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sunfish
01-28-2015, 01:52 PM
http://puyallup.wsu.edu/~linda%20chalker-scott/horticultural%20myths_files/Myths/Pruning%20tools.pdf


Linda Chalker-Scott, Ph.D., Extension Ho
rticulturist and Associate Professor,
Puyallup Research and Extension Center, Washington State University
The Myth of Cloroxed Clippers
“A bleach solution is the best choice for disinfecting pruning wounds and tools”
The Myth
Anyone who has made an investment in top-quality
pruning tools probably cleans and maintains them on
a regular basis. But would you clean them every
day - maybe several times? If you are worried about
potentially transmitting plant diseases such as fire blight, Dutch elm disease, and sudden oak death, then
such a cleaning regimen would be crucial. Furthermor
e, you might be inspired to disinfect the pruning
wounds, especially those made on diseased trees and sh
rubs. The question is – what to use as your
disinfectant?
Nearly all of the popular web sites with advice rega
rding tool disinfection say something like this:
“...sterilize pruning tools using a solution of 1˝ cups
of liquid chlorine bleach
in 2 gallons of water.
After each cut, dip the pruner or saw into this solu
tion before starting the next cut.” This advice is
repeated on thousands of web pages, including .edu sites. Is this the best choice?
The Reality
A few years ago I wrote a fact sheet on when to disinfect pruning tools (available on my web page at
http://www.puyallup.wsu.edu/~Linda%2
0Chalker-Scott/Fact%20sheets.html
), so I will not cover that
material for this discussion. We’ll assume you have
already established a legitimate need to disinfect
your tools and focus on choice of disinfectant materials.
Before disinfection, tools should be free of dirt and debris so the disinfecting solution can reach every
cutting surface. Increment borers should be treated in
the same manner. Disinfectant solution can be
carried into the field in a tightly sealed plastic bottle
; ideally this bottle should
be wide enough so that
tools can be dipped directly into it. If this is not
feasible, solution can be applied with a clean cloth or
poured over the tool held over a bucket. Disinfecti
ng solutions should not be allowed to contaminate the
soil.
Pruning tools that are regularly disinfected need to
be kept in top condition. The older the blades, the
more pitted they become; these pits can harbor microbes
that are unaffected by quick sterilization. This is
especially true of bacteria associated with active ca
nkers; the sticky matrix is often difficult to remove
from pruner surfaces. One study found that disinfectan
t solutions would not remove bacterial slime from
the surface of cutting tools, especially
if the tool surface was pitted.
I do not recommend the use of chlorine bleach for disinf
ectant use in the field for a variety of scientific
and practical reasons:
1)
Tool damage
: As the MSDS (material safety data sheet) states for Clorox as well as other brands
of bleach, “prolonged contact with metal may
cause pitting or discoloration.” Indeed, this
includes your pruning tools. Bl
each is an oxidizing agent, which means it is corrosive. You
don’t find bleach for sale in unlined metal containers, and there’s a reason for that.
2)
Clothing damage
: It’s pretty self-evident that bleach will, well, bleach your clothing. Any spills
in the field are impossible to treat unless you can i
mmerse the affected material immediately. It
probably is not a smart idea to carry a bottle of
bleach in your pocket. Cloths used to wipe your
tools down after treatment disintegrate quick
ly and have to be replaced continuously.

Snarkie
01-28-2015, 02:18 PM
What about good old fashioned rubbing alcohol?

scottu
01-28-2015, 08:31 PM
Linda Chalker-Scott (http://puyallup.wsu.edu/~Linda%20Chalker-Scott/Fact%20sheets.html)

Good to know! Check out the pruning tool link!