Storing Soil for Use with Wood Planters

With planting season upon us, many people are planning arrangements for wood planters. You may wish to store extra soil either before or after you plant. Some people may choose to store excess soil in the original packaging. However, after I’m done planting, I typically do not have a large amount of potting soil left over. Sometimes a smaller container is more convenient.

Should you have a little soil left after filling some of your wood planters, you can store it in a container such as a plastic tub. But if you choose to follow this route, it’s wise to punch one or more holes in the container to allow air circulation. Have you noticed that the large plastic bags often have a few small holes in them? That’s what the holes are for—to allow a flow of oxygen through the soil.

Also, if you store soil in a warm place, but the soil has not been sterilized, you might come back to find weeds have sprouted. You can sterilize a small amount by baking it in the oven and then continuing your gardening with any remaining wood planters. For a larger amount of soil, you can sterilize it by baking it in the sun on a tarp. Leave it for a month, flip it over, and leave it for another month. This sterilization process kills both harmful bacteria and weeds. Once the process is complete, continue filling your wood planters.