best way to wash plant pots?

A._Badger

You're not wrong.

After all, if cold weather killed such things, how would we ever survive to plague us?

Lotus-eater

Blight cannot survive in this country overwinter, not only have I believed that for quite some time, despite being told the opposite for many years, but I have also just read it in my HDRA Organic bible book.
If you have clubroot, then very obviously you will have to deal with it by being scrupulously clean, which involves doing everything needed. And presumably it wouldn't be a good idea to use brassica modules year after year without a clean, so I don't.
Powdery Mildew overwinters on plant material, much more likely for that to be on your plot I would think, not in a pot.

I have a problem with white rot since last year and obviously everything that comes into contact with that soil I wash and clean thoroughly before using it anywhere else in the garden.

You just need a bit of common sense.

Btw Bob Flowerdew doesn't wash his pots either, he's actually done alot of stuff that he talks about instead of some gardening experts who just repeat the same old mantra. For example, we know that we shouldn't keep planting tomatoes in greenhouse soil, year after year, right? Well Bob found it actually took over 20 years to have a build up of problems before the yield reduced and he stopped.

Davesnave

Some people just have OCD about this though!

BTW, silvercharming, I think you mean 'club root.'

Larumbelle

Davesnave wrote: »

BTW, silvercharming, I think you mean 'club root.'

I'd had a few glasses of wine by that point, does it show? :rotfl: I was going to change my post, but on reflection I think I'll leave it there as a testament to the perils of homebrew

Murrell

Thanks for your replies. I won't bother then, apart from seed trays. I never have so far, but wondered if I should! One less thing to worry about.

thanks
Sandra

Davesnave

silvercharming wrote: »

I'd had a few glasses of wine by that point, does it show? :rotfl: I was going to change my post, but on reflection I think I'll leave it there as a testament to the perils of homebrew

TBH, your posts are more literate and make better sense than many others, regardless of your alcoholic intake.

Back in the earlier days of 'puters, when I used to play Colin McRae's rally game, there was an optimum point of between two & three whiskies when my scores would actually improve. After that, it was all downhill, or through the hedge!

A._Badger

Lotus-eater wrote: »

Btw Bob Flowerdew doesn't wash his pots either, he's actually done alot of stuff that he talks about instead of some gardening experts who just repeat the same old mantra. For example, we know that we shouldn't keep planting tomatoes in greenhouse soil, year after year, right? Well Bob found it actually took over 20 years to have a build up of problems before the yield reduced and he stopped.

I think that's a bit unfair on experts like Stefan Buczacki, Peter Seabrook or some of the people at the RHS - many of whom have been gardening for a lot longer than Bob Flowerdew.

As for the advisability of washing pots, I think you are overlooking quite a few potential problems - not least of which are vine weevil (and other) eggs that can lurk in the rims and undersides of pots and trays.Then there's TMV - not sure I'd want to take risks with that or other pathogens. Interestingly, there was a comment about findng vine weevil eggs in pots in a Gardening News article a couple of weeks ago.

In the end it's down to personal choice and I'm sure people get away with all sorts of things. In my garden, though, I prefer not to take to take risks with sowing seeds, so trays and pots get washed.

Lotus-eater

A._Badger wrote: »

In the end it's down to personal choice and I'm sure people get away with all sorts of things. In my garden, though, I prefer not to take to take risks with sowing seeds, so trays and pots get washed.

I think that's right, after searching very quickly on other forums, it seems to be split between those that do and those that don't.

I don't have vine weevils and I suspect it would be better to wash bought in used pots after using them.
You've got me wondering if I should wash mine now tbh life is too short, but if I wanted everything to be perfect I would.

A._Badger

I don't wash everything - just seed-sowing equipment and small pots when I'm potting on. You're right - life is too short to wash the lot!

Vine weevil is a devil. I was pretty sure I hadn't got any until I up-ended a pot a few weeks ago, cleared out the compost and found the little devils in there. I can only conclude that they arrived on a bought-in pelargonium or fuchsia, as I'm building up my stock of these having moved house.

I'm really cross that nurseries are still selling plants infested with vine weevil - there is really no excuse..

maxdp

Lotus-eater wrote: »

That would be fine to wash them in, I don't bother washing them at all.

Hi as a newbie I did not do any more than not wash or last year washing up liquid. Most of the time it was ok but then there was obviously something cause I lost lots of seeds and seedlings.

Now Jeyes Fluid diluted just to make sure.:D