Sterizing soil in my container

crystals1943 · March 8, 2014

My zone is 7b (near Charlotte NC). I will be planting out the first week of May. Today (Mar 8), can I use a bleach solution (9:1) directly on my mix in the container and not have any problems?

Thanks

Doug9345 · March 8, 2014

The one time I accidentally doused a pot of coleus with a bleach solution I killed them. I wouldn't use bleach as I think it will leave too much residue behind. It's apt to be to much sodium if nothing else and it has a very high pH.

For a outside container, what concerns you that you want to kill off?

Cole_Robbie · March 8, 2014

Sterilizing kills the good with the bad. I don't think it should be necessary if you are using any commercially-produced grow mix.

RootLoops · March 9, 2014

i've had to pasteurize miracle grow organic choice and mositure control before because it was crawling with bugs but i only had that problem once.

Doug9345 · March 9, 2014

When you say crawling with bugs, what kind. Good ones, bad one or Annoying ones.

RootLoops · March 9, 2014

under my pocket microscope they looked like a spider mite or something similar, i wasn't able to find out exactly but i didn't want to risk an infestation

March 8, 2014	#1
crystals1943 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Zone 7b - SC Posts: 8	Sterizing soil in my container My zone is 7b (near Charlotte NC). I will be planting out the first week of May. Today (Mar 8), can I use a bleach solution (9:1) directly on my mix in the container and not have any problems? Thanks

March 8, 2014	#2
Doug9345 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Durhamville,NY Posts: 2,706	The one time I accidentally doused a pot of coleus with a bleach solution I killed them. I wouldn't use bleach as I think it will leave too much residue behind. It's apt to be to much sodium if nothing else and it has a very high pH. For a outside container, what concerns you that you want to kill off?

March 8, 2014	#3
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	Sterilizing kills the good with the bad. I don't think it should be necessary if you are using any commercially-produced grow mix.

March 9, 2014	#4
RootLoops Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: rienzi, ms Posts: 470	i've had to pasteurize miracle grow organic choice and mositure control before because it was crawling with bugs but i only had that problem once.