[missann]

After reading all the scarry things about fungus and mycellium in potting mixes and peat moss on the "fungicide warning" sticky post at the top of this forum, I have decided to tell you guys something that I do when I am not sure of whether or not my potting mix is sterile...

Soak in consan20 (same thing as physan) for 20 min to half an hour.

Wrap in newspaper

Put in microwave until it steams.

USE THE VENTILATION, as if you cook this stuff too long, it will smell the house up like burned dirt.

I also use this method after I bring my orchids in the house to make sure there are no bugs.
To rid of bugs:
If the potting mix is fairly new, and has only been outside for the summer..
1. Remove the majority of the potting mix from the pot. No need to take every last piece off of the roots and stress the plant.
2. Soak the media in water or consan for a few minutes.
3. Microwave until steamy.
4. Rinse to cool in a strainer.
5. Place media back in pot with orchid.

I have been doing this a bit lately, and I have been successful thus far. No need to put it in the oven on a cookie sheet-it makes your house hot and takes a long time.

Plus, the microwaves have an extrememly destructive effect on living organizms and break down enzymes (which could be a good or bad thing) within the first 5 seconds.

If you don't want to re-use the media on your orchids, or if it is too old to re-use you can microwave it and then dump in your garden to use as a mulch. The microwaving will prevent the media from spreading any disease to your other garden plants.