Can you re-use dirt year after year for container gardening?
Yes, you can reuse potting soil. I’ve done so for years, though mostly with ornamentals. Most potting soils are peat moss with perlite and vermiculite added for drainage and water retention. Sometimes nutrients or buffers are added also. Beware of planting the same type of plant in the same container from year to year as disease may winter over in the soil. Those with an in-ground garden move their crops to a different area each year to avoid disease. It is best to add some compost, worm castings, or new potting soil to the old soil to reinvigorate it. If you used MiracleGro potting soil any nutrients it had have been leached out after three months. But most container plants should be fertilized anyway, so add some granulated vegetable fertilizer, or use a liquid fertilizer occasionally when watering.
