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  • From: "Mike Emers" <rosie-ck AT mosquitonet.com>
  • To: "'Market Farming'" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Market-farming] It's that time of year
  • Date: Wed, 1 Mar 2006 06:02:51 -0900

 Hi

 

It’s that time of year again, when like a baseball fan, I believe life is full of hope, anything is possible, and this is going to be the best season ever . . .

 

It’s time to start my seeds!

 

I was talking to another grower with whom we coop orders and noticed that she replaced all her plastic every year.  I was aghast, not only at the cost, but at the waste of plastic.  She said she used to sterilize her containers every year, but found it easier to start new thus eliminating the pain in the neck of sterilizing all those containers, but also new trays of six packs were much easier to fill.  I couldn’t argue with her on those points but I did wonder about the need to sterilize. 

 

I used to spend considerable time sterilizing my plastic but gave up when my operation grew and grew.  Now I just use the same containers, trays, inserts, etc. over and over and in the last 5 years I‘ve not noticed any ill effects to my seedlings.  We were speculating that since we store our containers outside in temps that can reach -50 or below in the winter, that the harmful bacteria and fungi might be killed – a cold sterilization.  Is it possible that I’m just skating by on not sterilizing because of the cold storage factor or am I pushing my luck?

 

Opinions and thoughts gladly accepted – Go Mariners!

 

Mike Emers

Rosie Creek Farm

Ester, Alaska

 

 




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