Lesson/Discussion #2.... Disinfecting pond plants

[Bonnie]

Should/DO you disinfect newcoming/outgoing pond plants?

Who's responsibility should it be to do this ?

What kind of nasties can be on plants?




... sharing a copy and paste from Tammie "the Queen of Critters" (her words, not mine LOL):

PP doesn't kill everything. It won't kill leeches. And (maybe my snails are tough!) but, Alum didn't kill my snails. PP kills snails. And bacteria along with other critters. Alum for leeches.
Seems the only posts I answer are about snails, leeches and aphids!  I'm the Queen of critters!
So, for disinfecting plants - I have a bit of experience here, I ship plants every week, and they are inspected by the USDA prior to shipping.
So, here goes -  Mix 4 oz of PP into 32 oz or water. This becomes your stock solution. Use 1 drop of stock solution in 1 gallon of water to achieve 2ppm.  You want 24ppm to disinfect plants. You want to mix the PP stock solution into the container that your plants are going to be in, so I just run the hose until it is all mixed up.
CAUTION #1 DO NOT USE THIS STRENGTH OF PP WHEN THERE ARE FISH PRESENT!!
You'll kill them for sure!  Since PP works on the "organic" material if you leave the dirt on your plants you will use up the PP before it can disinfect anything!  You must wash off all of the dirt, and remove any leaves, pads that are history, before you put the plant into the PP.
Most plants I leave in over night, but some are more sensitive and I only leave it in a couple of hours. 
CAUTION #2 - PP WILL STAIN ANYTHING IT TOUCHES!  WEAR GLOVES AND OLD CLOTHES!
 CAUTION #3 - LIKE ALMOST EVERYTHING IN LIFE, PP HAS IT'S DANGERS!  WEAR A DUST MASK, AND DON'T WORK WHERE THE WIND CAN BLOW THE PP BACK INTO YOUR FACE!
PP should be treated with the same respect you would use while working with any other chemical - read the precautions and don't get cocky.
Alum will kill leeches (Ucky! I don?t like them!) 1 Tablespoon per 100 gallons. 
Now, look, I?ve been told that Alum will crash your Ph, so don?t use it in your pond! 
Use it as a pre-treater.  I only found leeches in one of my marginal tanks, the only fish in there were guppies.
  I way overdosed the tank, and didn?t have a single guppy casualty.  But I would never try it in the Koi pond!

[Timgod]

I thoroughly clean anything I get in the mail. I also inspect for snail eggs etc. I haven't ever used a chemical solution for disinfect though.

The only pest item I have ever been struck with was a plant. That darn azolla.
I can get rid of it but it always finds its way back in the winter. I think the birds or frogs are bringing it to me because it can pop up in previously uninfected areas on opposite sides of the yard.

What is the "PP" tammie keeps referring to?

Tim

[Teresa]

potassium permangonate

[Timgod]

Thanks Teresa.
Tim

[Esther]

Nope I do not disinfect coming or going plants. ducking

[perplexed ponder]

This is probably really bad, but it worked for me.
I put a small amount of bleach in a big bucket of water, like maybe a couple capfuls to a bucket. I dunked and swished the plants for 10-20 seconds then rinsed them over and over in the hose on a good heavy spray. I thought a couple were going to die, but they bounced back just fine.

O.K. now I'm bracing for the reprimands

[PondmaninAL]

I don't disinfect my incoming plants. I quarentine them for a few weeks. I've never had any problems. I have found leeches but they weren't the blood sucking variety.

Happy ponding,
Scott

[happyoutsidegirl]

Kathy, That's what I was tought to do buy some people who have been ponding for many years. I used 1 capful per gal of water. soaked for 20 min. then rinse them good. So far I have had good luck.

[happyoutsidegirl]

I think it should be a two fold process. I think the sellers should recomend  disinfecting and sugjest a way  for the buyer to do it if they don't know how. Then I think the buyer should take the responsability of doing it. Even newbee's should learn what to do and how to take care of plants they buy.

[Joyce]

There is a safer way with Alum.
I think John Johns has the recipe at his website.
Yup...here's a link.
http://www.gardenendeavors.com/rack/aluma.html

You can use it as a dip. See very bottom of page for instructions/dosage.

[happyoutsidegirl]

Thanks Joyce, Say how ya doin? Feeling any better yet?

[Joyce]

Yup! Thanks for asking.
And have permission to drive now.
Going back to work this Monday.

[CoolShades]

We used KMnO4, H2O2, or common household bleach at our nursery on new plants that would come in, i.e. its one thing risking a couple dozen plants versus thousands of lilies!!  For typical residential use I would shy away from KMnO4 (PP) because it is a harsh oxidizing reagent and should be carefully measured and diluted.  Dilute bleach can be mixed up or the typical 7% H2O2 you can buy in the store can be used as long as it is active.  We would dilute the 35% H2O2 in half and had similar results to KMnO4.  Unfortunately these oxidants do not work well on Critters (slugs, snails, cutworms), or eggs (fish/frogs), or small plants such as azolla, or duck weed.  A thourough inspection and rinsing is recomended versus chemical treatment especially for the residential collector.  Too many times I have seen people abuse Ropel, Alum, Sevin, Malthion, etc.

Anyway just my 2 cents.

Gary