[eli]

hello all :-)

i'm new here, and will need bits of advice here and there :-)
can i sterilize compost in which i grew kale prior to it succumbing to cabbage root fly?

thanks in advance

[Yorkie]

Welcome to the site eli 

There aren't any safe or legal ways that I can think of to sterilise compost.  Did you have the fly earlier in the season?

[azubah]

I am wondering where the pest over-winters. Does it do it as grubs, pupae, or does it fly off somewhere?
If you grow another non-brassica type crop perhaps you do not have to sterilize it?

welcome Eli

[solway cropper]

There aren't any safe or legal ways that I can think of to sterilise compost.

Don't tell me that putting it in a baking tray and sticking it in the oven is illegal 

That's how I sterilize the mole-hill soil that I used for seed compost.

[Salmo]

Cabbage root fly overwinters is a pupae in the soil. These are shiny red-brown about 6mm long.

When the flies hatch in the Spring their one purpose in life is to mate and then lay their eggs on soil close to a brassica plant. Obvoiusly if you grow brassicas in the same compost they will be the nearest.

To avoid damage from cabbage root fly place collars on the soil around each plant. You can buy these but you can make them yourself. Use whatever is handy. e.g roofing felt, pond liner cardboard, underlay. Cut discs 15cm diameter. Cut a slit to the centre. Cut a small hole at the centre about stem size. Place a collar round each plant.

If a cabbage root fly lays its eggs next to your plant it will be on the collar and as it is unable to crawl quickly into the soil to nibble the roots it will perish. Simple but it works.

[eli]

thanks for all your welcomes and help :-)
i got the fly really late in the season it seemed, everyhtin was well established and lookin very good otherwise.
by the time i realized i should have collars and got them them on 'em it was too late and i only have one plant left un-killed.
i'm new to all this so i'll know for next year, total rookie mistake eh?
with puttin the compost in the oven, how long does it take to kill most stuff off?
i'll give that a go.

[totalnovice]

There aren't any safe or legal ways that I can think of to sterilise compost.

Don't tell me that putting it in a baking tray and sticking it in the oven is illegal 

That's how I sterilize the mole-hill soil that I used for seed compost.

My grandad used to do this! It used to send my gran mad because he ised to put it in the oven when she was cooking in it 'to save heat' was his excuse! 

[Salmo]

Small amounts of compost can be steralised in a microwave. Do not give it too long or the organic matter will start to burn. A minute is what I have used for a half seed tray which seems to get the compost hot enough.

[eli]

grand :-)
well, i'll try both the oven and the microwave methods and see how it goes.
i'm glad i don't necessarily need to waste the compost.

[AndyRVTR]

My grandad used to do this! It used to send my gran mad because he ised to put it in the oven when she was cooking in it 'to save heat' was his excuse! 
[/quote] 
  That is sooooooooooo funny....

[Yorkie]

There aren't any safe or legal ways that I can think of to sterilise compost.

Don't tell me that putting it in a baking tray and sticking it in the oven is illegal 

That's how I sterilize the mole-hill soil that I used for seed compost.

Not illegal, but as others have said, a fire risk  - need to take care

[Trikidiki]

If you've got £340 too spare you can buy a soil steriliser on ebay.

[Salmo]

If you have £340 to spare you can buy 100 bags of compost.