Reduce disease spread and clean pots and trays

When to do it

After a crop, between propagation batches and when disease is suspected.

What you need

• Brush, water and detergent
• Appropriate labelled disinfectant if needed
• Separate waste containers

How to do it

1. Separate healthy crop remains from suspect diseased material before moving it through the garden.
2. Identify the problem where possible: some diseases require special disposal or reporting. Do not put unknown diseased material into an ordinary cool heap or move it off site without advice.
3. Empty pots and trays. Brush and wash off soil and roots, then rinse; disinfectant cannot work reliably through dirt.
4. Where disinfection is needed, use a suitable product at its labelled dilution and contact time. Rinse if directed, dry and store clean. Never mix cleaning products.
5. Clean tools and footwear after working in an affected area, wash hands and check neighbouring plants. Keep irrigation from carrying contaminated soil to healthy pots.

What success looks like

• New seedlings start in clean containers and suspect waste stays separate.

Watch out for

• Calling a rinse disinfection.
• Using the same dirty tools across affected and healthy plants.

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