increases the chance of spreading viruses like e. coli and plant diseases. Soil being so expensive,a lot of people do it anyway. One of the things people do to stay safe is rotate the plants that grow in the soil. For example, you can grow cannabis the first year, Peas the second year, tulips the third year, and cannabis again the fourth year.
A few gardeners that I've known and respected won't reuse soil on plants that they will consume. Fearing the risks are greater then the reward. To solve the problem of expensive soil they do something pretty smart... they build compost bins and create fresh soil every couple of months using nothing but grass clippings, leaves, and food scrapes.
So yes you can reuse soil, but there are risks.
A few gardeners that I've known and respected won't reuse soil on plants that they will consume. Fearing the risks are greater then the reward. To solve the problem of expensive soil they do something pretty smart... they build compost bins and create fresh soil every couple of months using nothing but grass clippings, leaves, and food scrapes.
So yes you can reuse soil, but there are risks.
CharlieBud
Active Member
Ah, the dreaded e.coli plant virus!
Vindicated
Well-Known Member
Actually e coli comes from the fertilizers, insects, and animals that come in contact with the plant. The virus tends to thrive in the rhizosphere, a thin layer, where roots touch the soil. Salmonella is another nasty virus that shows up in plants a lot. Usually tomatoes, but it has also been found in beans, lettuce, and other plants. The last out break I hard about occurred on an organic tomato farm. For all the money being spent on fertilizers and soil mixes, there is very speak of sanitation and safe growing practices.
scroglodyte
Well-Known Member
e.coli is a bacteria, not a virus. same with salmonella
WeedFreak78
Well-Known Member
E.Coli & salmonella bacteria are to large to permeate the cell walls of roots so there's no fear of uptake INTO the plant but it can get on the outside, which is why fruits/vegetables need to be thoroughly washed. Now if your getting dirt all over the tops of your plants I think a basic introduction to gardening is necessary. It is a good idea to rotate the dirt through a composting cycle, if only to add back any used nutes.
Jogro
Well-Known Member
Who says "you're not supposed to" reuse soil?
That what happens NORMALLY in just about EVERY outdoor cultivation on the planet!
Personally, I'd reuse this soil for a new clone in a heartbeat and not worry one lick about it.
I've reused the same soil and soiless/low soil mixes MANY times for sequential grows, and never had an issue. You just have to add make sure the soil is flushed of salt buildup (which you're probably doing anyway late in your grow) and add more nutes in between grows. If you like organic, then you can use compost.
As to transfer of viruses, if they're not in there in the first place, you can't transfer them. If you have cannabis-specific viruses in your soil, you'd notice them on the FIRST grow, not on the second, third, etc.
E.Coli and Salmonella are BACTERIA, not viruses. They're transmitted mostly via animal poo, and should NOT be a constituent of normal soil.
But even if you have them in your soil, that's hardly the end of the world. These can be found in the soil of many farms with livestock on them. So long as you don't EAT the soil, you shouldn't have an issue. So keep your plants clean and wash your hands, and you'll be fine.
That what happens NORMALLY in just about EVERY outdoor cultivation on the planet!
Personally, I'd reuse this soil for a new clone in a heartbeat and not worry one lick about it.
I've reused the same soil and soiless/low soil mixes MANY times for sequential grows, and never had an issue. You just have to add make sure the soil is flushed of salt buildup (which you're probably doing anyway late in your grow) and add more nutes in between grows. If you like organic, then you can use compost.
As to transfer of viruses, if they're not in there in the first place, you can't transfer them. If you have cannabis-specific viruses in your soil, you'd notice them on the FIRST grow, not on the second, third, etc.
E.Coli and Salmonella are BACTERIA, not viruses. They're transmitted mostly via animal poo, and should NOT be a constituent of normal soil.
But even if you have them in your soil, that's hardly the end of the world. These can be found in the soil of many farms with livestock on them. So long as you don't EAT the soil, you shouldn't have an issue. So keep your plants clean and wash your hands, and you'll be fine.
Alexander Supertramp
Well-Known Member
It is just fine to reuse the soil.....
ddimebag
Active Member
E.coli is a bacterium, it's commonly found in soil, and most strains are not pathogenic. As far as i know, it does not interact with cannabis in a positive or negative way.
About re-using soil: I use high quality organic soil for my cannabis, then after harvest I dump it out, mix it with compost and a bit of fresh soil, and use it for other plants in my garden. If you're paying 12 bucks a bag, it would be rather wasteful to just throw it out afterwards...
About re-using soil: I use high quality organic soil for my cannabis, then after harvest I dump it out, mix it with compost and a bit of fresh soil, and use it for other plants in my garden. If you're paying 12 bucks a bag, it would be rather wasteful to just throw it out afterwards...
Thc420Vato
Member
I never ever had a problems with recycled soil 
VitaminXxX
Well-Known Member
Just get new soil.better safe then a sorry cheap ass that wouldn't fork up for new soil.IMO
Jogro
Well-Known Member
In my opinion, better a competent gardener who knows how to maintain their soil, than a paranoid, lazy, wasteful and/or environmentally destructive one who can't grow a crop without starting from somebody else's manufactured product every single time.
When your clothes get dirty, do you throw them away and get new ones?
How about your dishes? Do you "take chances" by re-using them again and again?
Again, ordinary soil contains organic matter, and its fully capable of supporting growth of more than one plant in a row, so long as you do the work necessary to maintain it.
Yeah, if you're too lazy or incompetent to flush your soil of residual added chemicals then you might have to go out and buy new soil every single grow. If you're committed to growing organically, but have no way of introducing new organic material (compost, etc) into your soil, then yeah, you'll run out of trace elements and/or nutes after 1-3 grows and have to buy new soil.
Alternatively, if your soil somehow gets contaminated, or if you're experiencing poor results with it (ie the FIRST time), then you might consider switching to something else.
But for everyone else, no worries; re-use if you like.
For what its worth, here's what Pot guru Ed Rosenthal says on the matter:
Note that he's specifically talking about re-using organic soil, in an indoor setting.
On the question of "harmful organisms", I don't find this line of argument all that persuasive. Which organisms are we talking about, and how did they get in there (in an indoor setting) in the first place? If these organisms are so harmful, then why didn't they hurt the first crop? If they got in there once, why won't they get in there again with new soil?
VitaminXxX
Well-Known Member
U just came off as the biggest pot snob ever.u wanna reuse then more power to ya.all I was saying is if u don't know If u should , then u may as well be safe & get new soil.most ppl who are thinking about reusing are doing so because they don't wanna spend money on new soil.i reuse soil for my pepper plants all the time.& when I'm done wt it the soil then goes to my mothers compost.so don't act like your better or more "competent" then others.in other words don't be a dick , dick.
BigJon
Well-Known Member
Dont be sensitive bro. He gave good info and by calling soil recyclers "sorry cheap asses" you may have offended many Some may even have thought you were being a dick.
Dutchmast3r
Active Member
im all for reusing soil but i dont lol its $16 for a 50lbs bag of happy frog..and tht expensive but still in any growers budget..am i wrong? unless ur going with a large scale grow where ud be spending near $100 on soil or ur super cheap lol
BigJon
Well-Known Member
I think the best advice was said in the beginning of this page. Go ahead and buy new soil for your cannabis. It's the best way to ensure the results YOU want and the money you save by buying your own should make it perfectly affordable. If you can't afford to invest money in your soil, I dont know how you picked up a marijuana habit to begin with. lol
But re-use your soil for other things like flowers and vegetables. You can steer away from diseases by rotating your soil. In my veggie garden, I never plant the same vegetable in the same spot every year. I would suggest the same thing for your cannabis. Plant specific diseases can stay dormant.
If you HAVE to reuse your soil for weed, I remember a while back when I first started growing, they mentioned you can bake your soil in the oven at 300 degrees for an hour or so. Sift through it. Then ammend with nutrients.
Jogro
Well-Known Member
I think what "u" meant to say is that because I actually know what I'm talking about, I can make a point without resorting to name calling.
"U're" welcome.
You told a grower who had a miniature clone in a pot for a few days that he needed to get new soil! Does this ring a bell?
.
Are you a "sorry cheap ass"? Just wondering.
Only certain others.
Way to win friends and influence people.
Have a great day!