pot cleaning

[ralphrmartin]

My dishwasher lasted 10 years washing pots in it. The pump did go in the end...

[ChrisR]

I know why people do it.....I used to wash pots.....don't bother now and haven't done for 20 years.

I just knock out the loose stuff and start again. Anyone else not bother washing them?

[gerald]

Dishwasher for me too, though I always rinse under the tap first to remove stones etc

[ralphrmartin]

I know why people do it.....I used to wash pots.....don't bother now and haven't done for 20 years.

I just knock out the loose stuff and start again. Anyone else not bother washing them?

If I am re-using the pot, at least some of the time, the previous plant in the pot died. Even if if didn't, there may be bits of root stuck to the pot that are now dead. I prefer to avoid sources of infection if possible,

[ChrisR]

If I am re-using the pot, at least some of the time, the previous plant in the pot died. Even if if didn't, there may be bits of root stuck to the pot that are now dead. I prefer to avoid sources of infection if possible,

As I said Ralph, I appreciate why most people wash them. Most will think better safe than sorry, but I just wonder how valid that is....the disease part I mean. It has to be theory as I doubt anyone can say for sure that a plant died because the pot wasn't absolutely sterile.

[ralphrmartin]

I'm not expecting the dishwashing to absolutely sterilise the pots, Chris, but if it reduces the amount of fungal spores, bacteria, etc by say 99%, that should give the new plant a better chance of success, I believe.

It's also easier to stack the recycled pots up if they are not full of gubbins.

[ChrisR]

I'm not expecting the dishwashing to absolutely sterilise the pots, Chris, but if it reduces the amount of fungal spores, bacteria, etc by say 99%, that should give the new plant a better chance of success, I believe.

It's also easier to stack the recycled pots up if they are not full of gubbins.

Both valid points Ralph.....I don't believe I've ever had a disease problem through lack of washing but I do have a problem with "gubbins" making them difficult to separate when stacked.

[Phil_SK]

But are you raising seed sealed in bags? It's those rather special conditions that benefit from being spore-free.

[ralphrmartin]

No. I use a propagator, and water the seeds / seedlings every day with chinosol+fertiliser solution. Works well enough for me with a pure mineral soil.

[Herts Mike]

Haven't seen Chinosol for years.

Seems a lot of hard work though. I've grown succesfully from seed for many years and all I do is wash the old pots (square and probably 20+ years old) in a washing up bowl with washing up liquid just to clean them. Let them dry then put back in the bowl and pour boiling water over them. Leave to dry.

For a while now I have made up seed compost of half John Innes and half vermiculite. The grade of JI doesn't matter (1,2 or3). This gives a light fluffy soil. I pass some through a flour sieve to give a topping for small seeds or to cover large seeds. They now go back in the bowl and I water with boiling water into the bowl that the pots can soak up. Leave to drain for a while and then into polythene bags and into the propagator generally (unless autumn sown which don't seem to need the heat).
Having said that I am beginning to wonder whether ordinary potting soil with grit, cat litter etc is just as good. I had some Pelargonium seeds to sow but couldn't be bothered to make up anything special (or clean the pots) and just poked them in and watered with boiling water as above. All came up fine and grew on. I fancy even small seeds could well be fine too. Might experiment this spring with a potful of Rebutias or something.