How to Recycle Potting Soil

Allow last season's plants to die down completely. Pull the dead plants carefully from the container. Hold the roots over a large bucket and shake the plants to remove the clinging potting soil. Discard the dead plants or throw them on your compost pile.

Empty the contents of the planting container into the bucket. Pick out any remaining roots or plant debris.

Empty the bucket of potting soil into a large baking pan. Disposable aluminum turkey roasters or aluminum pans work well, are inexpensive, and can be discarded when the job is finished. Fill the pans to within one to two inches from the top of the baking pan and don't overfill. Most ovens can easily hold two large pans.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the potting soil for two to three hours. Repeat until all of your containers are empty. Baking the soil will eliminate bacteria, disease, pests and weed seeds.

Dump the baking pans into a wheelbarrow and allow the potting soil to cool. Mix in a small bag of peat moss, approximately one-half bag of perlite and one-half cup of slow-release granular fertilizer for every five gallons of potting soil.

Store the recycled potting soil in plastic storage bins.