I learned about how authoritative it is to sterilize pots and planter after I lost an entire crop of cuke tomosaic virus .
I could n’t understand why all of my cucumber plants died so horribly . They had been fly high in their footling pots before I transferred them into larger containers .
Then they had fantastic increase spurts and were even starting to flower . lamentably , after a few week , that cucumber mosaic virus took them all out within a matter of days .
I ’d never encountered this issue before , so I ask another nurseryman friend about it . The first thing she asked me was whether I had sterilized the container before I ’d transplanted the seedlings .
“ No … ? Was I supposed to?”Oh yes . Yes , you are .
Why You Need to Sterilize Planters and Pots
One fascinating aspect of grow your own food is that there ’s always more to learn . what is more , much like requirement being the mother of invention , the realization that you need to learn some new skills only materialize when you occur across a problem that has to be solved .
Take , for model , my experience with mosaic virus .
Your plant can be annihilated by several different pests and pathogen during the develop season . Many of these — such as the aforementioned malefic cucumber mosaic virus — live in the grime .
Better yet ( and oh , that is said so sarcastically ) , these filth - borne pathogen do n’t just go in the dirt : they can hang to the inside of your pots and planters .
moreover , they can go inactive throughout the winter months , only to come forth and destroy your young works as presently as they warm up .
The only way to foreclose this from happening is to check that that you clean house and sterilize planters , pot , and all gardening utensils .
How to Sterilize Planters, Pots, Trowels, and More
The best thing you could do to scavenge these babies is with a two - step process .
One happens at the end of the growing season before you put everything aside for wintertime . The second needs to take topographic point about a week before you transplant your healthy , happy seedling into their magnanimous containers .
At the destruction of the growing season , compost the spent plant you ’ve grown and harvest from . If you have n’t had to deal with any pathogen , then pitch the still - tidy soil into the compost bin . It ’ll absorb the food you total to that pile over the winter .
- Note : if you have had to deal with blights or industrial plant viruses , you need to sterilize and dispose of that soil so the illness do n’t scatter . To do this , pour boiling water into the containers , saturate the stain totally . Do this a few times .
Then , do some enquiry to find territory recycling service in your area . They have the means to sterilise soil completely , so it ’s safe to reprocess .
Wash Everything Well Before Storing It
Once you ’ve emptied the container , wash them soundly with hot , soapy pee . While you ’re at it , launder all the tools that you ’ve used in the garden as well . Spades , trowel , tinsnips , saws — literally anything that came into contact with plants or grease during the growing time of year .
Set these out on towels or tarps to dry in the sunlight . As an added bonus , the sun wo n’t just dry these point : it ’ll help to disinfect them as well .
Once nicely dried , wrap these particular in newspaper or gunny and stash away them somewhere ironical for the winter . I keep my supplies in my shed , but if you do n’t have one , keep them all in a closet , service department , or basement elbow room .
Clean Them Again in Springtime
If you ’re growing your plants from seed , you generally have to matter backward from your last frost engagement to determine when to part the seeds . That way , they ’ll be ready to pop into pots and planters as soon as the conditions is fond enough for them to be outside .
Add “ plantation owner - prepping ” to your task list for springtime . point to desex planters , pots , and tools a week before constitute . think back to pitch up ! You ’re going to be ferment with some caustic materials , so be as safe as possible . Use rubber gloves , protective eyewear , clothing that you ’re not afraid to decolour damage , etc .
Give Them a Bath
Okay , first things first .
To sterilise everything , fill up your bathtub with fond — not hot — water . Then , add enough chlorine whitener , so there ’s a 1:9 whitener to water ratio . So if you use a one - gallon jug of bleach , contribute nine Imperial gallon of hot water to dilute it . The cause you ’re using affectionate water rather than hot is , so you do n’t end up inhaling bleachy steam .
Unwrap the planters and dope from their burlap or newspaper coverings , and place them in the H2O . Do this gently rather than slash them in , so there ’s less probability of splosh yourself .
If you may inundate the pots and plantation owner completely , excellent . Let these overcharge in the blanching agent wash for 15–20 minute . That should be enough time to pour down off any virus or teensy dirt ball orchis lallygag in various nooks and crack .
If you ca n’t deluge them completely , then permit them sit as they are for 15–20 minutes . Then iterate this outgrowth after turning them to ensure that each side hock for the appropriate amount of time .
I ’d recommend doing this with your trowel , coon , etc . as well . You really ca n’t be too measured when it comes to cleanliness here .
Once the soaking is done , run out out the bleachy water system . Then refill with oleaginous water , scrub everything clean with a cleaning brush , and rinse it all with hot water .
Then dry out each piece thoroughly and set them aside in a clean , quick , juiceless way . They should sit around for at least a week to take into account any residual bleach to evaporate .
After that workweek is over , they ’ll be quick to use and fill with grime and seedlings ( or seeds , for unmediated - sow specie ) .
Avoid Cross Contamination
Remember that cross - contaminant does n’t just happen via object . If you ’re being really diligent about keeping contagiouspathogensout of your garden , then be careful about visitors in there as well .
You do n’t want to go through all the work to sterilize planters and jackpot only to have your plants contaminate by interlopers .
It may seem like a charming , pastoral idea to have gardening and husbandry friends come over , but be careful . think back that all form of virus and unwanted insects can hitch ride on people .
If they ’ve wiped their hands on their dress after act upon in the garden and then get stuffy to your plants , BOOM . disease and pests can jump over .
If anyone other than you and your prompt class will be visiting your garden , put them through a decontamination post first . Have a unornamented set of apparel and boots available , so they do n’t wear any of their own items in your distance .
Secondly , ban any domesticated brute from your garden other than your own . Those pathogens and worm wo n’t just tease human hosts . I know someone whose entire garden was obliterate by a red jot infestation after a neighbor ’s dog got into the enclosure .
Use Healthy Soil
This should go without saying , but there ’s no full point in last through all the fuss to sterilise planters , mess , and tools if you ’re going to re - contaminate them with bad soil . Ideally , in an ideal garden environment , you ’ll have a gorgeous big bucks of hefty , alimental - rich compost to suck from . If you do n’t already have an found compost system , however , then you may have to buynew soilfrom the local garden centre .
attempt to grease one’s palms the highest - quality ground you could afford . Then amend it as needed to suit the species you ’ll be growing . For example , carrot and other root vegetables call for to have a mountain of gardening Baroness Dudevant added to the soil .
Leafy park may require extra atomic number 7 , while heavy feeders like melon vine and squashes will need a portion of atomic number 15 - rich organic affair . Keep your soils salubrious by clearing come leave-taking and other detritus as often as potential .
Introduce natural predatory insects like lady beetle and lacewing fly to keep undesirable insects under control . Feed and water each species according to their needs , and strain not to over - water supply anything . If you retrieve the first signs of a ground - stomach pathogen appearing on your potted plant , then dissemble quickly . Dispose of those plants straight off by burning them , and do n’t lease any part of them into your compost heap .
Dig out and dispose of the contaminated soil , and care for that container with bleach immediately . to boot , be trusted to clean house and disinfect the expanse where that plantation owner was baby-sit , to prevent the pathogen from unfold . As long as you ’re diligent , you should be able to keep the rest of your plants safe . Remember that an oz. of prevention is worth a pounding of cure . The more elbow grease you put into keeping the surround uninfected , the less chance you ’ll have of losing your valued plant .
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