New Grower reusing soil and pathogens

[CannadaJ]

Hello all,

I was drawn to recycling my soil using dry amendments (Gaia Green). Recently suspecting some damping off - and learning about the pathogens that can cause this - what are people that reuse soil doing to deal with this in the case of a damping off situation?

Everything I read about preventing damping off disease talks about not reusing soil.

Julien

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

Hello all,

I was drawn to recycling my soil using dry amendments (Gaia Green). Recently suspecting some damping off - and learning about the pathogens that can cause this - what are people that reuse soil doing to deal with this in the case of a damping off situation?

Everything I read about preventing damping off disease talks about not reusing soil.

Julien

Damping off is caused by many different fungi/microbes in soil that is too wet. Those conditions can grow a lot of anaerobic microbes. I recommend pasteurizing the soil by getting it up to 160°F for at least 30 minutes. It is a good practice to amend the used soil and then compost it, getting it up to temp for a couple of weeks. These are really handy for that job.

The other thing you can do is out-populate the bad guys with good guys by using Botinicare HydroGuard. This will work if composting is not possible.

 

[Shugrows]

i had the same problem with reusing soil. Went got fresh stuff had no problem I did reuse it twice. The first round was good the second was about a lose of 7 seeds and a few weeks of growing after all said and done.

 

[FullMoonparty]

Damping off is caused by many different fungi/microbes in soil that is too wet. Those conditions can grow a lot of anaerobic microbes. I recommend pasteurizing the soil by getting it up to 160°F for at least 30 minutes. It is a good practice to amend the used soil and then compost it, getting it up to temp for a couple of weeks. These are really handy for that job.

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The other thing you can do is out-populate the bad guys with good guys by using Botinicare HydroGuard. This will work if composting is not possible.

Do you think that dry ice would do the same thing. I had some left-over dry ice pellets. I put them in a large tub with soil from a past grow. - 110 F should kill everything. It's cheap and fun to play with. I'm not allowed to put "Dirt in my oven!!"

 

[Mañ'O'Green]

Do you think that dry ice would do the same thing. I had some left-over dry ice pellets. I put them in a large tub with soil from a past grow. - 110 F should kill everything. It's cheap and fun to play with. I'm not allowed to put "Dirt in my oven!!"

@FullMoonparty I do not know what microbes can survive -110°F in soil? When pasteurizing at 160°F this temperature will kill most if not all Harmful Pathogens and leave a lot of the beneficial microbes alive. Composting with some new green and carbon inputs with the recycled soil will restore the microbe colony.

Let us know how it goes?

 

[N/A-Greengo]

I sometimes flush seemingly contaminated soil with Seltzer to reboot it.

 

[FullMoonparty]

I sometimes flush seemingly contaminated soil with Seltzer to reboot it.

I did an experiment germinating seeds (beans and sunflowers) with different brands of bottled water. Distilled, very low PH all the way up to 9.5. Surprisingly the PH didn't matter much. Sparkling mineral water also worked just as well as anything else. I did conclude that my well water and my soil mix was no good at all for germinating anything.
Before you waste 10 dollar a piece seeds, you can try this experiment with cheap and fast germinating veggie or flower seed. Tip of the day.

 

[HAWKMAN]

there are "mixes" that one adds to used soil - believe that Build-a-Soil offer this. After running autos in a five gallon and seeing all the extra soil- not used (so-to-say) think I will use 3 gallon pot again ---thoughts on container use --5 gallon or 3 gallon

 

[FullMoonparty]

there are "mixes" that one adds to used soil - believe that Build-a-Soil offer this. After running autos in a five gallon and seeing all the extra soil- not used (so-to-say) think I will use 3 gallon pot again ---thoughts on container use --5 gallon or 3 gallon

I think it's Craft blend. Pot size depends on the cultivar and how much room you have. The smaller the pot the harder it will be to water correctly especially for a beginner. 3 gallon pots work fine in a 4x4 tent. I got the hang of the autopots and went back to using them. I experimented with different soil mixes and found that "hanging basket mix" and some extra perlite works great. No nutes in the water. Just plain rain.
I'm learning about water consumption throughout the plants life cycle just by using Autopots. To my surprise, by week four the plants started sucking down way more water than I ever gave them. I have been both over watering seedlings and under watering flowering plants. They are drinking about 12 gallons of water a week. Way more than I ever gave them.

My problem was that I thought I was a soil scientist and bottony expert. Turns out, I know nothing. Read all the sticky threads on this site and the grow guides. Ask for help. I saved so many years of trial and error by swallowing my pride.

 

[N/A-Greengo]

I did an experiment germinating seeds (beans and sunflowers) with different brands of bottled water. Distilled, very low PH all the way up to 9.5. Surprisingly the PH didn't matter much. Sparkling mineral water also worked just as well as anything else. I did conclude that my well water and my soil mix was no good at all for germinating anything.
Before you waste 10 dollar a piece seeds, you can try this experiment with cheap and fast germinating veggie or flower seed. Tip of the day.

Cool idea my friend. But I wasn't suggesting germing seeds in Seltzer/Carbonated Water. Flushing used soil with Carbonated Water will kill the Pathogens in it. After flushing with it, one should follow up flush with ordinary water a day or so later. The soil will then be ready for a reintroduction to Mycorrhizae, and Microbes.