RE: Bleach water

I received an Iris order from Harold's nursery "Beautiful View" this year and the rhizomes were so clean they looked scrubbed. His rhizomes have also established in my garden faster that others I have acquired. I have excellent new growth while others are just holding their own. What ever he is doing works VERY well.

Rhonda

Rochester NY



Harold Peters <harold@directcon.net> wrote:
To all on bleach thread.
 
According to two knowledgeable sources, sodium hypochlorite is not that effective a bacteriaicide. The only proven effectiveness is on mustard seed fungus at 0.5% hypochlorite for 20 to 30 minutes. This info was from Gigi Hall, a very knowledgeable irisarian. The second knowledgeable source was a University of California - Davis professor on a locally produced TV garden program. His comment about the recommendation to dip pruning tools between cuts that the only effect was going to be a rapidly corroded pruner.
 
My shipping permit requires me to hypochlorite dip treat rhizomes before shipping so I do a lot of dipping. Since there is no official "dipping" protocol, my dip solution starts around 0.5% hypochlorite (same as 9 or 10 to 1 dilution of household bleach) but decays as I use the solution until I guess the hypochlorite is almost used up. I use 10% hypochlorite swimming pool chlorine because it is cheaper. A individual batch stays  in the 5 gallon bucket anywhere from 1 minute to 1 day when I forget the last batch. Desired time is 10 to 15 minutes. There is a noticeable effect on the appearance of the hypochlorite dipped rhizome, it looks cleaner. I think the procedure is a good marketing tool. The one disadvantage is the drying time.
 
Harold Peters
Beautiful View Iris Garden
2048 Hickok Road
El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
h*@directcon.net  www.beautiful-view-iris.com

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