Sanitizing Container Soil

[EFGrows]

I have a small "container garden" for growing veggies....Many grew well last year to start but weather and pest issues limited decent production/harvests....And then the winter frosts killed off most of the sensitive plants, as to be expected...

Now that it's time to get ready for a new growing season I'm wondering if I should "sanitize" the soil in each empty container with a Hydrogen Peroxide solution before planting...I would be adding "refreshing amendments" to the soil in the containers before sanitizing....My goal would be to kill off any bad fungus/bacteria/disease in the soil before planting the new crop....Thoughts?

 

[Oliver Buckle]

My brother in law described a system they used at a nursery he worked at, they insulated a box, filled it with soil and fed in steam from a wallpaper stripper. Simple, no chemicals other than water. I have cleared a grease blocked drain with one, they heat an enclosed space remarkably quickly.

 

[Meadowlark]

....My goal would be to kill off any bad fungus/bacteria/disease in the soil before planting the new crop....Thoughts?

Welcome @EFGrows!

Hydrogen peroxide will kill all bacteria in the soil – the good and the bad. Personally, I prefer to take my chances using sound gardening practices and let Nature work its magic.

That would start with using a good nutrient rich soil with ample organic matter in the containers.

 

[redback]

I have a small "container garden" for growing veggies..

I don't reuse the soil from pot plants. I toss the old soil on the compost or into the worm farm. I can buy 25-liter bags of excellent potting soil for $5 when it's on special. I keep three or four bags in stock. I don't know how small your container garden is but if new soil is only $20 it's not a lot compared to a failed crop. Buy a compost bin and put the soil, weeds and kitchen waste in there until its well-rotted and then use the compost instead of buying new soil. It's an ongoing problem so you need a permanent solution.

 

[EFGrows]

Hydrogen peroxide will kill all bacteria in the soil – the good and the

Yes, I know the peroxide will kill all of the bacteria, good and bad....But that's where I'm torn....If I sanitize the container soil and the veggies end up having issues with fungus/disease, as least I "tried".....If I don't do it and they end up having issues with fungus/disease I will end up kicking myself and saying I should have sanitized the soil....

From what I've read/watched on the internet, many say the "soil biology" isn't very important in container gardening....

 

[oneeye]

I'm unsure if you mean to keep the soil in the pots or remove the soil, add amendments, and then re-use it. I wouldn't reuse soil in a pot from last year without composting the soil mix first. I know a lot of growers that re-use their potting soil by recycling new amendments into the mix and letting it cook for 60 to 90 days before using it again.

I hear people talking all the time about Hydrogen Peroxide solutions and it's mostly a bunch of bull crap that isn't true. When UV radiation from sunlight interacts with water molecules, hydrogen peroxide can be produced naturally. So just put some wet soil in the Sun for a while you will get the same result without all the bull-crap. Keep us posted in your garden and thanks for the post.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

If you sanitise everything and end up with a fungal disease it may well be because you sanitised everything, the good bacteria help protect the plants, and plants need to develop immunity in a living environment. Not that you really can sanitise everything, As the doctor pointed out to me when my leg was operated on you are surrounded by millions of bacteria and fungal spores even in a carefully cleaned treatment room and aseptic dressings no longer are the second you break the seal, but if you wash it regularly it will heal. Personally I tap pots to get the excess out, but don't bother cleaning them, never had disease issues yet
And I would agree with Redback, start with new soil, amendments never replace everything.

 

[Meadowlark]

I don't reuse the soil from pot plants. I toss the old soil on the compost or into the worm farm. I can buy 25-liter bags of excellent potting soil for $5 when it's on special.

I use a different system that works for me and is part of the overall closed system of gardening I employ.

Instead of continuously buying and bringing in potting soil, I treat my containers like my garden and replenish the soil in situ in containers. I apply the same proven techniques I use in my garden to provide "No N, P, K required" soil in the containers. I have about 25 large HK containers that are constantly in rotation going from replenishment to production.

This approach offers a cost advantage as well as providing a known commodity unlike commercially purchased products.

For a demonstration of the technique including soil test results, see the thread:

Small scale demonstration of biodynamic farming, soil replenishment, cover cropping, crop rotation, permaculture, polyculture, and organic gardening

BACKGROUND The common response when I present the techniques I use for gardening is that the techniques will not scale down to small applications. In this thread I will attempt to demonstrate that this premise is incorrect, that in fact the techniques do scale down to as small as ONE single...

www.gardening-forums.com

I might add I've never used hydrogen peroxide, never had fungal problems, never used synthetic fertilizers, and never used pesticides/any cides in these containers....works for me!

 

[Meadowlark]

Yes, I know the peroxide will kill all of the bacteria, good and bad....But

From what I've read/watched on the internet, many say the "soil biology" isn't very important in container gardening....

So, soil biology is not important in container gardening? It's hard for me to understand why it would be important in the garden but not important in a container. Intuitively, to me it would be more important in a container not less.

Have these folks who make that claim actually tested it to find out? I'd love to see the data.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

So, soil biology is not important in container gardening? It's hard for me to understand why it would be important in the garden but not important in a container. Intuitively, to me it would be more important in a container not less.

Have these folks who make that claim actually tested it to find out? I'd love to see the data.

I also doubted that when I read it, I assumed that these are people using artificial fertiliser in artificial conditions, but I am pretty damn sure it will never be as good as the organic 'Real thing' the plant evolved on. Possibly not so easy if you are using hydroponics, or a small container garden on a balcony, but I reckon it would be well worth the effort.

 

[Meadowlark]

I also doubted that when I read it, I assumed that these are people using artificial fertiliser in artificial conditions, but I am pretty damn sure it will never be as good as the organic 'Real thing' the plant evolved on. ...

Probably right.

 

[EFGrows]

So, soil biology is not important in container gardening?

That's what I've read/seen many say....That's one of the big issues I'm dealing with is that when it comes to gardening, there's so much that makes it confusing....Nobody seems to be on the same page...For everyone that recommends some "vinegar" in the watering, there are those that say "vinegar" is useless or causes harm to the plant....Same thing with Epsom Salt(Magnesium Sulfate)....And then there's the "symptoms" of issues that duplicated themselves....Not enough XXX(chose your element here) manifests itself on the plant's leaves and looks just like TOO MUCH (fill in same element here) manifestations on those same leaves....Not enough watering is bad....Too much watering is bad and can cause disease(root rot, etc)....I could go on and on.....

 

[redback]

That's one of the big issues I'm dealing with is that when it comes to gardening, there's so much that makes it confusing....Nobody seems to be on the same page

KISS = Keep It Simple Stupid.
It's a sporting coach's saying. It's meant to humble anyone who raves on incomprehensively. Apart from anything else everything changes with time - so the complex analysis just presented has now changed again - and remains a riddle.

Just buy the appropriate potting mix for the plants you are about to sow. There are general mixes and specialized ones for -succulents, acid loving, fast drainage, water retentive and native mixes.
If you're growing vegetables buy a rich compost.
Most things are complex - car mechanics, cooking, sailing a yacht etc. You have to be patient if you wish to master gardening.

 

[Meadowlark]

....I could go on and on.....

When confronted with those conflicting claims, I like to determine my own solution as to what works best for me in my situation.

I have found over decades of doing this thing called gardening that is about the only way I can survive and thrive despite all the conflicting advice and so called "information".

For example, Epsom salts. Very simple to answer that one. Grow tomatoes with Epsom salts and without Epsom salts and compare the results. The conflict is answered. In my case, overwhelmingly favors the application of Epsom Salts.

When the latest rage gardening technique comes along such as the "No Dig" rage, try it side by side in your garden with and without. I find 3 to 1 reduction in production using "No Dig".

In your example, set up a container(s) using hydrogen peroxide and one(s) without with identical soil and plants and compare the results. You have your answer.

On this thread some recommend buying new potting mix regularly to replace soil in your containers. I use my garden soil and/or replenish the container soil in situ. Try both and compare results. I've done it several times with consistent results.

By finding what works for you, the variables of climate and soil are pretty much eliminated. The added increase in your gardening skills is invaluable.

...or you could just ask the internet

 

[Oliver Buckle]

determine my own solution as to what works best for me in my situation.

Part of the reason answers vary, situations vary. The climate in the middle of a continent is quite different from that of an island for example, at exactly the same latitude, soil can be acid or alkaline. sand or clay, or even loam, most gardens slope at least a bit, North, South, East, or West and all stations in between. It all adds up so your garden may not even be like the guy next doors'. So I would put it as, listen to the advice, and if it sounds applicable give it a try, but do what Meadowlark suggests and compare some and some, because there may be some other factor in play, such as it being a very good or bad year for that crop. The other thing is that if one thing works and the other doesn't if you have done half and half at least you will have half of them right.
There are few hard and fast rules when there are so many variable, and those there are are fairly obvious, like water in a drought. (Unless you are into cacti, always an exception)