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Dog foul

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  • 03-05-2018 9:20pm
    #1
    djh2009
    Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭


    I had a relative living with me for over a year. Their dog was in my back garden. I have a small flower bed which hasn't been used in a few years and I would like to start using it again to grow some vegetables. I'm worried that all the dog droppings weren't cleaned up properly and would like to know how long before I could use it for this purpose or is there something I can get to cleanse the soil of any remnants of the dog, or do I even need to do anything at all ? Thanks in advance


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    #2
    Lumen
    Registered Users Posts: 31,072 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    You might have pathogens (e.g. roundworm eggs) in there but this is the case for all soil.

    All veg should be washed, particularly root veg.


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    #3
    djh2009
    Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭djh2009


    Lumen wrote: »
    You might have pathogens (e.g. roundworm eggs) in there but this is the case for all soil.

    All veg should be washed, particularly root veg.

    Thanks for your reply, Lumen. I will be clearing off the top six inches or so of soil and replacing it with fresh soil. If I do grow any vegetables , even root , would washing everything really well still be enough ?


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    #4
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 49,524 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    how long has it been since the dog was there?
    is your choice to replace the soil based on the dog fouling?


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    #5
    djh2009
    Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭djh2009


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    how long has it been since the dog was there?
    is your choice to replace the soil based on the dog fouling?

    Thanks for the reply.

    The dog is gone a little over a year.
    Yes, I thought , because of the dog fouling , that changing the top layer of soil might help but I have been reading elsewhere that pathogens could last up to ten years in soil.


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    #6
    Lumen
    Registered Users Posts: 31,072 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    If it's only a small bed there's no harm or great effort in getting rid of the top six inches of soil and replacing with some sort of compost, manure, soil mix, although whatever you bring in might equally contain pathogens. Soil is not sterile.

    Washing is fine. The pathogens are on the veg, not in it.


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    #7
    djh2009
    Registered Users Posts: 121 ✭✭djh2009


    Lumen wrote: »
    If it's only a small bed there's no harm or great effort in getting rid of the top six inches of soil and replacing with some sort of compost, manure, soil mix, although whatever you bring in might equally contain pathogens. Soil is not sterile.

    Washing is fine. The pathogens are on the veg, not in it.


    That's great , thanks for your help, Lumen. I know what I'll be doing now for the bank holiday weekend !!


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