HOW TO STERILIZE PLANT GERMINATION MATERIAL

To ensure healthy transplants, start these seeds in pathogen-free soil. Most garden centers
sell sterile potting mixes, but home gardeners can use safe, non-chemical methods to
sterilize small amounts of soil at home.
Treat soil before seeding or transplanting. Soil to be treated should crumble easily and be
without clods or large pieces of plant debris. The soil also must be moist, but not wet. Gently
squeeze a handful of soil. When the hand is opened, the soil ball should break apart
somewhat. If it doesn't and if the ball cannot be broken by gently pushing on its top, the soil
is too wet. If the soil is too dry, add water. Add any amendments -- manure, compost or peat
moss -- before treatment.
Four simple and easy to use methods for sterilizing the growing medium are given below:
1. Oven Method- Spread soil not more than four inches deep in non-plastic containers,
such as seed flats, clay pots and glass or metal baking pans. Cover each container
tightly with aluminum foil. Set the oven between 180 and 200 F. Heat the soil to at
least 180 F; keep at this temperature for 30 minutes. Do not allow the temperature
to go above 200 F. High temperatures may produce plant toxins. After heating, cool,
remove containers from the oven and leave aluminum foil in place until ready to use.
The heated soil will give off an odor.

2 Microwave Method- Oven Method-You also can sterilize soil in a microwave.

Microwave soil for 90 seconds per kilogram on full power. Don't use metal containers
and aluminum foil when using a microwave.
3

Pressure Cooker Method- Pour several cups of water into the cooker. On a rack
above the water, place shallow pans containing no more than four inches of soil.
Level the soil, but do not pack it down. Cover each container with aluminum foil.
Stack the containers to allow steam circulation. Close the lid, but leave the steam
valve open somewhat until all the air is forced out and steam begins to escape. Then
close the steam valve and heat at 10 pounds pressure for 15 minutes. Turn off the
heat, allow the containers to cool and remove. Leave the aluminum foil in place until
you use the soil.

4 Steam Sterilization Without Pressure- Pour about an inch of water into the
sterilizing container. Follow the soil preparation procedures for the pressure cooker
method. Place filled containers on a rack to keep them out of the water. Close the lid
and bring the water to a boil. Open the lid just enough to prevent pressure build-up.
When steam begins to escape, continue boiling for 30 minutes. Then turn off the
heat and replace the lid. Remove soil when cool.
5 Black Plastic to Sterilize Soil-You may think harsh chemicals must be used to
sterilize soil, but plastic sheeting that captures heat from the sun can also kill weeds,
fungi, bacteria and some nematodes in the soil. Clear plastic sheeting is often
recommended because the sun's rays are able to penetrate through to heat the soil
to hotter temperatures, but in areas with long, sunny days, black plastic is an
effective method -- with the added benefit of suppressing weeds. Called soil
solarization, this process isn't practical in foggy coastal areas but works well in areas
with four to eight weeks of hot, sunny weather.
The step wise method is given below:
Till the top 8 to 12 inches of soil to break up any large clods. The area should be a
minimum of 2 1/2 feet wide to build up enough heat to kill bacteria.
Rake the soil to remove debris and create a smooth, flat surface.

 Dig a small trench approximately 3 inches deep around the perimeter of the area to
be treated. A small shovel or garden hoe is all you need to dig this trench.
Saturate the soil to a depth of at least 1 foot so the soil is better able to conduct heat.
Stretch a sheet of ultraviolet-resistant black plastic over the soil, ensuring it is tight
enough to come in direct contact with the soil across the entire sheet. Thinner plastic
allows the soil to heat up better but also tears more easily. Use plastic with a
thickness of 1 to 4 mils for best results.
Fill in the ditch around the perimeter with soil to hold the plastic in place. You may
also wish to add rocks to the edges to help hold down the plastic.
Place crushed aluminum cans on top of the plastic to act as spacers for a second
layer of plastic, if desired.
Stretch a second piece of black plastic over the first piece of plastic and hold it in
place with additional soil or rocks around the perimeter. The second layer increases
the heat in the soil to aid in solarization. A second sheet is recommended when
using black plastic because the material doesn't generate as much heat as clear
plastic.
Wait eight weeks to allow the soil to heat up and kill the fungi and bacteria. Leaving
plastic on for longer than eight weeks may harm the soil structure, but the maximum
time is best when using black plastic.
Remove the plastic and plant fall-season crops if possible in your area. Wait until the
next growing season in areas with short growing seasons
NOTE: Many heavier soils and soils containing large amounts of organic matter may
release toxic compounds when heated too long or at too high a temperature. These toxins
can cause poor seed germination, plant growth abnormalities or plant death. The toxicity is
caused by an accumulation of ammonium compounds, soluble organic compounds,
minerals or salts that may occur during the heating process.
Use a simple test to determine if the treated soil is toxic. Plant a few lettuce or other seeds
with a high germination rate in the treated soil. If the seed does not germinate, toxic
compounds may be present. To check the validity of the test, plant the same seeds in
untreated soil.
To start seeds indoors, fill containers with soil three-quarters inch from the rim. Place seeds
on the soil surface and cover to the depth indicated on the seed packet. As a general rule,

don't cover more than four times the diameter of the seed. Water the seeds with a fine
spray; avoid flooding the pots. Cover the containers with plastic sheets or glass panes to
increase humidity; place them in a cool room (15-20C) away from direct sunlight until
germination. Once germination occurs, move containers into brighter light over a gradual 2to-3 day period. When the first true leaves develop, thin to one seedling per container if
using peat pots or partitioned trays. If seeds were planted in larger containers, transplant
them to smaller containers or peat pots at this stage.
Harden off seedlings about a week before planting time. Reduce watering slightly to help
plants adjust to full exposure.

Sterilization in an oven

Sterilization in a microoven

Sterilization in a pressure cooker

Sterilization by solarization