[Goldfinger]

I have a few bags of weedy soil to get rid of but, instead of hauling them to the tip (non-compostable weeds) and over time lose bed height etc,

Could I build a small fire, say in a barrel, put a metal sheet over it and then roast/cook the weedy soil to kill the weeds etc, and then return the 'safe' soil back on to the bed?

I think I posted a similar question a while back, but can't remember... 

Must be 'losing it', memory's going..... 

[JayG]

I'm sure I'm not the only one to have pondered how to turn weedy, seedy, and possibly infected soil or compost into something sterile and wonderful...(OK, it might just be you and me Goldfinger!) 

I think the main problem might be trying to "cook" it all evenly at the right temperature to achieve all that (could burn at the bottom and still be too cool at the top - my guess would be an even temperature of about 80C to do the job.)

Give it a go, and let us know what happens (if you remember!) 

[arugula]

I think I posted a similar question a while back, but can't remember... 

It must be a good idea then.

[Kleftiwallah]

I remember at school we had a steam powered soil steraliser.  It used to stink somthin' 'orrid!        Cheers,     Tony.

[Goldfinger]

I can just remember my grandad doing a similar thing for his tomato bed...

8x4 sheet of metal (usualy a piece of corrugated roof), he would build a good sized fire and have the sheet proped up at each corner with bricks.

On goes some soil, leveled out to about 4-6 inches thick, he would then have a watering can with Jeyes Fluid and water in...

He would douse the soil, get it steaming - turn it - douse it again - steam it / cook it again, then remove and leave it to cool.

He would use this soil as a base/bed for his 'ring cultured' tomatoes, instead of the normal way of growing toms' in pots and compost.

[JayG]

Think your grandad probably had a good idea there (not at all sure about distilling Jeyes fluid into the atmosphere though!) 

[Goldfinger]

I can remember the smell...

Bet the recipe's changed since then though.

Plus because of all this environmental stuff now, I bet it's a no no to use Jeyes.

[DD.]

Don't even go there!

[potatogrower]

you could start a small fire with dry wood. let it burn well and slowly throw a shovel of the old compost over the fire, hopefullly the heat will burn off any seeds or roots. let the steam go away and then throw another shovel. once all done let it go out by it self and spread over plot. advantage is you've got the charcoal wood in it and that will help with nutrients.

[mumofstig]

This old thread may be worth reading 
http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=73954.msg841719#msg841719

[Goldfinger]

The linky bit don't work. 

[DD.]

Works OK for me.

[snowdrops]

Did for me too

Back in November I  did something like this with the new plot I'm clearing, I got a good wood fire burning & then towards the end of the day when I needed to put it out (we have to at 5pm )I covered it with the soil that was rife with weeds from some raised beds that we had dismantled.
I have yet to dig through the soil to see what has happened but am due to do that tomorrow so will report back

[Goldfinger]

The link in the link?

The one that directs you to the dialect bit?

[Yorkie]

I think you can get the gist of the main thread, even though the link to the Kentish dialect site is broken