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I have 40 hanging planters that I usually grow snap peas in, so the vines cascade down along our walkway between our carport and our front doors. I think it looks pretty.
I use some of our local soil that I re-mix with potting soil, compost, and peat. But it always has an assortment of wild weed seeds in it. This means that along with my peas, there are also a lot of weeds.
This year as an upgrade, I have bought a 22 qt pressure canner that I will be using as an autoclave to sterilize all of my potting soil mix.
My wife has two old pressure cooker/canners, but when I was talking about doing this project months ago, she insisted that I can not touch her pressure cooker/canners. So I found one online for $85, and it arrived today. It was scheduled to arrive yesterday, but the USPS refused to deliver when they saw how muddy our driveway was. USPS did the delivery today.
The interwebz says that I must run it up to 15psi and hold that for 3 hours. that seems like a long time. Does anyone else have experience autoclaving garden soil?
Totally sterilizing soil (by heat) actually makes it unhealthy for planting. You want to heat it enough to keep the included seeds from germinating but no more than that.
And usually potting mix has already avoided having weed seeds so you might not need to do much if anything.
And if you always use the same mix, just do an experiment. Low heat for different amounts of time then take some out and water each sample for a week or two. Determine the minimum time and temperature.
Last edited by luv4horses; 03-28-2024 at 12:55 PM..
Plants rely on fungi, bacteria, and beneficial nematodes in the soil to convert nutrients into a form the plants can use. Sterilizing soil will kill those partners and may very likely reduce the health and vigor of your plants.
This year as an upgrade, I have bought a 22 qt pressure canner that I will be using as an autoclave to sterilize all of my potting soil mix.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rabbit33
Plants rely on fungi, bacteria, and beneficial nematodes in the soil to convert nutrients into a form the plants can use. Sterilizing soil will kill those partners and may very likely reduce the health and vigor of your plants.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Submariner
'Nutrients' are N P K. They are minerals, they are not alive and they can not be killed.
You are thinking of the micro-flora that lives in the soil.
When I started sterilizing I didn't notice a difference in growth or production of the plants but I did notice one huge difference. No more gnats or insects in the room where I start my seeds.
The method I use is simple AND FREE! And doesn't stink up the house. Just boil water and pour. Mix. Put lid on it to keep heat in there for couple hours. Take lid off. Stir every day so soil can dry out faster to use. First time I did I used too much water. You'll get the hang of it.
Basically boiling soil will sterilize it and kill any pests or pathogens in the soil. Good practice for seed starting indoors or having plants indoors.
'Nutrients' are N P K. They are minerals, they are not alive and they can not be killed.
You are thinking of the micro-flora that lives in the soil.
You're wrong. It's the whole ecosystem of fungi, bacteria, and multicellular organisms that make plant growth possible.
For an example I have the best looking yard in my whole neighborhood - because I'm on the "benign neglect" regimen. I mow the grass, I water when it's really hot and dry, and THAT'S IT. I have left the soil and all its microscopic inhabitants to do what they do best. My neighbors who are busily engaged in turning their yards into Bermuda Grass monocultures - they have no resilience, and in the end their lawns look worse than mine.
You're wrong. It's the whole ecosystem of fungi, bacteria, and multicellular organisms that make plant growth possible.
fungi, bacteria, and multicellular organisms are NOT viewed as nutrients.
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