Fabric grow bags – recycle or not, that is the question

[garybo]

Like many of the farmers here, I grow outdoor in 10 gal fabric bags. This coming year will be my 3rd year with these bags and the soil.

Last year my crop was contaminated with mold, causing me to harvest earlier and lighter then I had planned on.

After the grow season I remove the medium from the bags and store it in plastic garbage cans. The bags are cleaned by lightly water-blasting, and when dry are stored in a dry area on concrete floor.

This season I had planned on putting the new seedlings into the stored bags and soil. While discussing this with my better-half, the subject came up about a possible flaw in the plan.

What if the bags and/or soil have any contaminates of the mold that created havoc on last year’s ladies?

Now I’m wondering if I should start off new and buy new bags as well as the medium, which will cost a small fortune obviously, but I also would hate to lose another crop just to save a few hundred bucks.

Your thoughts are very welcomed.

garybo

 

[Phytoplankton]

Your better half might not like it (your call on whether you tell her), but I'd spray them off well with water and wash them in the washing machine on hot, that should kill off any residual pathogens, you could even put them in the dryer once clean, that would double kill any bad stuff. I duck hunt, and at the end of the season my camo burlap and netting is filthy dirty, I run it through the washer (I do it when the wife is not around).

 

[garybo]

Your better half might not like it (your call on whether you tell her), but I'd spray them off well with water and wash them in the washing machine on hot, that should kill off any residual pathogens, you could even put them in the dryer once clean, that would double kill any bad stuff. I duck hunt, and at the end of the season my camo burlap and netting is filthy dirty, I run it through the washer (I do it when the wife is not around).

@Phytoplankton , you and I think the same, sort of. I was thinking of spraying them with clorox and wash with light waterblasting. But your method may be what the doctored ordered, and knowing the miss's she will go along with it.
Any thoughts about the soil?

 

[Phytoplankton]

I'm assuming it was bud mold/rot. If so, it's endemic and everywhere, even if you sterilized the soil, the mold spores are in the air, you can't really protect against them, you can only mitigate the conditions to make it harder for the mold to survive, i.e., lower humidity, particularly when in flower, judicious watering, maybe even cleaning the inside of the tent and utensils with a chlorine solution before a new grow, and of course, watching the buds like a hawk! You could just get new soil if you're really conerned, but theres no guarantee that it is mold free, or will stay that way.

 

[bluter]

wash the hell out of them and go.

a friend uses an auto pressure washer, then takes them to a laundromat with huge extractors. he did that for 5 yrs solid before legal. and still goes today. he takes sandwiches and shares them with the owner and mostly old folk who do laundry there.

 

[Regrowth]

I wash like you were thinking of doing it. Hit em with some bleach and wash on low. Maybe the roots that grow into the fabric can be brushed out or something but mine still have left over roots even after being washed. lol Like @Phytoplankton mentioned, spores are everywhere so your best mitigation will always be to keep your environment in check. Doesn't hurt to wash things though, especially if you're going from outdoors to indoors like I was.

 

[garybo]

I'm assuming it was bud mold/rot

@Phytoplankton , it was mold/rot.
The garden is outside and I'm on the east coast of the US. I understand my neighboring-state farmers also experienced the unusual heavy late summer rains during the day that produced high moisture nights. Buds could not dry out. In desperation I bought a 5' shop fan and let run in the evenings, it may have helped a little, but only a little.
Thanks for your reply and looking forward to our next encounter at the watering hole.

 

[garybo]

he takes sandwiches and shares them with the owner and mostly old folk who do laundry there.

@bluter , Cool story and your friend seems to be an OK guy, but what would expect from a fellow farmer.

 

[garybo]

Maybe the roots that grow into the fabric can be brushed out or something but mine still have left over roots even after being washed

@Regrowth , same here, I have had to hand pull the roots out of the fabric, still those little fingers seem to be embedded.

 

[PaleSun]

Hi @garybo I grow outside too, and for the last couple years I've used a hoop greenhouse. It's open at the ends for ventilation, but no rain falls on the plants. The whole thing sits on top of a 2x6 lumber frame stage to keep it off the ground.

Also, probably a good idea to cycle some of that soil/pot-mix every year. There will be residuals from the fertilizer you use that will build up over time. I usually dump all mine in a pile outside for the winter, then use about half of it for the next year's crop.

Cheers man

 

[garybo]

Hi @garybo I grow outside too, and for the last couple years I've used a hoop greenhouse. It's open at the ends for ventilation, but no rain falls on the plants. The whole thing sits on top of a 2x6 lumber frame stage to keep it off the ground.

Also, probably a good idea to cycle some of that soil/pot-mix every year. There will be residuals from the fertilizer you use that will build up over time. I usually dump all mine in a pile outside for the winter, then use about half of it for the next year's crop.

Cheers man

@PaleSun , great advise on both the greenhouse as well a the soil recycle.
You got me seriously thinking about how to build that greenhouse you suggested. Also, never gave much thought about cycling the soil to reduce the feeding residuals, make sense and thanks for your input.
Always nice to talk to another farmer that grows similar to my style.
Take care

 

[Emilya Green]

I wash and reuse mine too. I found out early on that the spraying them down with the garden hose or a car wash sprayer was a very important step... perlite is very bad for washing machines. I didn't want to use bleach (black bags) but I did use some laundry soap to help dislodge the roots and soil, and then I run them through a second washing to get rid of the soap before drying them on hot. It is surprising how many bugs can ride along into the new grow from an unsterilized used grow bag.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

I fill a 5 gal pail with water to anchor it, put the bag over the pail and pressure wash the crap out of it. Then off to the washing machine.

 

[irocu88]

Hmmmm, never even considered the fabric pots to need washing.... maybe I need to do this. lol

 

[Phytoplankton]

Washing fabric pots occasionally keeps the pores open and washes out the fine sediments that keep the bags from draining as efficiently. It also clears out any leftover nute salts.

 

[irocu88]

Makes perfect sense, just never thought about it.....and now that I look. They need it.lol

 

[Porky82]

Like many of the farmers here, I grow outdoor in 10 gal fabric bags. This coming year will be my 3rd year with these bags and the soil.

Last year my crop was contaminated with mold, causing me to harvest earlier and lighter then I had planned on.

After the grow season I remove the medium from the bags and store it in plastic garbage cans. The bags are cleaned by lightly water-blasting, and when dry are stored in a dry area on concrete floor.

This season I had planned on putting the new seedlings into the stored bags and soil. While discussing this with my better-half, the subject came up about a possible flaw in the plan.

What if the bags and/or soil have any contaminates of the mold that created havoc on last year’s ladies?

Now I’m wondering if I should start off new and buy new bags as well as the medium, which will cost a small fortune obviously, but I also would hate to lose another crop just to save a few hundred bucks.

Your thoughts are very welcomed.

garybo

All soil has spores of mould in it. I would as others say give them a good wash or maybe a blast with a pressure washer then reuse them.

 

[Melville Hobbes]

I just toss them in a tote full of water and some laundry soap and rough hand wash them. Then do the same thing in plain water, and then hit them with a hose just to make sure the soap is gone. Don't have to worry about anything in the washing machine that way.