Most of us have been discouraged at one time or another because a favorite house plant died or did not look its best. Perhaps the use of unsterilized soil was to blame.
Proper soil treatment, either by heat or chemicals, can destroy all kinds of soil-borne pests: fungi, nematodes, bacteria, insects and weed seeds.
Canning Supplies
Many common ailments of house plants can be traced to using soil or pots contaminated with pests which rot, chew and suck away the roots, crown or bulb. This prevents water and nutrients from reaching the leaves and flowers. Such plants may appear unhealthy or may wilt, wither away and die. The same soil-borne pests may rot seeds or cuttings, or cause young seedlings to suddenly wilt and topple over (called damping-off).
Soil treatment can be regarded as cheap insurance that your house plants have a fair chance to grow, look their best, and bloom.
The easiest and most effective way to disinfect your soil and pots is by heating. Heat treatment at the right temperature and for the correct length of time destroys all five major kinds of pests, and leaves no long-lasting toxic residues in the soil, as some chemical treatments occasionally do. But be careful to avoid overheating, particularly with steam or dry heat. Otherwise the physical structure of the soil may be broken down and excess soluble salts may be released, resulting in harmful side effects.
Heat Sterilization
To heat your soil properly, follow these steps:
1. Prepare the soil as for planting. Add the sand, peat moss or other materials you wish in the final potting mixture. The soil should be loose, free of coarse debris and lumps, and just moist enough for planting. Don't have it so wet that it sticks together when squeezed in your hand.
To be sure (the first time) you have done a thorough job of sterilizing, scatter in a handful of oat or ryegrass seed while mixing the soil. If seedlings pop up after sterilization, while the soil is airing, you know that you slipped up somewhere. Incompletely sterilized soil is frequently more hazardous to use than non-sterilized soil. Harmful microorganisms have less competition and hence grow quickly throughout the soil and attack plants.
2. Spread the soil from one to three inches deep in a cooking pan or wooden flat and bake in a 200 degree oven for one hour. Clay pots, wooden containers and pot labels can be placed on top. They should be sterilized, too. Plastic pots are easily sterilized by washing in hot, soapy water. The soil can also be put directly in the pots and baked in the oven as above.
A home canning-type pressure cooker can also be used or the soil can be put on a rack above boiling water in a large, covered wash boiler or kettle. If a pressure cooker is used set the valve at ten pounds pressure. For three-inch pots of soil heat for ten minutes; four-inch. 15 minutes; six-inch, 30 minutes. If using the boiling water method without steam pressure double the time intervals.
3. After heat sterilization stir the soil' thoroughly and water it for several days before planting. Be careful not to recontaminate the soil with microscopic pests by avoiding dirty surfaces or utensils and diseased plant material.
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Graniteware 0717-4 5-Piece Home Canning Tool Set Feature
- Home canning tool set provides 5 essential tools with stay-cool handles
- Jar lifter and magnetic lid lifter for removing jars and lids from boiling water
- Canning funnel directs ingredients into the jar quickly and cleanly
- Heat-resistant handles; jar-lid wrench effortlessly removes sticky lids
- Measures approximately 3-1/5 by 10-1/2 by 1-2/5 inches
Graniteware 0717-4 5-Piece Home Canning Tool Set Overview
Canning is an economical and nutritional way to preserve fresh quality grown fruits and vegetables at home without added preservatives or pesticides. This accessory set includes everything you need to get the job done when used with waterbath canner and canning jars. The set consists of a funnel with an easy fit design for regular and wide-mouth jars; tongs with coated handles for lifting foods when canning or cooking; magnetic jar lifter for safely keeping fingers from touching hot water when placing lids on jars; a jar lifter for removing hot jars with one hand. The ends are coated for better grip on jars. The jar wrench easily opens screw on jar caps.SAVE NOW on the special offers below!
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