What is the best way to disinfect the soil before planting seedlings? Methods for disinfecting soil for growing seedlings How to calcinate the soil before planting

The components used must be free of foreign impurities

The soil intended for sowing seeds must contain components of organic and inorganic origin.

Soil for growing seedlings

• soil - turf, leaf, garden;
• vegetable compost;
• rotted cattle manure;
• peat – lowland and highland;
• sphagnum, coconut fiber, seed husks, bark, sawdust;
• wood ash.

Peat is one of the popular components of seedling soil mixtures.

It is not necessary that absolutely all the components from the list are present in the soil, but most of them are. It is better to mix the soil from three different soils: garden soil, which can be taken directly from the ridge (unless, of course, sick or insect-infested plants grew there); leafy (from leaves rotted with the ground); turf (which is obtained by cutting turf). Soil is the basic element of the seedling substrate.

Compost - rotted plants - must be mixed with rotted manure, which is called humus. This is a supplier of necessary substances.

Advice! Do not sow vegetable and herb seeds in humus, compost or low-lying peat. Too much organic matter will cause the seedlings to produce excessive leaf mass at the expense of root formation. As a result, the seedlings will take root poorly when planted in a garden bed or greenhouse soil.

DIY soil for seedlings

You will definitely need peat; it is what makes the soil fertile. The lowland contains about 70% organic matter, the upland, consisting of sphagnum, makes the soil structure loose.

Peat is found in most soil mixtures for seedlings. It is obtained from swamps. This is not to say that it is a non-renewable resource. From decomposing organic components under the influence of natural processes, it is formed in swamps, but very slowly - over thousands of years. In addition, peat is part of the natural ecosystem - if it is completely removed from the swamps or at least a serious deficiency is created, the ecological balance will be disrupted.

That's why scientists have been trying to find a replacement for peat over the past decades. And finally they found it. More and more manufacturers of soil mixtures for seedlings are now switching to using coconut fiber.

Benefits of coconut fiber.

1. It is 100% organic without chemical impurities.
2. They are able to absorb and retain water, working like a sponge, retaining moisture for plants and not removing useful substances from the soil.
3. The layer of soil in a pot or container with a substrate that includes coconut fiber remains dry, which prevents the appearance of soil fungi.
4. Coconut fiber has a pH level of about 6, so it normalizes the overall acidity of the entire substrate.
5. The fiber contains phosphorus, potassium, and other substances needed by plants in significant quantities.

Sunflower seed husks, tree bark, rotted sawdust, dry moss and other loosening agents are also used to loosen the soil. Wood ash is added to normalize soil acidity.

The soil for seedlings should be loose

Advice! Do not add more nutrients to the soil than normal - an abundance of fertilizing is appropriate during the growing season; the seeds, which contain the plant embryo, have a sufficient supply of substances to form and release a full-fledged sprout. Enhanced nutrition of the seed is not required.

• river (or, in extreme cases, quarry) sand;
• perlite;
• vermiculite;
• expanded clay;
• hydrogel;
• mineral supplements.

Advice! Do not grind the components of the soil mixture too much and do not sift the mixture through a sieve with small cells - the fine-grained substrate will sour and “swim” after each watering.

Perlite is an excellent component of seedling soil mixture. This substance has a number of significant advantages.

1. Sterility - spores of fungal diseases and pathogens of infectious diseases do not settle in perlite.
2. The absence of insects - they simply do not grow in the substance.
3. Lack of weed seeds - they do not take root in the soil mixture with perlite and do not sprout.
4. Preservation in its original condition for a long time - perlite does not rot.
5. Light weight - perlite is very light.

Vermiculite is porous, environmentally friendly material, which contains a record number of sprouts needed already at initial stages life of magnesium, potassium and calcium.

Expanded clay drains the soil, acting as an organic loosening agent and helping to improve the structure and moisture capacity of the soil.

Hydrogel is a polymer compound, which, due to its properties, also serves to maintain high moisture capacity in the soil.

Advice! To simplify the watering procedure and maintain the required humidity, add hydrogel to the prepared soil before sowing.

In addition to the required components, the soil mixture also includes the following elements:

• ash;
• urea;
• potassium sulfate;
• potassium chloride and sulfate;
• ammonium nitrate;
• superphosphate.

This small but important point is often ignored. Amateur gardeners neglect it, as a result, all efforts to compile correct soil are wasted.

The following components should not get into the soil mixture:

• clay;
• fresh manure;
• not rotted plant residues;
• tea leaves, coffee grounds and other similar waste;
• salty sea sand.

Clay cannot be used

Clay will make the soil heavy, impervious to moisture and air, and dense. Unrotted organic matter and coffee/tea will cause rotting processes - they can begin to decompose, increasing the temperature of the substrate, which will be detrimental to many seeds and seedlings. Also, the decomposition of organic matter will entail the release of nitrogen, which will evaporate, depleting the substrate.

Fresh manure should also be discarded

The table below shows the composition of the soil for each of the most commonly grown vegetable crops.

Table. Composition of soil mixture for common vegetable crops.

Culture	Components of soil mixture and their proportions
	About 2 kg of garden soil, 1 - humus, ½ kg of sawdust (rotted), fine wood bark or coconut fiber. For 6 kg of finished substrate – 40 g of ash, 20 g of superphosphate, 10 g of urea.
White and red cabbage	5 kg of turf soil, 5 kg of high peat, 2.5 kg of sand, 2 kg of humus, 1/4 kg of lime, 1/2 kg of ash or dolomite flour.
Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts	6 kg of peat or 3 kg of leaf soil and coconut fiber, 2 kg of turf soil, 1 kg of humus, 1 kg of sand, ¼ kg of lime.
	4 kg of peat, 2 kg of turf soil, 1 kg of rotted sawdust or coconut fiber, 1 kg of humus.
	2 kg of peat, 2 kg of turf soil, 2 kg of humus, 1 kg of coconut fiber or rotted sawdust, 1 kg of sand. For 6 liters of mixture - 40 g of ash and 15 g of potassium sulfate and superphosphate.
	8 kg of peat, 2 kg of turf soil, 1 kg of river sand, mullein or humus, or 2 kg vegetable compost, 1 kg of sawdust or coconut substrate. For 6 kg of mixture - 10 g of ammonium nitrate and potassium chloride, 20 g of superphosphate and 45 g of ash.
	2 kg of leaf soil, 2 kg of humus, 2 kg of peat or coconut substrate, 1 kg of sand. For 6 kg of mixture – 50 g of ash, 15 g of potassium sulfate, 20 g of superphosphate.

Do-it-yourself soil preparation for seedlings

When preparing the soil for sowing seedlings, it is recommended to follow the instructions and follow step-by-step recommendations. It is necessary to start preparing components in the fall. They are also mixed in the fall. Then the finished soil is sent for freezing, which will serve as additional sterilization.

It is advisable to prepare the soil in the fall

Important! At the stage of mixing soil components, do not add nutritional mineral additives. Nutrient additives are applied to the soil in the spring, after basic sterilization, before planting seeds, in the form of solutions.

Step 1. Prepare all the necessary components that you plan to add to the substrate. They must be dry and in different containers.

Soil components for seedlings

Step 2. Spread oilcloth or other suitable bedding on the floor in the utility room, or take a large container (basin, trough, tray, pan) in which you will mix the soil components.

Step 3. Take a measuring container (glass, mug, etc.) or prepare a scale. Prepare your tools - a spatula, small rakes - and put on gloves.

Step 4. Measure out the required amount of necessary ingredients, place in a container or pour onto oilcloth, mix thoroughly.

All components must be mixed

Step 5. Pour the finished substrate into small bags (ideally no more than 20 liters). If the bags are plastic, make several small holes at the top to allow the soil to “breathe.”

Step 6. Place bags of soil in the shed, utility room, where the temperature will remain below zero in winter.

When to plant watermelon seedlings

If we talk about the middle zone, then it is preferable to grow watermelons here (as well as some other crops - for example, melon) through seedlings. In reality, there is nothing complicated in this process; the main thing is to know when to plant watermelon seedlings and how to do it.

Harmful microorganisms contained in garden soil, leaf soil, turf soil, peat, sand, humus and other essential components of the seedling substrate can harm the seeds, introducing infection and reducing their germination. To prevent this from happening, the substrate must be disinfected. This is a very important procedure that should not be neglected if you want to get strong, healthy seedlings and productive plants.

The soil for seedlings must be disinfected

There are four ways to disinfect the substrate:

• freezing;
• steaming;
• calcination;
• etching.

You can limit yourself to one method, but it is better to combine any of the first three with subsequent etching.

Important! Freezing is carried out during the winter. All other methods begin to be used in January - February, when it is time to prepare the soil for sowing.

The method of disinfection by freezing consists of leaving a bag of soil in a room where the temperature is maintained at sub-zero temperatures in winter. If there is no such room, closer to spring the soil is taken out into the cold and left for a week at a temperature of about -10°C...15°C. Then the frozen soil is returned to the heat and allowed to defrost for a week. During this time, all the germs of weeds and pests that were not destroyed by the first freezing will “wake up” in it. After this, the soil is again sent to the frost. And so two or three times.

The most effective method Freezing is considered disinfection. The most beneficial for the soil is steaming. During this procedure, not only disinfection is carried out, but the soil mixture is also saturated with moisture. To steam, pour the soil into a sieve with a fine mesh (so as not to spill out) and, while stirring, keep it over a container of boiling water for 8 minutes.

When calcined, the soil is subjected to heat treatment at a temperature of +70°C...90°C. It makes no sense to set the temperature lower - not all microbes will die. It is impossible to go higher in any case, the structure of the soil will be disturbed and the fertile layer will be destroyed.

It is best to use an oven or microwave for calcination (if the volume of soil is small). The soil should be scattered on a tray (baking sheet) in a layer of 5 centimeters. Then be sure to moisturize. Despite the fact that the method is called calcination, the soil is not heated dry, but slightly moistened. The oven must be preheated to the desired temperature. The soil warms up for about 30 minutes.

This method can be used for insurance after any of the above. He is the simplest. If calcination or steaming was carried out before this, you can make a solution with cold water. If freezing - with hot (about +40°C). The solution is prepared bright pink. The soil is placed in a sieve or fine-mesh colander and poured through.

Advice! Seeds sown in a properly prepared substrate should be watered only with settled or filtered water. Tap water contains chlorine, which neutralizes the effect of compounds that activate the activity of beneficial bacteria.

The disinfected soil is placed in a suitable container and watered with a solution of minerals that are necessary for a particular crop. Then the moistened substrate is laid out in containers, cups or individual pots. Now he is ready to sow seeds.

There are a lot of recipes for preparing nutritional compositions for growing seedlings, but the basic requirements for all soil mixtures are the same:

• fertility and balance of all nutrients;
• lightness, porosity and breathability;
• moisture capacity;
• acceptable acidity level (6.5–7 pH);
• sterility;
• cleanliness and environmental friendliness.

Any soil for seedlings should be light, nutritious and moisture-absorbing.

Standard, or universal, soil, acceptable for all crops, is prepared from:

• peat, turf soil, coarse washed sand (1:1:1);
• forest soil, river sand, mature humus (1:1:2);
• high-quality rotted manure, turf, peat (1:1:1).

• potassium sulfate - 5–10 g;
• superphosphate - 10–15 g;
• urea - 15–20 g;
• ash - 100 g.

Universal and any other seedling soil is prepared from several components

Before use, all soil mixtures must be disinfected by calcination, freezing, steaming or pickling.

Seedling mixture for nightshades is prepared from:

• Sod (garden) soil, well rotted sawdust, peat and humus (1:1:1:1), add to a bucket of soil:
  • ash - 110–125 g;
  • superphosphate (can be double) - 55–60g;
  • urea - 20–25 g;
  • potassium - 15–20 g.
• Fertilize lowland peat, humus (vegetable compost), sand, coconut substrate or sawdust and turf soil (8:1:1:1:2), 10 liters of soil:
  • ammonium nitrate - 10 g;
  • potassium chloride - 10 g;
  • superphosphate - 20–25 g;
  • ash - 45–50 g.

Tomatoes love nitrogen-rich soil

For bell pepper A composition of turf garden soil, coarse sand, and lowland peat (1:1:2) is suitable; use on a bucket of soil:

• ammonium nitrate - 25–30g;
• double superphosphate - 20–25 g;
• potassium sulfate - 35–40 g.

Bell pepper is demanding on soil fertility

Cabbage seedlings prefer a soil mixture of:

• Garden (turf) soil, sand, ash and lime, without mineral additives (20:5:1:1).
• Soil from the garden, last year's rotted compost, sand, peat (2:1:1:1) with mineralization per 10 liters of soil substrate:
  • potassium sulfate - 10 g;
  • superphosphate - 20–25 g;
  • chalk - 25 g;
  • urea - 15–20 g.

The soil for cabbage seedlings does not need to be additionally fertilized with mineral components.

It is better to use a mixture of: garden or forest soil, ready-made compost, rotted sawdust and black peat (4: 4: 1: 2), poured onto a bucket:

• urea - 8–10 g;
• superphosphate - 50–55 g;
• potassium - 20 g.

For eggplants, you can use the same soil compositions as for tomatoes.

Before sowing cucumbers, prepare a soil mixture from:

• Humus, black peat and sawdust (2:2:1), enriching it with mineral additives (per 10 l):
  • potassium sulfate - 15–20 g;
  • superphosphate - 20–25 g;
  • ash - 100 g;
  • urea - 20–25 g.
• Humus and garden soil in equal proportions with the addition of:
  • ammonium nitrate - 8–10 g;
  • dolomite flour - 10–12 g;
  • potassium sulfate - 10 g;
  • superphosphate - 10–15 g.

The composition of the soil for cucumber seedlings must include plant and mineral components.

I only plant tomatoes for seedlings; I prepare a seedling mixture for them from ordinary garden soil and ready-made compost. I take them in approximately equal quantities, be sure to add a little peat and clean sand. Otherwise, the soil will be heavy and a hard crust will form on its surface.

Ready-made soil mixtures are sold in stores, but there is no guarantee that they are of appropriate quality. With a little effort and some time, you can prepare exactly the composition that a specific crop needs.

I write with pleasure and about many things.

For successful growth and development of seedlings, and therefore a good harvest in the future, certain conditions are needed, first of all, high-quality soil. Some prepare the soil mixture themselves, others use ready-made substrates. Whose method “works” better?

The first option requires much more time and effort: first you need to select the components (peat, turf soil, sand or sawdust, mineral fertilizers, etc.) in appropriate proportions. Then the soil must be disinfected by steaming or freezing. The next point is mandatory monitoring of the acidity level and its regulation using deoxidizers.

All these labor-intensive steps can be avoided by purchasing ready-to-use soil in which everything is balanced.

Fertilizer with microelements Substratdünger or PGmix is ​​a complex, fully water-soluble, long-acting fertilizer with microelements in chelated form. Provides uniform soil fertility.

When purchasing soil for seedlings, you need to take into account the main factors, without which the soil mixture cannot be considered ideal in all respects.

First of all, pay attention to the composition and acidity level of the soil. The optimal indicator is pH 6-7. In soil with such a reaction root system most plants develop most successfully. Adding limestone or dolomite flour to the soil helps achieve this pH level.

Peat is the main component of soil suitable for growing seedlings. It increases soil fertility, making it more porous and nutritious.
IN ideal soil mixtures contain high-moor peat or a mixture of high-moor and low-lying peat. High-moor peat gives the soil looseness, improves its structure, air and water permeability. Lowland peat saturates the soil with organic components.

The proportion of the main macroelements (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) included in the soil is usually indicated on the packaging. It should meet the needs of the seedlings within 1-2 weeks from the moment the seeds are sowed. Increased doses affect the rapid growth of seedlings, but do not at all guarantee them strong immunity and further productivity. Small doses do not provide seedlings with adequate nutrition, so they will require earlier and richer additional feedings.

Fertilizers included in soils must be in chelated form. Otherwise, young plants simply will not be able to absorb them.

Soils trademark"Fasko" are developed in compliance with all necessary parameters. Depending on the name of the soil mixture, nutritional elements in their composition are selected in the right proportions taking into account the needs of specific crops.

The range of soils offered by the company is intended for growing the most popular vegetable crops: nightshade, pumpkin, as well as flowers and indoor plants.

Fasco soils are offered in loose and pressed forms, so that every gardener can choose the most convenient option for himself. For example, pressed soil “Krepysh” in fluffed form will be similar in volume to 25 liters of bagged soil, but its weight will be almost 2 times less, which significantly facilitates delivery from the store to home.

The “Krepysh” series includes universal soils for seedlings of vegetable crops (tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, cabbage, eggplant, physalis, etc.) and flowers. These peat-based substrates are completely ready for use and contain a full range of nutrients (macro- and microelements) necessary for the full growth and development of plants. There is also a pressed version of the soil with increased porosity and high moisture capacity.

• for growing seedlings of all vegetable crops;
• for picking seedlings into separate pots and open ground;
• for growing a “winter garden” on the windowsill ( green onions, lettuce and other spicy greens);
• for growing indoor flowers.

A special biosoil with a unique composition is intended for seedlings of F1 hybrid seeds. Its components are selected and balanced in such a way that the plants will not need additional feeding for 6 weeks from the moment of planting.

The soil of the “Malyshok” series is intended for growing high-quality and healthy seedlings of nightshade crops: tomatoes, peppers, eggplants. The substrate contains a full range of nutrients, increases seed germination, and increases subsequent yield.

Rodnichok soil is intended for seedlings pumpkin crops: cucumbers, squash, zucchini, pumpkins. Soil components stimulate the growth of the root system and promote the formation of ovaries, and, consequently, increase productivity.

Do not forget also that during the entire growth period (from germination to planting in a permanent place) seedlings need additional feeding. For young and immature plants, use only liquid fertilizers that do not burn the roots.

• Liquid organomineral fertilizers "Fasco" stimulate growth due to the content of humates, which are natural stimulants.
• Water-soluble mineral fertilizers "Fasco" strengthen the immune system and increase the stress resistance of plants. Fertilizers are in chelated form, do not contain chlorine and are packaged in convenient packaging (1 sachet (50 g) = 50 liters of ready-made solution).

The Fasko assortment also includes necessary equipment for seedlings: peat pots, peat tablets Jiffy Strong, peat briquettes, greenhouses with peat tablets.

Modern technologies have come so far that to successfully grow seedlings at home there is no need to dig the soil in the garden. Special soils of a balanced composition will provide your plants with adequate nutrition for growth and development. And all you have to do is surround them with care and concern.

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We still have time before planting seedlings, so let's look at how to disinfect the soil. Not all summer residents buy seedlings every year new soil. It is clear that the healthier the soil, the stronger and stronger the seedlings themselves will be. This means that the soil from the garden does not become a source of infections for plants, it must be disinfected before use.

At home, disinfection is carried out in the following ways:

• freezing,
• calcination,
• steaming,
• etching.

Let's analyze each method and note the advantages and disadvantages.

Prepare the soil in the fall by filling a bag with it. During severe frosts (15-20ºС), take the bag of earth outside or onto the balcony for several days. After the ground freezes, place it in a warm room for about a week. This is done in order to awaken wintering pests and weed seeds in a warm environment. The temperature contrast of the soil is arranged 2 - 3 times.

But this method has disadvantages.

1. Frost has a negative effect not only on pathogenic microorganisms, but also on beneficial microflora. This means that this method is not suitable for soil that contains vermicompost.
2. No amount of low temperatures will destroy late blight pathogens. They should only be destroyed by heat treatment.

The soil is scattered on a metal tray in a layer of no more than 5 cm, and then the soil is poured with boiling water and placed in an oven heated to 70-90ºC. The temperature should not be higher than indicated, otherwise a higher temperature will lead to nitrogen mineralization and deterioration of soil quality.

The advantage of this method is the death of all microorganisms; they simply do not survive.

Despite the fact that the method is more gentle than calcination, it is also quite reliable. Its advantage is that in addition to disinfection, it also saturates the soil with moisture.

The soil is poured into a colander and, gradually stirring, kept over a pan of boiling water for 10 minutes. In this case, the colander is placed over the pan so that the bottom of the colander does not touch the water. Some gardeners combine both temperature methods, that is, they first steam the soil and then take it out into the cold.

With such heat treatment, not only pathogenic, but also beneficial microflora dies. Therefore, the steaming procedure is carried out in advance to restore the soil before planting.

The easiest way to disinfect soil. The idea of ​​etching is to water the soil with a pink solution of potassium permanganate, diluted at the rate of 3 g per 10 liters of water. But remember that the solution only treats the surface layer of the earth and does not affect the bulk of pathogens.

Therefore, for more thorough treatment, antifungal drugs (fungicides) are used:

The meaning of the treatment is to suppress the pathogenic flora by the beneficial bacteria that are contained in these preparations and are actively developing. The process takes 2-3 weeks, therefore, processing is carried out in advance.

The essence of the method is that the prepared soil for seedlings is generously spilled with a pink solution of potassium permanganate, and then placed in the microwave for 3 minutes at high power. Watch the video to see how they do it.

The soil in the greenhouse must be processed twice: in the fall, after harvesting, preparing it for winter, and in the spring before planting seedlings. Treat the soil with the following preparations.

I described in detail how to prepare a solution for use in the article about phytosporin. It is better to buy it in paste form. After dissolving a 100 gram package in 0.5 liters of water you will get liquid dark brown. The concentrated solution is diluted to prepare a working solution no earlier than one day later. This is necessary so that the living bacteria that are in the product are activated.

Immediately before tilling the soil, 1 tbsp. l. concentrated solution is diluted in 10 liters of water and this solution is poured generously from a watering can onto the soil in the greenhouse. The greenhouse is closed for 14-20 days to allow the bacteria to do their work. After this, the greenhouse is opened and you can start planting seedlings.

The unused concentrated solution is placed in a dark place and stored there until next use.

Disinfection with a solution of potassium permanganate is the easiest way to treat soil in a greenhouse. The essence of the method is to apply a pink solution of potassium permanganate and abundant watering soil. To create such a solution, just dip a damp toothpick in crystals of potassium permanganate, and then dissolve what remains on the toothpick in 1 liter of water. Sprinkle the prepared pink solution generously onto the soil and leave for several hours.

Another very simple and affordable way to disinfect soil in a greenhouse is to pour boiling water over it. It is enough to pour boiling water over the soil and then cover it with plastic wrap. Under the influence of high temperature, all harmful microbes will also die.

And there is one more point that needs to be taken into account. Even after disinfecting the soil for seedlings, pathogens can be introduced with the seeds. This means that before planting, the seeds should also be treated and then your seedlings will be strong and healthy.

Dear readers! Thank you for stopping by to visit me! I would be glad if you share in the comments your experience of growing vegetables, methods of combating plant diseases and pests. If you liked the article, share this information with your friends. Please click on the social buttons. networks that are located to the left of the article. I will be very grateful to you.

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In early spring, gardeners and summer residents begin their vigorous activity associated with sowing and germinating seedlings. It is not so easy to get healthy and strong shoots that easily adapt to open ground and will delight you with a good harvest in the future. The main condition for their growth, and therefore the basis for the future harvest, is properly selected or independently prepared soil.

Before you take active steps, you need to responsibly approach the question of how to prepare the soil for seedlings with your own hands.

You need to start preparing the soil not in the spring, but in August-September. Garden soil in its pure form is not suitable, but it can become the basis for a nutritious soil mixture into which the seeds will be sown. You should not ignore such a preparation stage as disinfecting the soil for seedlings if you take it from the garden or garden.

The second disadvantage of garden or garden land is the presence large quantity small pests that can destroy seeds and weak roots of young shoots.

When selecting and combining soil mixture components, you need to adhere to certain rules. Primary requirements:

• Porous (air) structure. You need to minimize clay, which clogs pores and leads to the formation of lumps.
• The presence of a sufficient amount of useful components (organic and mineral fertilizers). But in this matter one should not cross the line. Excessive mineral fertilizer content slows down the seed germination process and can lead to seedling diseases.
• No pests, larvae, insect eggs. The soil must be disinfected, but not completely sterile. Any soil mixture must contain beneficial microflora.

To destroy and prevent pests, it is necessary to study the question of how to disinfect the soil for seedlings and carry out necessary measures soil disinfection. But its structure and composition directly depend on the correct selection of components and their proportions.

The most popular universal soil composition for seedlings is prepared on the basis of garden soil (2 parts), peat (1 part), humus (1 part). The baking powder can be clean coarse river sand or sawdust. Mineral fertilizer will be ash or charcoal. All these components are carefully sifted and combined. Even a beginner who previously did not know how to properly prepare the soil can cope with this task. Seedling soil made in this way can also be suitable for indoor plants.

What's our next step? What do we do after we have prepared the ground? We disinfect the soil for seedlings, this will avoid all the troubles associated with diseases and pests of young growth.

Even the most correct composition soil for seedlings may be useless if it has not undergone a disinfection procedure. In this case, the soil may contain pathogenic flora, eggs and larvae of pests, weed spores and mold. All of the above begins to quickly develop and manifest itself as soon as a favorable environment for germination of seedlings is created. This can cause irreversible damage to the seedlings. To avoid such problems, you need to know how to disinfect soil for seedlings.

There is a misconception that soil from bags does not need to be disinfected and is completely ready for use. In fact, it can contain exactly the same number of dangers as in a garden garden, since, in essence, it is waste soil from greenhouses and conservatories, mechanically cleaned and enriched.

How to disinfect soil for seedlings? This is a simple question, because there are a great many ways to sterilize soil. Experienced gardeners sometimes they themselves invent new methods or improve existing ones.

Soil calcination is one of the most popular methods of soil disinfection. It is based on heat treatment. It can be produced in different ways.

Firstly, the soil can be roasted in the oven by spreading it on a roasting pan. The temperature should be 180 °C, and the time should be about 40 minutes. The method is very affordable and simple, but is not suitable for a large volume of land.

Secondly, you can calcinate the soil in the microwave. In this case, the wet substrate is placed in a glass container and left in the microwave for 10 minutes at maximum power.

Thirdly, a water bath is suitable for thermal treatment of soil. The method is effective, but, as in previous cases, it is designed for small volumes.

If you have prepared the soil for seedlings since the fall, you can disinfect a large volume of soil without much effort, simply by leaving it in an unheated room or on a balcony during frosts. Winter cold will help you destroy almost all harmful microorganisms in the soil.

The whole point of biological disinfection is to populate the soil for seedlings with beneficial microorganisms that will displace harmful ones.

The most popular biological agents today are “Fitosporin”, “Fitop”, “Barrier”, “Barrier”, “Trichodermin”. When using biological preparations for disinfection, it is important to carefully follow the instructions, strictly observe the dosage and shelf life.

When biological preparations are used correctly, they not only destroy pathogenic flora, but also accelerate the growth of seedlings.

Chemical disinfection of soil for seedlings is best used only in exceptional cases. As in the situation with biological drugs, it is important not to violate the instructions. Some of these drugs not only destroy pathogenic flora, pathogenic bacteria and fungi, but also inhibit plant growth.

Potassium permanganate is considered the most harmless, but also ineffective method of chemical disinfection. It eventually turns into potash fertilizer.

When disinfecting soil for seedlings using mechanical or by chemical means, we deprive it not only of pathogenic flora, but also of beneficial bacteria. They can be restored by adding bacterial fertilizer to the soil (Rizotorfin, Azotobacterin, Phosphorobacterin). Some gardeners use regular yeast for this purpose.

It is worth noting that all of the above procedures for preparing and disinfecting soil for seedlings are not suitable for “lazy” gardeners. Self-cooking substrate requires time and effort. It is much easier and faster to buy a ready-made composition for sowing seedlings. Those who choose this option should be aware of the pitfalls that exist.

Unfortunately, manufacturers do not always conscientiously write truthful information on the packaging. It happens that by choosing a package with the best composition, you get poor soil based on peat. When planting seeds in such a composition, there is a high risk of being disappointed with the result. The seedlings either will not sprout at all, or even if shoots appear, they are unlikely to meet expectations. Therefore, you should not be too economical in this matter, but choose products from well-known companies.

Even if you have such a low-quality peat-based mixture, try to correct the situation yourself. To do this, you need to mix it with garden soil, previously disinfected. We discussed earlier in our article how to disinfect soil for seedlings. Next, be sure to check the resulting substrate for acidity, and if it is higher than normal, we correct this problem. The acidity of the soil is reduced by adding chalk or dolomite flour. Since such a soil mixture does not have enough of its own nutrients, it is necessary to add additional mineral fertilizers.

It is necessary to approach the issue of preparing land for seedlings very seriously and scrupulously. Experienced gardeners know that the correct soil composition is 80% of success when growing seedlings.

It would seem that potting soil is much easier to improve and disinfect than in a garden bed - the volume is small, you can control literally every centimeter of the soil. You just have to get a little wrong with the proportions and that’s it, goodbye to the harvest. In open ground, you can sow green manure, add stinking manure, pour boiling water on it, and potassium permanganate - even if you screw it up a little, the soil will be restored. There is no room for error with potting soil...

Soil disinfection- this is not for the lazy. But if you don’t take at least basic measures, you can ruin all your work. Where does the soil in bags come from? Often, this is waste soil from greenhouses, sifted and enriched with peat, mineral fertilizer and ballast fillers. Often unidentifiable herbs sprout from it, but this can be survived... And this soil is also “enriched” with pathogenic bacteria, mold spores, aphid larvae and other bugs.

Potting soil can be disinfected in a number of ways, which will be discussed in this article.

Calcination of the soil. Soil sterilization

My grandfather, a winegrower and gardener with 50 years of experience, treats the soil for seedlings in 3 stages: calcination and adding ash and yeast to the soil. He simply fries the garden soil in a huge frying pan, stirring occasionally and moistening it with a spray bottle. Mix a three-liter jar of soil with a heaped teaspoon, then add yeast. described in detail what is what about the use of ordinary yeast for the needs of a garden on the windowsill. Of course, this takes up precious time, but it guarantees the absence of fungi in the soil and the death of any living creatures. Ash is a fertilizer and an additional sterilizer, and yeast populates the soil with its colonies and helps the plant feed, enriching it with nitrogen. This method is not the only one, nor is it the most convenient.

Another option roasting in the oven(suitable for a small volume of soil): pour the wet soil into the baking sleeve. Bake for 40 minutes at 180 degrees. I think it's a great idea.

Steaming the soil in a water bath

Place a sieve on a pan of boiling water, place a layer of gauze, add soil and cover with a lid. You can stir the soil occasionally. The procedure lasts from 20 minutes to 1.5 hours, depending on the amount of soil. After steaming, the soil should breathe for some time. Add yeast or any available bacterial fertilizer to the warm soil. It is effective to steam the soil in several passes in small portions.

Biological disinfection of soil with fungicides

The most popular biological fungicides: Fitosporin, Barrier, Barrier, Fitop, Integral, Baktofit, Agat, Planzir, Alirin B, Trichodermin. All of them have a non-chemical effect on fungi and pathogenic bacteria - the “right” bacteria. For the first time, I used the Ukrainian analogue of Fitosporin - Phytocid M. I planted mini-tomato seeds in the soil treated with it. In general, biological fungicides are praised by flower growers. The main thing is to strictly follow the instructions. It is written on the packaging that diluted Phytocid should be stored for no more than a day, but I got a three-liter jar and I have been watering all my plants with this solution for the second week now. The watercress is delighted with this watering; I have never had such lush harvests!

Chemical soil disinfection

You should write about chemical fungicides, but you shouldn’t use them. At least for our windowsill gardens. I will write only about those drugs that have hazard class 4 (low-hazard substance).

Albite. The composition contains terpene acids, extracts from soil bacteria and microelements. Available in paste form. Prevents root rot, powdery mildew, brown rot, and other nasty things from developing. It is considered a biological fungicide with a chemical effect.

Potassium permangantsovka(potassium permanganate). A long-familiar but ineffective method of soil disinfection. It also becomes a potassium fertilizer.

There are a great many drugs of this kind, but they are hardly suitable for us.

Copper sulfate, iron sulfate. They disinfect and at the same time inhibit plant growth. They don't suit us.

And about the last resort for today - mustard powder! Effective against fungi, bacteria, viruses, thrips, nematodes. Loosens the soil and stimulates plant growth. Apply to the soil as follows: per 5 liters of soil, a tablespoon of mustard powder. Combine with nitrogen fertilizer.

Update 11/29/2016

Since writing this article, I have become much more attentive to the sources of information on which I base my material. Despite the fact that disinfecting potting soil is traditional for post-Soviet countries, it is not practiced anywhere else. The application of biofertilizers with effective microorganisms (Baikal, Fitosporin, etc.) has no proven effectiveness in field conditions, although according to my own (biased) experience there is a result. According to some data described in the article about EO drugs, homemade infusions with effective microorganisms are better than industrial mixtures (infusions with banana peels, sauerkraut juice, yeast).

Before planting seedlings, you need to carefully prepare the soil, disinfect and feed the soil. What's the best way to do this? Treat with a solution of potassium permanganate, phytosporin? Heat in the oven or microwave? Let's discuss all the known methods and find out why this or that method is good.

It's all in the soil

The healthier the soil, the stronger the seedlings that grow on it, this is an axiom. But not everyone has the opportunity to purchase ready-made soil for seedlings every year. So practitioners are thinking about how to disinfect last year’s or garden soil.

Proper disinfection affects various bacteria, nematodes, eggs and pupae of insects, and fungal spores. And protects against blackleg, a common disease of young seedlings.

Before planting seedlings, the soil must be decontaminated to destroy bacteria and pest eggs.

It’s even better to carry out the treatment in such a way as to protect the soil from pathogenic bacteria and not harm beneficial microorganisms.

All methods can be divided into two groups. The first uses traditional methods, the second uses disinfection using various purchased products. Let's start with traditional methods.

“Hardening” of soil by frost

The simplest processing method is freezing.

Attention! After any type of disinfection, you need to pour the soil into sterile containers wiped with bleach.

To disinfect the soil, you can freeze it - outside, or, if there is not much of it, in the freezer

This method also has a drawback. Negative temperatures negatively affect not only pathogenic, but also beneficial microflora. Therefore, freezing is not recommended for soils that contain vermicompost.

Another disadvantage is that low temperatures cannot cope with carriers of diseases such as late blight. Only heat treatment will affect them.

Calcination in the oven

It turns out that you can fry, steam and stew... earth. Various pests do not survive in heat-treated soil.

Attention! Fire disinfection is carried out at low temperatures. Its increase leads to nitrogen mineralization and deterioration of soil quality.

• to calcinate the soil in the oven, you need to pour the soil into a large basin and pour a small amount of boiling water over it;
• when the mixture has cooled slightly, mix it thoroughly;
• pour the wet mass onto a baking sheet in a layer of no more than 5 cm and place in the oven;
• Heat for half an hour at a temperature of 70-90 degrees.

Steaming in a water bath in a large container

It is believed that steam treatment is a more gentle method than calcination over fire. But at the same time, quite reliable.

Tip: after any heat treatment, the cooled soil should be scattered on paper or polyethylene in a layer of up to 10 cm and leveled. This will fill it with air and become looser.

• it is necessary to prepare a large container, for example a tank;
• lay bricks or an iron grate on the bottom;
• pour water below the level of the bricks;
• place soil in a canvas bag or fabric bag on the lattice or bricks;
• cover the tank with a lid, put on fire and steam the soil in a water bath for about two hours.

Steaming in a water bath in a colander.

• line a colander with a cloth;
• fill a large saucepan with water and wait until it boils;
• Reduce heat and hang a colander with soil over the pan. Or install it on top so that the water does not touch the ground;
• warm up for half an hour. Steam penetrating the soil sterilizes it.

Using the same principle, gardeners advise frying the soil in a frying pan, calcining it in the microwave, or stewing it in foil or in a sleeve. When treated with the last two methods, the water contained in the ground heats up and further cleans the soil. You can also pour boiling water over the soil in a shallow container and cover with film.

Steaming the soil can also be done in a double boiler, in a special container.

There is one caveat: heat treatment kills both pests and beneficial microflora. This means that the above procedures must be done in advance in order to have time to restore the soil before planting.

Steaming purchased soil

Attention! Immediately after treatment, the soil is sterile. But in a couple of weeks the microflora in it will be restored. Where is the guarantee that it’s only useful? Experts recommend packing the soil into thick, sterile bags after disinfection. Open just before planting and add Biohumus (one-liter jar per bucket of soil) or Supercompost (1-2 cups per bucket). This way you will completely protect the plants.

Some practitioners advise treating not only garden soil, but also purchased soil. To do this, place a closed bag with the prepared soil mixture in a bucket. Pour boiling water down the side of the bucket and close the lid tightly. Remove the bag only after it has cooled completely.

Soil disinfection with special means

You can also disinfect the soil chemically:

Reducing soil acidity

Simultaneously with disinfection, it is necessary to equalize the acid-base balance of the soil. After all, even in disinfected soil that has an acidic reaction, sulfur stalk and clubroot develop well.

Peat soil and garden soil have an acidic reaction. To alkalize, slaked lime or dolomite flour is added to the soil. Moreover, different cultures have their own proportions.

To reduce soil acidity, slaked lime or dolomite flour is used

When growing seedlings, a lot of surprises may await you related to low-quality seeds, poor conditions of maintenance and care, and unprepared soil. In the latter case, the greatest danger is posed by pathogens in the substrate, eggs and larvae of pests.

Is it necessary to disinfect purchased soil for seedlings?

Purchased soil mostly consists of peat and does not fully contain all the necessary nutrients. Of course he passes pre-treatment. If there is sand in the composition, then it is calcined, etc.

Many summer residents add additional components to the finished soil mixture (soil from the garden, various organic matter). Here you can’t do without processing. The old rule applies: “What happens if you add a fly in the ointment to a barrel of honey?” Everything will have to be disinfected.

Freezing of the soil

It is best to prepare the soil in the fall. Fertilized loose soil put in bags, which in turn are kept in an unheated barn in winter. A small amount of soil for planting can be kept in buckets on the balcony. Over the winter, most of the pathogenic flora and pests will die.

In a situation where the soil is exposed to freezing for short term, thorough disinfection will require at least a week with constant night and daytime negative temperatures.

Steaming and calcination

One of the most convenient and quick ways that gives 100% results is steaming. Even the most persistent pathogens such as late blight and clubroot, which can withstand prolonged exposure to sub-zero temperatures, will not resist such heat treatment.

Prepare a saucepan or tank of the required volume (5-10 l) and a colander. Fill the container 40% with water and place on medium heat. Place a thick cloth at the bottom of the colander and pour soil on top. As soon as the water in the tank boils, place a colander with soil on top. Continue steaming for 20-30 minutes.

If you don't have a colander, you can place a cotton cloth on top of the pot of water and secure its overhanging edges with twine. There should be a small depression in the middle of the fabric into which the soil is placed. The duration of steaming is similar.

Speaking about heat treatment, one cannot fail to mention another popular method - calcining the soil in the oven.

The soil mixture is mixed in a basin with a small amount of boiling water. After cooling, the composition is mixed and spread on a baking sheet in a layer no thicker than 5 cm. It needs to be calcined for about half an hour at a temperature of about +80 C.

Biological disinfection

Freezing, steaming and calcination have a significant drawback - not only harmful, but also beneficial microorganisms die. As a result, the soil becomes almost sterile.

A good solution would be to treat the soil with microbiological fungicides “Alirin B”, “Baikal EM-1”, “Trichodermin”, “Fitosporin”. In addition to suppressing harmful pathogens, these drugs relieve soil fatigue, enrich it with nitrogen, potassium, magnesium, fluorine and other microelements, and promote the development of beneficial microflora.

The solution is prepared strictly in accordance with the instructions. The approximate norm is 1 g of the drug per 1 liter of water. You need to spray from a sprayer, taking individual precautions.

Some gardeners, out of habit, use proven “old-fashioned” methods - they treat the soil mixture with an infusion of garlic, calendula or mustard.

Potassium permanganate and copper sulfate

Good old potassium permanganate, which is no longer so easy to obtain, helps to quickly disinfect planting soil. A pink solution is used. To prepare it, 1 g of the substance is dissolved in 1 liter of water so that all the crystals are completely dissolved.

Immediately after processing, the containers with soil are tied, and the seedling containers are tightly covered with film.

Potassium permanganate is also used to disinfect containers, cups and pots before their subsequent use.

Some gardeners water the seedling soil with a weak solution of copper sulfate (1 teaspoon per 5 liters of water).

How to heat the earth in the oven? What time is it, what is the temperature? and got the best answer

Answer from Dan Bessonova[guru]
In general, during heat treatment, most of the vitamins are lost, nutrients change structure and lose value
A microwave completely changes the structure of the earth, but here’s a recommendation.
# Steaming in the oven. The damp soil is poured in a thin layer onto a baking sheet, covered on top to avoid active evaporation of moisture, stirring occasionally and kept in the oven for 1 hour at a temperature of 100-120° C.
# Steaming in a microwave oven is a short-term treatment of wet soil at high temperature. The wet soil is placed in a special container or in a bag made of thick polyethylene (you must first make holes in the sealed bag of purchased soil). The optimal time for steaming 0.5 liters of soil is 5 minutes at maximum mode. Or two passes for 2-3 minutes each with mixing the soil between treatments.
# Steaming in water. The soil is poured into a metal container, filled with water until evenly moistened, covered with a lid and kept on low heat for 1 hour.
# Steaming in a water bath. The earth is poured into a metal container, closed with a lid, placed in a larger container with water, covering three-quarters of the container with earth, and kept on fire with water at a low boil for 1-1.5 hours.
# Steaming in a colander. The colander is lined with several layers of gauze or canvas and covered with soil. A colander is secured over a container of boiling water and covered from above. Keep on fire with low boiling water for 1 hour. During the cultivation process, the soil is periodically stirred to ensure uniform heating.
# The earth, poured in a thin layer on a metal tray, is poured with boiling water and then dried.
# Freezing. The soil is kept in severe frost with complete freezing. The easiest way is to leave small packages of soil on the open balcony all winter. Freezing does not rid the soil of many microorganisms and weeds.
Heat treatment also has a downside - immediately after it, the risk of introducing unwanted microorganisms into the soil and their active development in a sterile environment increases; the natural microflora of the soil takes a long time to recover. Calcining the soil without moisture instead of steaming leads to a change in the structure of the soil, turning it into dust. Exceeding the recommended temperature for soil treatment (especially commercial soil with numerous additives) can lead to the formation of undesirable compounds.
To “revitalize” sterile soil, it is recommended to use biological products - Trichodermin, Planriz, Baikal, Vozrozhdenie and others. A dry biological preparation is added to the soil that has cooled after heat treatment, or the soil is spilled with its aqueous solution.
You can sterilize only the most dangerous components (turf, leaf, humus, coniferous, heather soil), and then add relatively clean peat.
Sand, expanded clay, pebbles, gravel are washed to clean water, poured into a metal container, filled with water and kept on fire at low boil for 30-60 minutes.
The bark, roots of fern, sphagnum moss, and cones are briefly treated with boiling water before use.
The risk of pests and diseases is significantly reduced with the transition to substrates that do not contain humus and consist of peat, perlite, vermiculite, coconut fiber, and bark.
Chemical treatment allows you to get rid of pests and pathogens. The soil mixture, spread in a thin layer on a tray, is spilled with a solution of potassium permanganate (hot solution of potassium permanganate, 0.5-1 g per liter of water) or a pesticide (fungicide, insecticide, acaricide). Tilling the soil with biological products containing microorganisms that are antagonists of soil pathogens is more natural, but less reliable.
Thermal and chemical treatment of the soil is carried out 1-3 weeks before use to restore soil microflora.
Dana Bessonova
Thinker
(9520)
I wrote that this is harmful, read more carefully. By the way, my earthen mites did not die after calcining the earth in the oven. and so you know, I restored the soil with EMKO