Sterilising Soil

[Bren]

How do the foram members sterilise the soil on their allotments? , My late husband used armillatox and recently I came across a piece I cut out years ago from the Garden News written by Bernard Ostler and he used armillatox but that is banned now, I had club root on some caulies and wallflowers this year so would like something to clean the soil.
Thanks for any help.
Bren

[Beryl]

I don't think there is anything now Bren. Even Jeyes is not supposed to be used as a soil drench. I can only suggest you raise strong healthy plants as big as you can begore planting out.

Unless anyone else knows different of course.

Beryl.

[glallotments]

In short - we don't. We have a club-root issue in our soil too but this year have had good results using club root resistant varieties of brassicas. I doubt there is a club root wallflower though.

[Nature's Babe]

There are many beneficial bacteria and fungi in soil in fact healthy soil is teeming with them and it helps keep the plants healthy, so it's probably best to go with some resistent varieties, and plant in a new area rather than kill off all bugs including beneficials.

[solway cropper]

I can see some sense in sterilizing the soil in greenhouse borders but not in a garden or allotment. As NB says, there are many helpful organisms in the soil which would be killed by sterilization.

I'd go so far as to say that the thought of sterilizing soil horrifies me. My garden is a living thing, my soil is teeming with life and it gives me superb crops. Looking after the soil should be the prime consideration of any grower. I feed mine and it feeds me and I rather like that relationship!!

[Nature's Babe]

Well said Solway, I feed the soil too and there is no need to feed the plants.

[Kleftiwallah]

It is possible to steralize soil in the microwave. Best wait until 'er indoors is visiting 'er mother ! ! ! Cheers, Tony.

[freddy]

Some very good posts there, imo. I guess sometimes one has to accept that sometimes we can't grow all that we'd like. I used to have a small plot that I intended to gow bulk crops, like potatoes and onions. Unfortunately, the ground had white rot present, so no more onions Definately worth trying club root resistant varieties though

Cheers...Freddy.

[Kleftiwallah]

If you are thinkling about growing brassicas and are aware you may have club root in the ground, grow on your young plants for much longer in good compost before planting out.

I've got the whote rot too, boo hoo. But how, that what gets me. Cheers, Tony.

[Bren]

Thanks for all your replies, Beryl I do grow my plants in the greenhouse to a good size before planting out, the cabbage's and sprouts wereOK,

Nature's Babe thanks for reminding me not to kill the goodies in the soil.

Kleftiwallah sterilising in the microwave not a good idea for me,to start off I travel to the allotment by 2 buses and then a ten minute walk from the bus stop to my shed door and to finish off I had a senior moment a couple of weeks ago and put a metal skewer in the microwave so thats out of action.
Bren

[Monika]

I can't remember where I read recently (perhaps it was even on this forum??) that a good way to sterilise soil for potting up etc is to buy large roasting bags, say, suitable for a turkey, fill it with the soil to be sterilised and than keep it in the oven on a a low heat for an hour. Seemed a good idea to me because it won't muck up any containers and can be used again.

[Johnboy]

I very much agree with the sentiment expressed by Solway Cropper and the saying 'If you look after the soil the soil will look after you' is very true.
However there are times when sterilizing is a necessary evil but that is mainly contained within commercial horticulture where plants for sale must be of the very best quality and not able to pass on anything unwanted to an unsuspecting customer. As for the average gardener or allotmenteer, apart from making your own seeding compound incorporating local soil, I really do not think that mass sterilization is necessary.
Making your own seeding compound requires the removal of weed seeds or any other unwanted seeds that may be contained in the soil you intend to use.
Here we used to have a fire lit under a steel sheet and pass a shallow depth of well sifted soil over the steel sheet and although that was not full sterilization it was sufficient to kill off almost all of the unwanted seeds. Since my own seeding compost is now made from Comfrey and Pulverized straw the steel sheet is rusting away in the barn.
JB.

[SharonL]

I remember years ago my grandfather used to sterilize the soil in his greenhouse by baking it in the oven. My gran used to go mad!

[PLUMPUDDING]

You really want healthy soil so the plants get all the nutrients they need and are strong enough to fight off any nasties as has already been said, but my Dad always used to scatter some lime over the cleared beds "to sweeten the soil". We are on slightly acid, so I suppose that is what he meant.

He didn't add more to the potato beds, but always added plenty again in spring to the brassica beds to prevent club root and seemed to get good results.