for jugging 300+ plants ......... not so much

Get a bigger microwave. :rolleyes:

Gas, a match, a/ a blower would do enough "nuking" of soil for 300 plants. :)

Johnny

my friend just pours hydrogen peroxide through the soil.
Pam

I just throw the seeds in the soil and put them in my back yard. people willingly do so much extra work...

I do it in the conventional oven at about 200-220 F . This is just germinating and pre transplanting, that require just a little mix. It is just like insurance policy that you might not get any benefit from it other than just assurance.

Before , I do it, I make sure that the stuff is fully dry.

seysonn,
That reminds me of an experience I had with some kids I had working for me back in the '70's.
They were into growing "magic mushrooms," and it was widely "known" that elephant dung was the best medium, so they'd follow circus elephants up Congress Avenue in Austin when the Ringling Bros. circus came to town and scoop up the manure into plastic bags. They'd take it home and put it on baking pans and sterilize it in the oven before scattering the spores on it and putting it under the house to germinate.
Their house stunk like an elephant pen in the hot sun....

Tom,
My mixture would have nothig in it to smell bad : It would consist of screened pine bark fine, some perlite some DE . So actually pine barks smells fine. Plus I keep the over head fan running.
Like I said before, this is like an insurance policy that you pay for it.

haha, one time I put some soil in the microwave. Didn't really think about the wood pieces in it, well, left it in a bit too long, wood caught fire, kitchen started filling with smoke, I realized, grabbed the container out of the microwave and took it outside and wet it down. The stain and smell left in the microwave was permanent. ;-( Never did get either out, finally just got rid of the microwave.
Pam

Yes. It's a good idea to sterilize used potting mix for seed starting. Especially for pepper seeds, which are very susceptible to damping off.

But... one wants to make sure that the soil doesn't get overcooked. Too high of temps will release toxins in the soil.

Kevin

I take the "Judo" approach and just re-use what I have without thinking to much into it. I could see the benefits of fresh starting material after a few seasons though, but when your talking volume, 10 bucks for a 3cu.ft. bag of new potting mix isn't that much and goes a long way when talking about seed starting cells. The time saved IMO is well worth the money. Just my two cents, have a good one everybody!
-Chuck

I've had problems with damping off even with brand new "sterilized" seed starting mix . . . I'm still a newbie . . . I will try watering with watered down Chamomile tea this coming spring and fresh seed starting mix. I don't think I'll be allowed to use the microwave or oven for "dirt" . . . lol. I've heard of it being done, though!
I'm doing a lot of winter sowing this year - first time!

I guess some may water with it, I don't. I make it up and put it in a spray bottle and spritz the plants once a day for a few weeks.
Pam

Sooooo...all ya'll are again using elephant dung fer potting mix?
Just think," magic Bhuts..." ;-)

I've always used fresh sterilized seed starting mix, Jiffy-Mix Organic Seed Starting Mix.

Dunno, 4 bucks seems cheap enough rather than all that rig-a-ma-row. YMMV

sterilize only to add those nuked properties BACK INTO at a later date.
Sounds just like Merika!!
Counter productive to the last vote
Yall get right after such ridiculous endeavors,the rest will keep planting in "DIRT" that contains all the evil nasty beneficial's yet still void of anal/OCD insecurities

Yes it is really just that simple,being retentive is a forced action

Glad you think that other people's problems, and their attempts to solve them, are ridiculous.

@ grubby_me:
I think we are just sharing our way of doing it and NOT really trying to solve anybody's problems by doing so.

@ NC,
I have used Jiffy's starter mix ; I DID NOT LIKE IT. as I recall it was mostly peat moss and some perlite. Maybe it had vermiculite too. When I make my own, it is not because of cost consideration but I am after better quality, NO caking like Jiffy's.

I switched to the Root Riot plugs and haven't looked back sterile, proper ph, no mixing, no dirt, no mess, no waste, easier transplant, and hold moisture without being wet. They have a 72 space tray that fits a standard base and dome then just pop them into either hydroponic or dirt to grow.
Simple seems to work best for me a lot of people try to think it to death or look for a magic bullet put the seed in the soil of your choice keep it warm and moist good seeds start bad seed wont

Elephant dung story:

Years ago the National Zoo here in DC sold "Zoo Doo Animals" They were cured, dried elephant dung molded into animal shapes - rabbits,squirrles etc. You put them in your garden and as it rained and they degraded they fertilized.

Perfect gift for the parents that have everything.

I got tied up with work so sent my then husband to purchase without enough information. Most of the zoo was closed because it was just before Christmas, but he finally found a maintenance man to help him. I told him to just leave them in the trunk of the car, we would deal with them later.

Turns out he asked for "elephant poop" not "Zoo Doo Animals" and got just that. I had a 10 pound bag of manure in my trunk just when we got a weird late December 75 degree heat wave. It took a week before I figured it out. The car was never the same.

Ummmm... I don't think a week @ 75 degrees would be quite enough to properly sterilize your compost unless you had a good mix of browns and greens going to really get things cooking.

On the other hand, a quick spin around the block makes turning the pile a breeze!. ;-)

No, all it did was stink up the car. was awful until we sold it.

OK. How about solarizing ? Anybody has tried it ?

Put your starter mix in a clear plastic bag and give it a nice sun bathe. I might try it myself.

Just a thought, You can buy alot of dirt for the price of a microwave... in general, over thinking the small stuff creates more problems than it solves most of the time... for example, your dirt might be sterile, but cause you put dirt in the microwave. you won't be getting it. you will end up with carpal tunnel and go blind and have to pay an eye doctor when you should have just bought dirt to begin with

If you guys think nuking dirt is over thinking things, you should read the full article (link below).

And for the record, I will not be putting dirt in any of my kitchen appliances.

As far as putting it in bags and placing in the sun to cook, that is pretty much the way potting and seedling mixes are sold around here, so if it works, it already has. ;-)

Alynne, I'm sure that was a real bummer having to put up with that smell until finally getting rid of the car, but I can't help but laugh since it reminds me of a Sinefeld episode where he had similar odor issues with his Mercedes. :-)

Here is a link that might be useful: Sterilizing Dirt

Good info thanks everyone. Been thinking about this lately. Have an early seedling going and already have some aphids.. Wondering if sterilizing my starting soil would help. I think its just that the cat brought them in. The seedling sits on his favorite windowsill and I frequently find his hair on it.

The solarizing comments reminded me of a technique I saw on some tv show that I used on my tomato beds this year and it worked pretty damn good. Turn the soil in the fall. Covered it with clear plastic late winter and let the sun bake it until it is time to plant. Fewest weeds I've ever had.

The theory is that the the plastic traps in heat and moisture, causing seeds to sprout early. Then they die due to the harsh environment (damp off or whatever). Then comes the actual planting temps ,remove the plastic plant and your beds are nearly weed seed free..... Till the new ones float in.

dj

NEW FINDING!!!

Have you thought about wetting your starter mix with peroxide ? HMMM !!

It kills the germs ( As mouth rinse !!, on wounds) .. and I have read it is harmless even on the seedlings.
I will give it a shot,for sure. Sounds reasonably logical and practical and CHEAP.

Seysonn

Seysonn,

I realize there are no pictures, but Pam suggested peroxide about 10 post ago