Potting soils that are naturally fertile or high in organic matter other than bark are good for a little while, then they decompose and collapse into mush as they release nutrients if used for potted plants, just like how a compost pile turns into mush. Eventually they will deplete the soil and run out of nutrients.

Potting soil provides plants the necessary nutrients, structure and moisture retention for proper growth. Unused potting soil lasts roughly six months before it degrades in quality, while used potting soil should be replaced every year or two.

Nutrients get into the soil many different ways: from decomposed animal waste and dead plants, the atmosphere, weathering of rocks and bacteria conversions. When soils are used to grow foods, the soils need to be kept healthy, as a lot of nutrients are taken up by plants and not replaced.

In the US alone, soil on cropland is eroding 10 times faster than it can be replenished. If we continue to degrade the soil at the rate we are now, the world could run out of topsoil in about 60 years, according to Maria-Helena Semedo of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization.

5 possible solutions to soil degradation

1. Curb industrial farming. Tilling, multiple harvests and agrochemicals have boosted yields at the expense of sustainability.
2. Bring back the trees. Without plant and tree cover, erosion happens much more easily.
3. Stop or limit ploughing.
4. Replace goodness.
5. Leave land alone.

Introduction. Soil erosion reduces the agricultural value of lands via physico-chemical degradations. Soil nutrient loss through runoff and sediment,is a major driver for soil fertility decline [1,2]. The eroded sediments or soil are highly concentrated with crop nutrients, which are washed away from farmlands.

6 Effective Methods To Replenish Nutrients In Your Soil

1. Worldwide Mineral Depletion.
2. Soil And Health.
3. Common Missing Nutrients In Depleted Soil.
4. Organic Material.
5. Compost.
6. Crop Rotation.
7. Cover Crops.
8. Useful Cover Crops.

So how do you fix it? Nitrogen deficiency can be cured by amending the soil with aged poultry manure or blood meal. Using a legume cover crop in the winter can help to fix nitrogen in the soil. Adding organic matter and compost to the soil directly before planting the spring can give your soil- and your crops- a boost.