Tomato soil

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13Turtles Springfield, OR(Zone 8a) May 08, 2014

I grow all my 'maters in 20 gallon black pots, partly because that's how I've gotten the biggest reward and partly because it allows me to rotate the soil for tomatoes, since I don't have enough beds to do a 4 year rotation of all the crops. I disinfect the pots between growing seasons.

My question now is, where do I put last year's soil? I don't grow a lot of other nightshades, but still I am hesitant to mix it into the other beds. I will, but don't yet, have 3 & 1/2 beds, 12' X 4'. If my growing soil wasn't in contact with the ground do you think I need to worry as much? Initially I had thought actually to open the bottoms of the pots this year and to sink them into the ground a few inches, so the plants could get the good stuff from the earth.

Any thoughts or experience?

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Gymgirl SE Houston (Hobby), TX(Zone 9a) May 15, 2014

If your soil isn't contaminated in any way, I don't see why you couldn't mix it into the other non-nightshade beds...

I recycle all my used, non-contaminated soil into other areas.

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KathyWid Clover, SC May 18, 2014

If your plants did well last year, go ahead and reuse the potting mix. Just make sure you remove it from the pots, rework it, add some compost, and proceed with proper watering and feeding. Since you've had good experience in the past with the stand alone containers, I'd avoid sinking them in the ground. While the plants could have bigger root systems in such an arrangement, they would also be exposed to soil borne pathogens -- a situation you've avoided until now.
Here's a good page about potting mixes for tomatoes, in case you need more info: http://www.tomatodirt.com/potting-mix-for-growing-tomatoes-in-pots.html

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13Turtles Springfield, OR(Zone 8a) May 18, 2014

Ah, thank you both. And I'll def. look into that link.

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