How do you sterilize soil?

mskovan

I've read several places that cuttings and seeds should be planted in a sterile soil mix. The part I seem to keep missing is how does one obtain or produce sterilized soil? I have a sneaking suspicion that it involves one or more major kitchen appliances.......Mike

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TreeBay

Usually you'd you'd just buy some kind of prepared striking mix, or the constituents like vermiculite, perlite and peat that are sold sterile.

something like this:

http://www.alwaysgrows.com/online/showprod.cfm?&ampID=9&User_ID=18262&st=4281&st2=4504 0268&st3=28666468&CATID=9&ObjectGroup_ID=18

or this:
http://www.charleysgreenhouse.com/catalog/index.cfm?page=_ProductDetails&ProductId=7216

Each handful of garden soil has hundreds of weed seeds (which remain fertile for decades) and millions of little microbes that have names I can't pronounce.

Soil sterilization is done most commonly with steam, but a kiln would work, or that oven or clothes dryer

Here's a commercial sterilizer[img:4d15d67105]http://www.charleysgreenhouse.com/catalog/cart/images/Charleys%20Greenhouse%20and%20Garden/Products/7950.jpg[/img:4d15d67105]

Regards,

Matt

P.S. Just saw this stuff on sale over at Jiffy:
[img:4d15d67105]http://www.alwaysgrows.com/ecom2/images/mix_2.jpg[/img:4d15d67105]

http://www.alwaysgrows.com/online/showdetl.cfm?&ampID=9&Product_ID=121&CATID=9

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Soildoc

Generally, sterilizing soil involves a great deal of heat, pressure, and steam and is probably not something you want to try with household appliances (personnal experience here, boy did my wife get honked). The stuff you by at the store is probably fine for seedlings and seeds. If you really want to sterilize your own soil, call your county ag extension agent and see if he or she can put you touch with the soils people at your state university. If you can tell me where you reside, I might be able to tell you who to call.

bonsaial1

I have heard of people putting the soil in black garbage bags in the hot sun for two or three days. I don't know what all the who ha is about sterile soil. As soon as you pot something and put it out in the air, it is subject to about 10 million airborne particles, verything from cosmic dust and radiation to pollon and about 25 or 30 strains of yeast. Sterile, Hah.

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Soildoc

I think the idea of sterile soil goes back to getting rid of the nasty soilborne bacteria and fungi that can attack seeds. I've never really had a problem with it myself. Usually I just get some topsoil and have at it.

mskovan

* * *Thanks for all the help. I didn't realize that store bought components qualified as sterile. This discussion has put things in perspective. I guess I can cancel the order for the nuclear irradiation reactor, hazmat suit and clean room. I'm just starting a bunch of japanese maple seeds for hah hahs anyway. They should make a nice mame display at my funeral. I really wish I had discovered this hobby 30 years ago. I just keep telling myself the fun is in the doing not the having. Right? Thanks again everyone....Mike

Bonsainut

Mike,
Don't get discourage, my good man. I have two good friends who are doing bonsai well into their 80's. they believe that bonsai has added many years to their lives.
I hear you though.They say the fun is in the doing not the having. But some times it's nice to have a piece you can really be proud of. Maybe its time for you to buy yourself a real nice bonsai that you can refine and make it your showpiece. I have seen many bonsai hobbyest in a rut really get jazzed by some really advance material!
What else you gonna spend money on, Valentines day?

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Keep growing,---'Nut



Lethal Use of Farce

mskovan

No worries mate, those comments were more my cynical sense of humor than any real despair over not having mature trees. I think at this stage of my experience with bonsai the responsibility of maintaining a serious piece of living art would subtract from my longevity rather than add. (There goes that cynicism again.) It's only been in recent years that my lifestyle and temperament would permit a hobby that requires daily attention.
At any rate, the fun is most certainly in the doing. I expect to do some more collecting this year, with greatly increased confidence thanks mostly to members of this board like yourself who so willingly volunteer the benefit of their experience.
As for what else I could spend my money on? I don't have time to get into it. I will just say that I'm a firm believer in WHOEVER DIES WITH THE MOST TOYS WINS.....Mike