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maryjoz5

is bleaching reused ws containers necessary?

MaryJoZ5
9 years ago

I want to reuse about 50 of my milk jugs that I used for ws last year. I am wondering if rinsing/ washing them out at the end of last season is good enough or do I need to bleach them like I did before I used them the first time?

Comments (12)

  • PVick
    9 years ago

    Unless you had some intense insect infestation in your jugs, I think it would be okay just to rinse/wash them out. I do that, using hot water and dish detergent.

    PV

  • MaryJoZ5
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks, I will try to plant some tomorrow. It supposed to be in the 40s again tomorrow here in IA.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    9 years ago

    for the half hour.. the 30 cents of bleach ... why skip it ... ?????

    naw.. you dont have to ...

    but if the carp hits the fan.. will you shrug.. or beat yourself up about it ....????? ... are you a self blamer????

    precaution is usually 99% of the cure ... just do it ... you are asking for an excuse to be lazy ...

    here in z5 MI ... it was 40sih yesterday .... i would have filled a 5 gal bucket ... with 10% bleach ... dipped, scrubbed.. and thrown them in the snow ... and been done with it .... and i would have called it.. peace of mind ....

    ken

  • southerngardening24
    9 years ago

    ken sounds like you just called her lazy. that's really rude.

  • morz8 - Washington Coast
    9 years ago

    MaryJo, I don't sterilize clean washed containers that I'm placing outdoors. Nothing outdoors is sterile. With damp off not an issue in these outside containers, there is no reason to want everything flawlessly germ free as can be necessary inside where everything but temperature is reduced....moisture, light, circulation of air.

    I've even sown in things I've only rinsed clean, not washed.
    Work smarter, not harder ;)

  • ladyrose65
    9 years ago

    Southerngardener, Ken is of a different breed. Its his sense of humor. I think he is saying use the bleach for added insurance. I reused some containers and soil from last season, I used bleach on the containers and sprayed Lysol on the soil. I always mix yellow cornmeal to ward off that green scummy layer that develops over time. It would not hurt.

  • morz8 - Washington Coast
    9 years ago

    Lady rose, are you using the corn meal with a very light hand? You do realize its a natural germination inhibitor. Corn gluten is natures âÂÂweed and feedâ product - it is the protein portion of cornmeal. I'd want people to know it could decrease germination of any seed, not just weeds. A layer of grit (chick grit) will help to discourage that algae but its there because pots may be a little moist or not draining quickly enough....something I have to be careful of here in the PNW.

  • ladyrose65
    9 years ago

    No morz8, I did not know that. I used it because it was recommended on this site when I first started Wsing. I do use it lightly so I do have germination. But definitely something to think about. Thank You.

  • morz8 - Washington Coast
    9 years ago

    Ladyrose, just google 'corn meal seeds germination' and you'll find all kinds of articles. Organic or conservative gardeners will dress beds with it to inhibit weeds, use it on lawns as a pre emergent for weeds. It seems counterproductive to me to use it in seed pots. I want happy little content seeds that will grow for me ;)

    You can even find it at garden centers, hardware stores in the herbicide sections, packaged as pre emergent herbicide for weed control....where you are then paying about quadruple the cost :)

  • caryltoo Z7/SE PA
    9 years ago

    Morz8, are you talking plain old ordinary corn meal? Does it actually work? Come to think of it, Preen looks a bit like cornmeal :)

    Caryl

  • morz8 - Washington Coast
    9 years ago

    Caryl, I don't know from experience how well it works, I've just seen it suggested and discussed on the gardening shows and in articles. I hand weed, and top dress/mulch my beds at least once a year to keep any weed seeds from germinating. In my old garden, it had been so many years since a weed was there long enough it went to seed, felt like I was on top of it. But I'm still working on this garden, neglected many years and almost an acre.

    I do stay strictly organic with my lawn, it's my love-hate relationship with the many deer and chipmunks (lots of birds too) added to me being down on it myself and not wanting to be crawling on chemicals ;) But corn meal isn't something I've used.

  • MaryJoZ5
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    ladyrose65, I use Burpee eco friendly organic seed starting mix for the top layer when sowing my indoor seeds to prevent any scum on the soil surface. It has coconut coir in it and dries faster than my regular potting mix. It also has a little bit of chicken fertilizer in it I believe. It has that nice gritty texture you're looking for. I only use it on the top layer to save money.

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