FAQ: How do I sterilize soil?

When making your own potting soil from native soil or trucked in topsoil, it’s a good idea to sterilize that dirt to kill things like weed seeds and diseases before mixing with compost and other ingredients.  Large swaths of ground can be treated in-situ (in place) using plastic and the sun, but it takes time.  Fortunately,  small batches can also be treated using kitchen appliances.  Here’s a how-to article.