Old smelly potting soil

[Murphy1]

Hello,
I grew a few vegetable plants in outdoor containers last year. Once finished, I failed to store the potting mix properly. It has remained in the large containers, outside, undisturbed since last summer/fall, and was saturated with rain frequently over the winter months. I emptied the containers out and found the soil to still be water saturated from frequent rain. And... it smells like poop or sewage or something. Is it safe to use again this season in containers? I figure I need to let it dry out and then mix some fresh compost etc in to rejuvenate, but should I worry about mold/fungus/bacteria? Thanks!

 

[Chuck]

Your soil from last year probably has manure from either compost or fertilizer mixed into it. Just let it dry or dump it into a compost pile. It is still good but maybe just not as potent as when new.

 

[Mike Allen]

Simple. Tip it out and let the weather take over. Stinky soil is due either to stagnant water or the result of some chemically often toxic componants.