How to reinvigorate old very neglected potting soil so I can reuse it?
I'm in zone 6, northern Ohio.
I inherited my mom's garden when she passed a year ago, and she had a LOT of really big pots that she used for tomatoes, peppers, etc. They were neglected for the last few years of her life as cancer limited what she was able to physically do. They've had a few seasons now where they just sat outside and grew rampaging weeds in them.
I would like to follow in her footsteps and have a vegetable garden next year. I want to reuse the large amount of soil I have just sitting in pots right now. I know nothing about anything garden related. But I do know that this volume of potting soil is EXPENSIVE 😭 I am on a very very low budget and can't replace it all with new soil. So I was hoping I could reuse all the soil in these 20+ huge pots. I also know that it was used for a few years to grow veggies, and then had weeds sucking all the nutrients out of it, so it's probably in desperate need of some TLC before I can have a good harvest using it.
I was thinking: Could I dump it all in a pile in the backyard and let nature do it's thing to bring good stuff back into the soil since it's been isolated in the same pots for several years? Or would that do more harm then good? Would it be best directly on the ground, or could I put it all on a tarp or in a kiddie pool or something? Is it even worth the work or will this not do much to help the soil?
Then I was thinking that next year, I'd just mix in some compost/manure and peat moss before mixing it all up and refilling all the pots in the spring. Is there anything else I could do for it that won't break the bank, that will help me have a successful container garden next year? Or am I way off base here and do I need a whole new plan 😅
Please note, I do not have the means to make and maintain my own compost pile, so that's out. But I could mulch leaves from my big maple tree, if that would help!
As I said, I don't know much about gardening. That was always my mom's thing. Explain things like I'm 5 please, and help me keep my mom's memory alive with this garden adventure 💜