How to disinfect the ground before planting seedlings

When planting seedlings, we hope for strong, healthy sprouts that will perfectly take root when transplanted into the ground and then give a good harvest. And to get good seedlings, we need not only quality seeds, but also nutritious healthy soil. In this article, we will talk about how to disinfect the ground.

Why do you need to disinfect the soil?

Have you ever thought about the fact that a tablespoon of earth contains a huge amount of microorganisms? It is almost twice the total population on our planet. And not all of these microorganisms will be friendly towards your seedlings.

Among others, there will certainly be mold, mycelium and various types of rot. And also weed seeds, and possibly also the larvae of harmful insects. You can buy soil from garden centers, it has already gone through some processing. But still there is no guarantee that it is completely free of pathogens. So it will be most reliable to disinfect the earth on your own using any of the methods presented below.

How to disinfect the ground by freezing

This is the simplest method of preparing the ground, as it does not require additional devices and any special solutions. The only thing that needs to be taken care of in advance is to stock up the required amount of soil and prepare a bag of fabric of the appropriate size. When frosts come (at least -15 degrees), pour the soil into the bag and take it outside. Leave it on for at least seven days (otherwise some microorganisms may survive).

Then warm up the bag for a week. The ground will thaw, and the larvae of harmful insects will begin to awaken. At this point, send the bag back out into the cold for 7 days. For reliability, you can repeat the entire procedure again. Thus, we will get a threefold freeze of the earth.

It is not at all difficult to do this, but this method has two drawbacks: it does not guarantee getting rid of late blight pathogens, and is not suitable for vermicompost soils. Since not only harmful, but also beneficial microorganisms will die.

Steaming

This is a more labor-intensive method, the essence of which is that the hot steam kills microbes, disinfecting the soil. For steaming, you can use a double boiler or build a water bath yourself. Put a bucket or large pot of water on the fire, put a colander or sieve on top and put soil in a cotton bag.

Make sure that all the water does not boil away. The steaming process should last at least one and a half hours. It is possible that after such a procedure, the earth will be practically sterile. So before sowing seeds for seedlings, apply the necessary fertilizers.

How to disinfect the ground by burning

It is also a rather radical method that effectively disinfects the soil. But after it, top dressing may be required immediately before sowing.

The earth must be poured into a basin, pour a small amount of boiling water there and mix well. When the ground has cooled slightly, transfer it to a baking sheet (about 4-5 cm layer) and place in the oven. You need to ignite for half an hour at a temperature of 90 degrees. Don't set the temperature too high. Because it can make the soil completely unsuitable for growing plants.

Biological treatment

If you do not want to cook, freeze or heat the soil, then you can treat it with biological or chemical agents, which are sold in abundance in flower and garden shops. If we talk about biological preparations, then the most popular and reliable are "Fitosporin", "Trichodermin", "Baikal EM-1" and "Glyokladina". These drugs not only kill pathogens.

They help to develop beneficial microflora, which is very important. Agrochemists especially recommend Trichodermin. Since it contains certain fungal mycelium, which prevents the development of cancerous fungi.

Whichever drug you choose, it is very important to adhere to the instructions when using. Observe safety precautions when spraying the ground with a spray bottle.
You can also prepare a biological agent yourself by making a tincture of calendula, marigold or garlic, and spray it on the soil.

Chemical treatment

This method of processing is worth resorting to, probably only when all other methods have not worked. To disinfect the earth, the compositions "Aktara", "Iskra", "Aktofit", "Fufanon", "Ecosil" and others are used.

But the most popular and customary method of tillage with potassium permanganate remains. To prepare the solution, take 3 grams of potassium permanganate on a bucket of water and shed the soil well. Sometimes additional treatment with a solution of copper sulfate may be required (for 10 liters of water, 50 grams of the substance).

The drug "Iprodion" is convenient because it does not need to be diluted for watering, it is enough to mix it with the soil. And he helps to cope with very serious diseases: fusarium, sclerotinosis and gray rot.

Chlorine lime radically kills disease-causing organisms. However, most plants do not respond well to chlorine.

As in the case of biologicals, do not forget about safety precautions! Perform all operations with gloves, wash all containers thoroughly after finishing work and strictly follow the instructions.

How to disinfect the earth. We increase the acidity of the soil

Sometimes it is required not only to disinfect the soil, but also to correct the level of its acidity. Since in an acidic environment, harmful microorganisms multiply especially actively.

If the acidity is too low, that's not good either. In this case, it can be increased by adding citric acid (2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water). An alternative to citric acid can be oxalic acid or apple cider vinegar. This solution is plentifully watered on the ground. You can also increase the acidity of the soil by adding peat or sulfur to it.

Decrease in soil acidity

If, on the contrary, it is necessary to lower the level of soil acidity, use slaked lime, dolomite flour, cement dust, ground chalk or limestone, as well as wood ash. When choosing fertilizers, it is worth focusing on those that contain magnesium or calcium. The main thing to remember is that the change in acidity will not happen overnight. This will take time (sometimes up to three years).

When starting to disinfect the soil, remember that it is important not only to eliminate all harmful, but also to preserve all that is useful. Therefore, the main thing here is not to overdo it. Experts and experienced gardeners recommend, first of all, to act with agrotechnical methods. If they do not help, use biological, and resort to chemicals only as a last resort.