I've been revamping my allotment and ended up with about four bags of topsoil that I'm hoping to reuse for my new raised planters. The issue is that this soil is packed with oxalis (or wood sorrel) bulbs and roots, which have been a constant hassle in my garden. I want to avoid letting this pesky plant take over my new beds. Is there a smart way to decontaminate the soil while it's still in the bags? Is sifting my only option? Also, I can't just dump this soil anywhere since my property is mostly concrete. I'm fine with buying new soil too, but I don't want to just give this away without mentioning the oxalis problem.
3 Answers
As for decontaminating the soil, I haven't tried it myself, but hot composting can be effective. The heat might help kill off those pesky bulbs and roots. Just make sure you monitor the temperature!
You could definitely try sifting the soil to remove as many bulbs and roots as possible, but it does take a bit of time. Just be prepared to end up with lots of stones and debris in the process. It's a bit of a workout, but it may really help reduce the amount of oxalis you’ll have to deal with later.
Another thought is that if you really like oxalis, it can actually make a pretty nice ground cover. It's low maintenance and might not interfere too badly with your other plants! But I get that it can be overwhelming if it's everywhere.
Yeah, sifting can be tedious, but it's probably the best way to handle it. You could also consider hot composting the soil if you're open to that!