Food-Gardening Lessons From A Wartime Victory Garden

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Sterilize Containers for Planting Seeds

Head Start
When reusing containers be sure to properly sterilize them first.

Whether you recycle nursery containers or reuse those from last year’s garden, make sure all are properly sterilized before planting seeds. Containers for planting seeds must always be clean as can be before planting!

Wash out all remnants of soil or organic matter sticking to the sides. Then dip each clean container into a bucket containing a 10% bleach solution to kill any remnants of prior diseases that could attack your seedlings. Wait until your clean, sterilized pots dry before adding OMRI Listed Black Gold Seedling Mix for a safe, sterile germination bed for your seeds. Not only does it do a great job, but this mix is approved for organic gardening!

About Maureen Gilmer

Maureen Gilmer is celebrating her 40th year in California horticulture and photojournalism as the most widely published professional in the state. She is the author of 21 books on gardening, design and the environment, is a widely published photographer, and syndicated with Tribune Content Agency. She is the weekly horticultural columnist for the Desert Sun newspaper in Palm Springs and contributes to Desert Magazine, specializing on arid zone plants and practices for a changing climate. She works and lives in the remote high desert for firsthand observations of native species. Her latest book is The Colorful Dry Garden published by Sasquatch Books. When not writing or photographing she is out exploring the desert on her Arabian horse. She lives in Morongo Valley with her husband Jim and two rescue pit bulls. When not writing or photographing she is usually out riding her quarter horse.

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