I guess, but the plant doesn't even use the top few inches of soil so all that would happen is the plant would just grow more roots which I can't see being a bad thing. Can't forget that it also gets air from the bottom of the pots as well. But if your really scared about suffocating them you could just poke some holes in the dirt after you put some fresh soil on there.Not a good practice as the stock gets air for the roots at the soil line so you might suffocate her. As well as the soil is for the roots not to fill the bucket---the roots wont grow up that is a choice for T-planting/