Pasteurization: The process of heating a material, such as soil or compost, to a specific temperature for a set period to kill harmful pathogens.
Pasteurization is like giving your soil or compost a hot bath to eliminate any unwanted germs. It’s a heat treatment process that kills harmful bacteria, fungi, and other pathogens that can cause plant diseases. However, it’s not as extreme as sterilization, which kills all living organisms, including beneficial ones.
Pasteurization is often used to make potting mixes or compost safer for seedlings and young plants, which are particularly vulnerable to diseases. It can also help treat soil that’s known to have harmful pathogens. While it might sound complicated, pasteurization can be done at home using an oven or sunlight. Remember to monitor the temperature carefully to avoid killing the beneficial microbes essential for healthy plant growth.
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