Bleach solution poured into containers to kill spores?

[b54red]

Originally Posted by ScottinAtlanta

Yes. I have about 120 containers, and I replace the potting mix every three years. I am now into year 2 with this mix.



I can't empty and clean the containers empty - there is probably 6,000 pounds of mix in those 120 containers.

Since I am a proponent of using the bleach solution to solve some problems I will tell you from my own experience that using it to sterilize the soil is not super effective in the long run. As some one mentioned you will get a buildup of salt from the reaction of the bleach with the soil and it will kill all the organic bacteria in the mix if you use enough of it. I did try using it for sterilizing spots in my garden where fusarium wilt was rampant but it only gave me six weeks or so of protection before it returned to that sterilized spot and it took a lot of solution to do the job. I did find it worked pretty good to sterilize a planting hole where a plant was killed by Bacterial Wilt.

What soil problem are you trying to remedy?

Bill

[ScottinAtlanta]

Mostly Septoria and Early Blight.

[b54red]

Originally Posted by ScottinAtlanta

Mostly Septoria and Early Blight.

I would think that the way to help with that is before you empty your containers. I sometimes spray the mulch on the bed with a 10% bleach solution a week before planting and if I have a lot of disease during a season I will sometimes spray the surface before doing anything to the bed for fall planting.

I spray with Daconil early in the season for Early Blight as a preventative and switch to a copper spray for any spot or speck diseases. As the season progresses I use the copper more as EB is not as much of a problem once the spring rains are less frequent but I still alternate between the two to help prevent a late surge of EB. I will use the a more diluted bleach spray if I see any gray mold or even Septoria showing up or if rains are too frequent.

Bill