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foolishpleasure

Should I sterilize the soil

foolishpleasure
12 years ago

Some of my Cutting rooted enough to be potted and has several leaves. I usually use potting soil at 50% perlite 25% Humus and 25% farm garden soil. I wash the pots in Clorox and kitchen soap. The question is should I sterilize the soil too. I have in the oven at 200 degrees for 30 minutes or in the Microwave for 20 minutes and with thermometer I make sure the mix temperature reaches 200. I sterilize the potting mix for my seedlings to kill the Fungus and any insect eggs. I am not sure about the cutting what don you think?

Abe

Comments (9)

  • wabikeguy
    12 years ago

    I think that putting your cutting in the oven for 20 minutes at 200 degrees is not a good idea Abe.

  • lee_in_iowa
    12 years ago

    Don't cook the cutting. Also, sterilizing the humus, compost, & soil is not that good an idea either. You're killing all your helpful microbes too, which the plants need to get roots.Possibly try mycorrhizoid powder (adding a helpful microbe esp for roots).

  • foolishpleasure
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I do not put the cuttings in the oven only the soil mix. I know the soil mix has harmful and beneficial microbes. But without sterilizing the potting mix the seedlings die with damping. May be the cutting are different.

  • wabikeguy
    12 years ago

    For what it's worth...(probably not much)...my cuttings proceedure this year went like this:

    1. Stick a 10" cutting in a 1 gallon pot filled with a mostly (aged) compost mix. Leave 2 or three inches above the soil line.

    2. Water.

    3. Place clear plastic cup upside down over cutting.

    4. Remove and spray inside of cup with water every day or two.

    5. Water the pot every week or so.

    No baggie, no sterilization...no nothing. I only did three cuttings this year, and all of them are now healthy little fig trees. I think we can sometimes get overly caught up in the details.

  • jolj
    12 years ago

    lee in iowa, can you give me a link to the microbes that help with rooting or young roots?
    I have 3 books on propagation of plants & 2 book on fruit trees that cover propagation & have not found anything on microbes being helpful. The writer ether does not say anything about them or says that living soil(fungus) is bad for rooting.

  • rafed
    12 years ago

    Foolishleasure,

    I think you will be fighting a never ending battle.

    For one, Like Lee in Iowa said, You are killing all the good microbes.

    And two, What do you do after the fact? The will come right back into the soil in no time.

    Just have to trust nature to do its' job.

    Good luck,
    Rafed

  • foolishpleasure
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I raise a lot of young plants from seeds. Tomatoes, Cucumber, Squash, Egg Plant, Peppers, Cantaloupe and some escaped my memory now. Also I raise all kinds of flowers from seed. I have a huge basement turned into a greenhouse with lights hanging from the ceiling and heat mats all over. I had problems with Damping where the Fungus kills the young plants at the soil level. I searched for solution and found out two 1- Sterilize the potting soil 2- Used soil drencher such as captan. It worked very good. You may say why are you raising 100s of plants. I have a big vegetable Garden. Also I have three sons I got them and their wives into Gardening. I have a neighbor who asked me from where I buy my tomato plants. I told her don't buy any thing I will give all you want from tomatoes and other vegetable plants.
    When it comes to Figs I am a nut and I was worried about my cuttings. I will leave them normal and see. Now I have 20 Fig trees all bought and if my cuttings work out I will be adding another 8. I never saw a Fig tree I did not fall in love with.

  • wabikeguy
    12 years ago

    I'm right there with you on that fig tree thing. I have 15 in ground and another 3 or 4 in pots. I gave a few potted trees away this month and was kinda sad to see them go. I have way more than we need...and water ain't cheap here in the desert.

    Still....what's not to love about fig trees.

  • rafed
    12 years ago

    foolishpleasure,

    Keep up the good work. Looks like we need to take notes from you rather than you asking here.

    Rafed

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