Sterilizing used mix question

wxcrawler · March 3, 2013

I had quite a bit of 3-2-1 mix that I used last year that I wanted to use again. I've read in this forum that "cooking" the mix can sterilize it. I've got a vertical propane box smoker that turns out to be almost perfect for this. So I did some experimenting today with 4 large roasting pans full of old mix. I fired up my smoker on HIGH ( with no wood, of course ) and left the 4 pans in it for about 6 hours. The smoker maxes out at about 300 degrees inside when it's 60 degrees outside, like today.

It worked pretty well, but I could only get the lowest pan to 170-175 degrees, according to my meat thermometer.

My question is.......is this hot enough? Many of the other threads I read mentioned 180 degrees as the magic number.

I think I'll try 2 pans instead of 4 tomorrow. Maybe I can get the mix hotter that way.

Lee

amideutch · March 4, 2013

http://goorganicgardening.com/soil/h...sterilize-soil

Evidently 180 degrees is not the magic number. Ami

wxcrawler · March 4, 2013

Thanks, Ami. This makes me feel a lot better about what I'm doing.

March 3, 2013	#1
wxcrawler Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 115	Sterilizing used mix question I had quite a bit of 3-2-1 mix that I used last year that I wanted to use again. I've read in this forum that "cooking" the mix can sterilize it. I've got a vertical propane box smoker that turns out to be almost perfect for this. So I did some experimenting today with 4 large roasting pans full of old mix. I fired up my smoker on HIGH ( with no wood, of course ) and left the 4 pans in it for about 6 hours. The smoker maxes out at about 300 degrees inside when it's 60 degrees outside, like today. It worked pretty well, but I could only get the lowest pan to 170-175 degrees, according to my meat thermometer. My question is.......is this hot enough? Many of the other threads I read mentioned 180 degrees as the magic number. I think I'll try 2 pans instead of 4 tomorrow. Maybe I can get the mix hotter that way. Lee

March 4, 2013	#2
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	http://goorganicgardening.com/soil/h...sterilize-soil Evidently 180 degrees is not the magic number. Ami __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'