Kitchen Garden Forum

Hi all,
Over Christmas I have been watching a lot of cable TV as the weather was poor and there is nothing else on,anyway I watched progam on canal boats and they were forming the wooden rubbing strip to the bow of the boat with a steam contraption which was making the wood bend, This contraption was made up of a gas ring and a presure cooker, which had been modified to take a vavle in it's side so that the steam could escape to an attached pipe.
So I thought that would be ideal for steaming my compost, Does anyone have any idea how this contraption was made or is it best left well alone as it is far too dangerous and I am nuts to thing off it in the first place (do not all answer at once)


Kevin

Many years ago I worked on summer in a flower nursery.
They had ex Royal Navy (they said) boilers and one on the jobs prior to planting out each strip in the glasshouses was to sterilise it.
The bed was roghly forked after the previous crop had been cleared, a plastic sheet was laid down the bed, dug in along the sides and a wood and metal frame used to raise one end a foot or so.
A damm great hose was then led from the boiler house and the steel pipe on the end mounted in the frame under the plastic, which was then closed up.
I a mere student worker was not allowed near any of this, but I sem to remember it being on for twenty-four hours or so.
Still remember the strangely evocative smell when the plastic was taken off & we were allowe it to plant out the small chrysanth's.

The forks were something else by the way with tines needle sharp and about 2/3rds the length as bought, purely by continual use.

how about a wallpaper stripper, they are basically an electric kettle with a tube on the spout.

Hi Richard,
Give that man a Cigar, Wallpaper stripper what a belting idea,now I will have to find out if my generator has enough power output to run it.
You now what Richard I am really pleased with your suggestion this has got to be the best risk-free option available to me


Thank you

Kevin

If you can satisfy the criterion of 160deg.F. for 5 minutes all through the specimen, not so hot as to burn the soil, followed by rapid cooling then that should do it. I still have my Camplex electric steriliser, obtainable from, among others, 2 Wests and Ferndale lodge. Unfortunately my present soil is totally unsuitable. Economically it is probably cheaper to buy in sacks of (peat-free) multipurpose compost which doesn't contain any nasties. For small quantities maybe a dedicated microwave oven might be worth considering.