Do I have to dump all the soil from my flower pots for the Winter, or?

Diana gould
by Diana gould

Winter, or can I just remove part of the top layer?

  7 answers
  • Mogie Mogie on Oct 17, 2018

    Excellent article on reusing old soil by adding to it. Too much detail to go into so check it out. http://6ftmama.com/stop-throwing-out-old-potting-soil/

  • I dump out into the flower beds. All the nutrients in the soil are used up, plants will not reach full potential. If a really big pot, take out the top half, fluff up the rest and add new on top. In small pots, use new soil for best results. Be sure to wash and sanitize pots before reusing. I wash with vinegar and set in sun.

  • Ellis Ellis on Oct 17, 2018

    I do the same thing Naomi does. I have a couple of spots in unused corners where I dump the potting soil, and after several years being covered with falling leaves, it actually has made those spots more fertile.


    If you compost, add the potting soil to the pile.

  • Amanda Amanda on Oct 17, 2018

    Hi Diana. I leave my soil in the pots, and store the clay and ceramic ones in a shed. In spring I take a wagon and dump all of the soil into that. Then I mix in compost and cow manure and refill my pots.

  • Jeanne Grunert Jeanne Grunert on Oct 18, 2018

    Yes, it's a good idea to dump all the old soil. First, it's probably spent -- the nutrients are less as your plants grew during the summer. Second, insects can overwinter in the soil or lay their eggs in the soil and then you can have a problem with them in the spring.

  • Agnes Chrzanowska Agnes Chrzanowska on Feb 28, 2021

    I usually do that in the spring

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Jan 04, 2022

    I save all my old soil and put in large bag, Add some slug and snail pellets and some soil bug killer. Mix the lot up and leave over winter. When I need a top up of soil I go to the bag or id I am potting succulents or cactus I add grit to the mix and I haven't had any problems. Otherwise add the soil to your compost bin or recycle in garden beds.