Home gardeners start preparing seedlings for sowing in the fall. In order to get successful seedlings and a good start to the upcoming garden season, it is important to sterilize the potting soil well. In this article, we will discuss how to prepare your seedlings before sowing them, in which we will get them to develop properly and how to soil disinfection treatment before seedlings plant, together with the bubgo.com website, so that you have the opportunity to make the right decisions.
Why It is Important to Disinfect the Soil Before Sowing Seedlings
We will need potting soil for spring projects, but it should be treated in the fall. Soil for seedlings should preferably be harvested in a forest or field. Soil from gardens, especially from vegetable plots, should not be used. Insects and disease-causing organisms overwinter in it.
Tip: Soil harvested from birch forests is the best choice. This wood is rich in phytohormones that are beneficial to plants. Soil from spruce forests is not recommended because it contains a high percentage of resinous substances that are harmful to the roots of young seedlings.
You can add sawdust and phosphate fertilizer immediately after harvesting the soil in autumn. Universal soil mixtures are suitable for growing any crop.
Many gardeners believe that buying store-bought substrates will help them avoid the work of sterilization. However, a balanced store-bought substrate may not produce positive results: plants will not grow well and will die when grown in it.
Also, store-bought potting soil is not always of high quality. They may contain impurities that are harmful to plants.
Experienced gardeners are advised to pay attention to the preparation of nursery soil in order to produce healthy, vigorous seedlings later. In addition, sterilizing the soil is not a complicated process and should not be neglected. It is recommended to collect seedling soil from birch forests.

How to Sterilize Seedling Soil
Consider how to sterilize the soil so that it retains as many of its valuable properties as possible. Soil is usually prepared in containers (plastic buckets or plastic bags) and placed on balconies or garden plots from autumn onwards to allow time for it to freeze sufficiently.
Frosting the soil will kill some of the pests and bacteria in it. The soil can then be put back into the frost. Repeatedly thawing and freezing the soil will purify it nicely.
Tip: Even purchased soil that is completely ready for planting needs to be forcibly sterilized before use. By treating it, you will not be disappointed with planting seedlings and will be able to obtain friendly shoots.
A. How to disinfect seedling soil at home with a sieve
The first thing to do is to check any soil for the presence of large pests.
1. Take a coarse sieve.
2. Sift the earth through it.
3. The sieve will keep pests, plant parts and weeds on the surface.
It is recommended to apply potassium permanganate to the sieved soil after the sowing process to control soil fungal diseases. Apply 1-2 days before planting.
B. Disinfection of nursery soil with manganese solution
Do not use before sowing: potassium permanganate displaces oxygen in the soil, which has a negative effect on seed germination.
The manganese solution should be dark in color (not pink). Gently moisten the sieved soil with the medium, making sure not to flood the soil so that it does not turn into clods. Then mix the moistened substrate and break up the clods.
After watering with the manganese solution, cover the container with cling film or a lid.
If you harvest the soil from seedlings during a rainy period, fungal infections can occur in the soil. To control the disease, apply copper sulfate crystals to the soil sprinkled with the preparation by eye (a few days before sowing the seedlings).
Tip: Never heat soil in a microwave, especially store-bought soil. If you don't know the chemical composition of the soil you buy, you risk ruining your appliance or even suffering bodily harm. Disinfect the soil with potassium permanganate.
C. Soil disinfection with iodine
Disinfecting the soil with iodine helps fight fungal diseases and improves the immunity of plants. Soil and seedlings should be treated with iodine.
In order to prepare this mixture, you will need.
1.0.26 gals (1 liter) of water.
2.100 gals of milk.
3.6 drops of iodine.
Spray the germinating plants with this iodine solution every day.
D. Phytosporin for soil disinfection of seedlings
Water with phytospore powder or use different concentrations. Do not use all treatments at the same time: it is better to alternate them. Biological agents, especially phytosporins, help seedlings to stretch faster and improve disease resistance.
Sow any plants in soil prepared at least two days before sowing. After treatment, she should breathe smoothly. Seeds are treated separately from the soil.
How do you purify the soil before sowing? Share your experience in the comments!
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