Sterilising the soil

jaycee · « **on:** June 16, 2008, 16:50 »

Managed three bucket loads of weeds from two of the raised beds before getting rained off so here I am with a well deserved cut of tea and enjoying reading the Gardening Forum.
Which makes me think about all the weeds in black bags stored "up the back". I tend to leave them for a couple of years to rot down.....OK I know it sounds silly but I can`t bear to think of throwing away stuff that could eventually be returned back to the soil. My garden was a raised beach and after years of adding I still get a surface of sand on top when I have to water.
So...I once saw a programme on TV where the plot holder steralised her own soil. As I remember she seemed to have it in a heap and light a fire and have it burning slowly. Can`t think for the life of me how she did it. Any suggestions folks?
It`s still raining so it looks like I shan`t get out again today apart from picking some veg to have with our dinner.[CODE][CODE]

muntjac · « **Reply #1 on:** June 16, 2008, 18:02 »

yes collect loads of wood , short and tall stuff .make a tipi type fire put loads kindling in the middle and really stack it up .now put a bale of straw around the outside covering it well leave a hole for the air to get in and you be able to light it ,now pile the soil from the bottom to the top of the tipi about a foot thick getting thinner all the time trying not to flatten the tipi . now do a second course of soil agian about a foot thick getting thinner at the top as before now on a late evening go and light it .shut the hole as best you can with soil and let it cook out .mine used to last a couple of days slowly smouldering away .its the same process for making charcoal as used in time before . colect all the soil up afterwards and riddle it for nails etc ,,,,,,,,,,,,,, sorted potash and clean soil. for small amounts put it in a baking tray spray with water cover with baco foil and shove it in a hot oven for 20 mins ... leave the doors open to the house

jaycee · « **Reply #2 on:** June 16, 2008, 19:15 »

Thanks Muntjak.. would love to try it but it sounds very complicated probably a bit too much for me....will have to stick to "cooking" one tray of soil at a time in the Rayburn. I always wonder if heating it like this destroys good stuff as well as the bad bits
Appreciate the imput.

Lee1978 · « **Reply #3 on:** June 16, 2008, 20:32 »

One of the leek growers on our site has an old microwave and generator he uses, Takes him an age though :roll:

jaycee · « **Reply #4 on:** June 17, 2008, 08:27 »

uhm....never thought of that one. I wonder how long he leaves it in. Have an old microwave in the shed.

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