> I'm about to sow some CP seed, and I would like to find out what
> people do to sterilise their growing media. I usually use peat+sand.
> Some people have suggested microwaving it, but is this a good
> idea? I wouldn't be too popular if I happened to cook another
> microwave oven! :-)
I wouldn't bother attempting to sterilise the medium. I've never had
CP seedlings attacked by anything, and I tend to think that if you do
succeed in producing a totally sterile environment, then the first
pathogen to land in it will go berserk, rather than there being a
balance of competing organisms.
Just remembered, I have seen sciara-fly maggots in the soil
sometimes, and dispose of these with a bit of insecticide, as they
are always likely to chew through the roots, though I think they
mainly go for the peat rather than the plants.
-- Clarke Brunt (clarke@brunt.demon.co.uk)