How to sterilize potting soil: an easy “Trick” can be done in one pot with only two methods

How to sterilize potting soil: an easy “Trick” can be done in one pot with only  two methods

For us farmers, in addition to growing vegetables or other crops in the fields outside, we also plant some vegetables in our own yards, and even plant some vegetables or flowers in flower pots on the roof or balcony. Friends who have planted vegetables or flowers in pots must have had such an experience. Problems often occur in potting soil, especially diseases, and root rot often occurs. For such soil, we need to disinfect it. 

To disinfect the soil, some friends will directly pour disinfection and sterilization drugs, while others will directly pour it out and expose it to the sun for disinfection. However, these methods have little effect, especially for those soils that have experienced root rot or other vegetable diseases. , it is difficult to eradicate these diseases.

Here are two methods to share with you. Each method is similar and requires only two steps. It can be used on the same day.

1. Soak in boiling water

I believe everyone knows that boiling water can completely destroy bacteria, insect eggs, pests, and germs at its temperature. Anyway, anything living in the soil can be eliminated; therefore, using boiling water to disinfect potting soil is absolutely effective. It's a good idea; however, after sterilization and disinfection with boiling water, there are basically no living things in the soil. Not only are there no pathogenic bacteria, but there are even no beneficial bacteria. Additional measures need to be taken in the future. The specific methods are as follows.

First, we pour the potting soil into a metal container or porcelain container and manually break up the clumped soil; then, soak the soil with boiling water. It takes about two soaks. The first time is soaked for 10 minutes, and then poured out. Add boiling water and soak for 10 minutes to eliminate bacteria, germs, eggs and pests in the soil.

There is basically nothing left in the soil after being disinfected by boiling water. Therefore, we need to add some organic matter, humus, cellulose and beneficial bacteria to the soil. The commonly used ones are compost and beneficial bacteria liquid fertilizer, or It is compost and brown sugar em bacteria liquid.

Compost contains a lot of organic matter, humus and cellulose, and also contains a lot of beneficial bacteria, which can quickly replenish potting soil with the organic matter, humus and cellulose needed by these soils; beneficial bacteria liquid fertilizer or brown sugar em bacteria liquid contains a lot of The beneficial bacteria and decomposed nutrients can quickly replenish the potting soil with beneficial bacteria.

After adding compost, beneficial bacteria liquid fertilizer or brown sugar em bacteria liquid, you can directly plant vegetables or flowers in pots.

2. Spitfire calcination

Fire is the best way to sterilize and disinfect. Fire can burn everything, whether it is insect eggs, pests, germs or beneficial bacteria. As long as it touches the fire, it will only die.

Compared with the boiling water immersion disinfection method, fire disinfection is more complicated and requires the use of a high-temperature flame nozzle and gas. However, the fire and calcination method is mainly used for large potted plants. Large potted plants contain more soil and need to be disinfected with boiling water. The method is definitely not possible, but fire-breathing calcination does not have that limitation. The specific method is as follows.

First, pour out the soil in the potted plants and spread it thinly, and then use the high-temperature flame nozzle to spray high-temperature flames on the potted soil to calcine the potted soil; the potted soil calcined at high temperature will eliminate the pathogens, bacteria, and insects in it. Eggs and pests will be eliminated, and the effect of sterilization and disinfection can be achieved.

After the temperature of the sterilized potting soil drops down, organic matter, humus, cellulose and beneficial bacteria need to be added to the soil. The commonly used combination is composted beneficial bacteria liquid fertilizer or brown sugar em bacteria liquid. After replenishing it on the same day, it can be used on the same day. Use the soil to grow vegetables or flowers.

For small potted plants, we can use the boiling water soaking and disinfection method. For large potted plants, we use the fire and calcining method. No matter which method is used, after disinfection, organic matter, humus, cellulose and beneficial bacteria need to be supplemented. .

These are the two methods I have summarised for disinfecting potting soil in the past few years. You may wish to try them. The results are very good.