Bleaching to kill bad soil organisms?

desertlzbn · January 23, 2012

I am worried that I have some "bad" potting soil. I think that the plants that I had in it last year was
diseased. So I was wondering if I soaked the soil with bleach water if that would work to sterilize the soil?

Worth1 · January 23, 2012

It should kill everything including good organisms.

Then how would you get the bleach out.
I guess with plane water then how would you get good organisms back in.

It looks like you would have sterile soil.

Worth

desertlzbn · January 23, 2012

I was thinking to put some mycro and actvionate back into it.

Worth1 · January 23, 2012

Might be worth a try, cant hurt.

I have been known to spray Lysol on stem galls after I trim them off.

Worth

**carolyn137** · January 23, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertlzbn

I am worried that I have some "bad" potting soil. I think that the plants that I had in it last year was
diseased. So I was wondering if I soaked the soil with bleach water if that would work to sterilize the soil?

Diseased in what way? Are you referring to damping off where the newly germinated seedlings develop a brown constricted area at the soil line and fall over dead, or something else?

Need to know what was wrong with the seedlings, I think, before suggesting any possible remedies other than buying new artificial mix for starting seedlings. What have you been using to start seeds?

I ask b'c if the potting soil you refer to is not an artificial mix that has no real dirt in it, and your potting soil DOES have real dirt in it, then I can see where they might well be a problem.

amideutch · January 23, 2012

I agree with Carolyn as to what type of disease did your plants have and when in the growth cycle did they contract the disease. That should tell us whether it was soil borne or airborne. Are you growing in containers or in soil? Ami

b54red · January 23, 2012

Use a mix of 6 to 8 ounces of regular strength bleach added to a gallon of water and soak the soil. The bleach will oxidize fairly quickly and once it dries out enough there should be little or no residue. Make sure to give it a enough time before adding the beneficial bacteria.

I used this last year to treat the spots where I was planting my fall tomatoes in soil infected heavily with fusarium and it increased my success greatly. I have a serious fusarium problem and this has been the most effective thing I have found. I only treat a spot about a foot wide where the plant will be placed. Eventually the fusarium from the surrounding soil will infect the expanding roots but it gives me a the very least a few extra weeks of healthy growth before the plant is affected by fusarium.

January 23, 2012	#1
desertlzbn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Tucson Posts: 659	Bleaching to kill bad soil organisms? I am worried that I have some "bad" potting soil. I think that the plants that I had in it last year was diseased. So I was wondering if I soaked the soil with bleach water if that would work to sterilize the soil?

January 23, 2012	#6
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	I agree with Carolyn as to what type of disease did your plants have and when in the growth cycle did they contract the disease. That should tell us whether it was soil borne or airborne. Are you growing in containers or in soil? Ami __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'

January 23, 2012	#2
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	It should kill everything including good organisms. Then how would you get the bleach out. I guess with plane water then how would you get good organisms back in. It looks like you would have sterile soil. Worth

January 23, 2012	#7
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	Use a mix of 6 to 8 ounces of regular strength bleach added to a gallon of water and soak the soil. The bleach will oxidize fairly quickly and once it dries out enough there should be little or no residue. Make sure to give it a enough time before adding the beneficial bacteria. I used this last year to treat the spots where I was planting my fall tomatoes in soil infected heavily with fusarium and it increased my success greatly. I have a serious fusarium problem and this has been the most effective thing I have found. I only treat a spot about a foot wide where the plant will be placed. Eventually the fusarium from the surrounding soil will infect the expanding roots but it gives me a the very least a few extra weeks of healthy growth before the plant is affected by fusarium.