Cheryl, this is what I think though I could be wrong...

It's my understanding the soil's nutrients get depleted when it gets old, plus the pH gets out of whack. If it were me, I wouldn't reuse soil.

When you sterilize something it needs to be kept at a high enough temperature for a long enough period of time to kill pathogens, at least that's the way it works in the healthcare industry. There are steam autoclaves but the steam is under high pressure to work. I don't think you can get the soil hot enough from steam alone. Also, instruments can be sterilized in boiling water for at least 20 minutes, but I imagine that boiling soil would leach out the nutrients as well as change the pH. You can bake the soil to sterilize it, but again, I wouldn't reuse old soil.

I tend to agree in theory. I am all about minimalization and recycling where possible. Many propose doing this however I am quite unsure as it is not in my field of experience. Apparently, it destroys the spider mites and mealies. I would think at least refortifying the soil would be reasonable. I did not see any conversations going about the topic.

Dviolet - thanks for the PH levels and nutrient depletion. Some did speak of cooking in pressure cooker for 15 mins. I don’t think the point is to kill everything as good bacteria are needed but to kill the larvae of vectors. I also would like to begin using compost and am interested in cleaning it ( haha ) before using in containers in my home. Of coarse, using it in a mix of other parts.

Clarify, - when I speak of others doing it’s and speaking of it, I’m referring to utube and google. There has been nothing mentioned on garden web.

Perfectly beneficial to use the soil to improve outside flower beds. Perlite and all. Overload of acidity and accumulated fertilizer salts IMHO will jeopardize your AVs, These components are not going to go away with sterilizing.

I reuse hydroton/leca stones, I grow my several orchids by s/hydro method - if anybody is interested - firstrays.com has the know-how and ingredients. I soak them in several changes of water and boil them - to get rid of salts accumulation.

K, thx Irna_co, yes I wanted to use on AV’s too. But will not. I was wrong. I researched again on GW and found conversations on sterilizing soil. Unsure why 1st search was unsuccessful.

So flushing soil soil will not remove salts adequately and sulpher or limestone would not adjust ph in this instance? Appreciate the discussion and patience

If you are totally into it - probably multiple flushes are going to make a soil palatable. Thing is that fertilizer salts react with a humic acid - and the resulting humates are less soluable. Second - the peat moss have a structure that keeps enough air in the soil. While used - the humus deteriorates, the peat compacts and the conditions for the roots are less favorable So the older the soil - the less it is usable. Yes - you can correct the acidity with dolomite lime - add lime to a humid soil, mix, wait for 2 weeks, test the soil. If you are in 6.5-6.8 pH range - you are OK. If not add more lime - or more peat - wait 2 weeks again - retest.

All and all - it is a major hemorrhoid.

While if you add the used soil to a flower bed - the mother nature will take care of it - and peat moss is a very desirable additive.

Hahaha- thx for ur patience. I might simply experiment with the soil to satisfy my curiosity. But will repot my AV’s with basic potting mix and perelite. Would u think that sterizing the mix is a good idea 1st or no?

Will I ever be able to use my compost soil?

If you sterilize it. Compost is teaming with life. Not all of it is welcome at home.

Makes sense. Diffinitly will sterilize