How to sterilise garden soil and why would you do it?

I keep reading garden tips which involve "sterilised soil". What is it and how do you do it and why would you do it and what benefits are there

How to sterilise garden soil and why would you do it?
mainly as a last resort for eradicating pests.


good start when preparing a new garden, to avoid bringing weeds or bugs.


usually done by spreading soil in a thin layer under strong sunlight.
Reply:You heat the soil up and keep it at a certain temperature in order to kill the dormant seeds, weeds and any pests and diseases. You usually do this if you want soil for seed trays. Personally, I'd not waste time and effort doing it but get a bag of good seed compost from your nearest garden centre.
Reply:sterilizing soil is only good if you bought it and it was damp.Usually you put a layer of the soil on a baking sheet and put in oven on approx.400degrees until you smell it "cook". After you let the sterilized soil cool down you can use it indoors for indoor plants.