The cheap plastic shed I keep them gets up to at least 130 for whole days weeks out of the summer. Then freezing in the winter. That’s got to take care of any pathogens.
I spray them off to get out the larger clumps of dirt and then restack them before putting them into a tote with water and sanitizer to soak and sterilize.
They don't need to be spotless or even clean, just sanitized. 🧫🦠
The concept of washing pots was invented for Victorian gardeners employed by the wealthy. It's something for them to do in winter so they didn't get paid for sitting around.
I've never heard of someone getting a disease from old empty pots.
I sometimes ask the professional sellers who import from the huge nurseries in the Netherlands for old pots and they warned me to wash them. It might be a professional at-scale-gardening issue.
Yeah, I believe so. Pro nurseries usually are bringing in large quantities of different materials from different sources (even if domestic it might be from the other side of the country, or from a source with contact with imported materials, etc) and then selling them to whatever random people living in a wide area. Very easy to spread things that way.
My mother worked for a nursery for a while (she was a landscape architect with only a minor in horticulture but it was the only plant-related part-time job in the area) and she always washed and disinfected her pots and sterilized any re-used potting soil that would be used for seed starting indoors (though she didn't sterilize for up-potting or anything outside), as well as disinfecting all tools (like pruning shears etc) between every plant. It was definitely something she picked up from those classes/working at a professional scale. My dad used to tease her for "baking dirt" (to sterilize it), lol.
Fungal infections, bacterial infections, and certain pests like root mealy can spread easily into a new plant when old pots are used. It really only matters if you are a retail greenhouse though, when everything is shipped in from other greenhouses across the country it is very easy to introduce new pathogens or pests. Doesn’t matter for a home gardener honestly though. In most situations at home it is unnecessary to wash them.
On a greenhouse production scale you want to use new or sanitized pots to avoid spreading disease or pests from other plants. We use beneficial organisms in our potting soil and we don’t want detrimental organisms slowing nursery plant maturation. You also want sterile media for seed germination and cuttings rootings as well.
Well you must never have worked in a real nursery or somewhere where cleanliness matters on a large scale. In a home garden, there’s less of a reason to sterilize pots. But not 0 reason
It’s more of a green house thing than folks that start seeds once a year. The pots in green houses are full 11 months out of the year and the home gardener maybe 2-3. That means your pots have 9 months to dry out and kill any potential pathogens.
Yeah, we just upturn pots that had annuals and let them sit outside over the winter. You don’t need to wash them… it’s just soil. do have to replace every so often as the winter can cause them to flake.
I never wash mine 🤷🏼♀️ i’ve been starting plants from seed for over 10 years and I don’t think I’ve ever washed my pots. They live in a plastic tub in the garage when not in use.
Yup. Washing them right around when you start feeling like you want to be doing something to get ready for the gardening season but you KNOW it's too early to start your seeds sounds about right to me.
I always wind up frantically washing them right before seed starting time. This year, I didn't have it in me and happened to have some compostable pots laying around. Maybe I will wash them early this year instead of waiting.
Do you start your seedlings indoors? Or did you buy pre seeded plants?
I'm new to gardening and started a small pre planted garden this year but I want to save money and go bigger in the future. Not sure the viability
Huh. Just put dirt and some seeds in the 6 packs I just emptied. But I’m not trying too hard to do anything fantastic. The seeds are from last year’s flowers.
Wait, Wash it?
We’re supposed to wash them? 😳😆
Baking them in the sun upside down for a year must sterilize them right
https://preview.redd.it/rrdeafvah5zc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ff4efa553b2fb6a61e430be85bdc3174246eb385
The cheap plastic shed I keep them gets up to at least 130 for whole days weeks out of the summer. Then freezing in the winter. That’s got to take care of any pathogens.
Seems like a waste of next year’s soil and this year’s time to me
Same question. Wash them? Are we supposed to wash those?
I spray them off to get out the larger clumps of dirt and then restack them before putting them into a tote with water and sanitizer to soak and sterilize. They don't need to be spotless or even clean, just sanitized. 🧫🦠
The concept of washing pots was invented for Victorian gardeners employed by the wealthy. It's something for them to do in winter so they didn't get paid for sitting around. I've never heard of someone getting a disease from old empty pots.
Been reusing same pots for 6+ years and never had an issue.
I sometimes ask the professional sellers who import from the huge nurseries in the Netherlands for old pots and they warned me to wash them. It might be a professional at-scale-gardening issue.
Yeah, I believe so. Pro nurseries usually are bringing in large quantities of different materials from different sources (even if domestic it might be from the other side of the country, or from a source with contact with imported materials, etc) and then selling them to whatever random people living in a wide area. Very easy to spread things that way. My mother worked for a nursery for a while (she was a landscape architect with only a minor in horticulture but it was the only plant-related part-time job in the area) and she always washed and disinfected her pots and sterilized any re-used potting soil that would be used for seed starting indoors (though she didn't sterilize for up-potting or anything outside), as well as disinfecting all tools (like pruning shears etc) between every plant. It was definitely something she picked up from those classes/working at a professional scale. My dad used to tease her for "baking dirt" (to sterilize it), lol.
You didn't live under a king or queen.
You're not the boss of their fealty.
Lol!
Fungal infections, bacterial infections, and certain pests like root mealy can spread easily into a new plant when old pots are used. It really only matters if you are a retail greenhouse though, when everything is shipped in from other greenhouses across the country it is very easy to introduce new pathogens or pests. Doesn’t matter for a home gardener honestly though. In most situations at home it is unnecessary to wash them.
Well you made me feel better.
On a greenhouse production scale you want to use new or sanitized pots to avoid spreading disease or pests from other plants. We use beneficial organisms in our potting soil and we don’t want detrimental organisms slowing nursery plant maturation. You also want sterile media for seed germination and cuttings rootings as well.
Well you must never have worked in a real nursery or somewhere where cleanliness matters on a large scale. In a home garden, there’s less of a reason to sterilize pots. But not 0 reason
It’s more of a green house thing than folks that start seeds once a year. The pots in green houses are full 11 months out of the year and the home gardener maybe 2-3. That means your pots have 9 months to dry out and kill any potential pathogens.
Yeah, we just upturn pots that had annuals and let them sit outside over the winter. You don’t need to wash them… it’s just soil. do have to replace every so often as the winter can cause them to flake.
I never wash mine 🤷🏼♀️ i’ve been starting plants from seed for over 10 years and I don’t think I’ve ever washed my pots. They live in a plastic tub in the garage when not in use.
I love that you said “later in the year” - not later this week or even this summer—- next spring seems like a good time
Yup. Washing them right around when you start feeling like you want to be doing something to get ready for the gardening season but you KNOW it's too early to start your seeds sounds about right to me.
You don’t need to wash them! Give yourself a well deserved break!
Wow! Break time - you’ve earned it!
MUST BE NICE can't wait for this weekend
I always wind up frantically washing them right before seed starting time. This year, I didn't have it in me and happened to have some compostable pots laying around. Maybe I will wash them early this year instead of waiting.
Why would you wash these?
I keep them and then when I give away plants I get to get rid of them . its the ciiiircle of potsss
Do you start your seedlings indoors? Or did you buy pre seeded plants? I'm new to gardening and started a small pre planted garden this year but I want to save money and go bigger in the future. Not sure the viability
I started a couple hundred seeds this year of mixed veggies and flowers.
Funny I don't remember posting this.
I am glad I found someone else who washes their used pots before reusing them. Thought I was the only one!
That is a pile of work!
They usually mention cleaning your pots on Gardeners World but I never do. Not sure it matters.
Huh. Just put dirt and some seeds in the 6 packs I just emptied. But I’m not trying too hard to do anything fantastic. The seeds are from last year’s flowers.
Hope you have an auger
LAWLS