Quick Tip: Save Soil from Purchased Plants

potting soil in bin saved from store bought plants

By Jennifer Poindexter

When you purchase plants from your local nursery, do you save the soil in the planting containers? If not, you may want to start.

Purchasing soil can increase your gardening costs. To some, this may defeat the purpose of growing a garden.

Instead of spending more on gardening basics, utilize what comes with purchases you’re already making. In this case, ensure you’re saving dirt from your store-bought plants.

Here’s my quick tip on saving dirt from purchased plants:

Quick Tip: Save Your Dirt from Store Bought Plants

When I bring home a newly purchased plant, I don’t transplant it and then toss all the packaging and soil. I save these things.

It isn’t uncommon for gardeners to utilize the dirt during the transplanting process. They’ll add it to the growing space or planter.

If this works for you, keep utilizing the soil this way. For me, I prefer to save my dirt instead of disposing of it as I don’t typically use it during the transplanting process.

Instead, I keep a large tote inside my greenhouse. Any extra dirt I have from purchased plants, or dirt from planters at the end of the gardening season, all gets tossed into this tote.

When I need to start seeds, plant in a container, or refresh the soil in raised beds, I use this dirt instead of buying new.

I amend the soil with compost and peat moss to add nutrients and encourage proper drainage. With a little refreshing each year, the dirt remains in good shape.

If you’re tired of purchasing dirt each planting season, then take steps to stop the cycle. Instead, save the dirt that you’ve already used throughout your gardening season or dirt that comes from local nurseries when purchasing plants.

It could save you a bundle and ensure you always have enough soil on hand for gardening projects throughout the growing season.