Re: [APD] "Disinfecting" wild plants

["S. Hieber" <shieber at yahoo_com>]

--- Karen Randall <krandall at rdrcpa_biz> wrote:
> 
> Tom wrote:
> 
> > I've never had issue with soaking in tap water for a
> few hours, then
> adding
> > them to the tank. I think bleach is pretty harsh stuff
> but some seem to
> like
> > it for some reason. Tough plants are okay but
> wimpy/fine needled plants
> > /moss etc are no good for bleaching. Having collected
> plants all over for
> a
> > long time now, I see no need nor found any need to do
> all that.
> <snip>
> > Well, I've never had any issues collecting wild plants
> ever. Seems I've
> done
> > it more than most. Nothing bad to report using plain
> old tap.
> 
> Well, another case of not being able to argue with Tom.
> ;-)  Or at least not
> much.<g>
> 
> I don't know what soaking in tap water is likely to
> accomplish.  With
> domestically collected material, all I do is rinse it in
> tap water, remove
> damaged leaves and feel for (and remove) snail eggs. 
> With plants that are
> very dense, and may harbor troublesome critters like
> mosquito larvae, Innes'
> old trick of putting them in a bucket with a Betta for a
> day or two will
> solve the "problem".  But the real "problem" insects are
> dragonfly larvae,
> (which live under water for a long time, and can take
> small fish, even up to
> small guppy or tetra size) and for those, as long as the
> roots are thoroughl
> cleaned of mud, you'll find the dragonfly larvae...
> they're big.
> 
> Like Tom, I've never had a problem with plants handled
> this way.  But then
> I've never bleached any plant for any reason.
> 
> If you want to know how the APHIS wants plants treated to
> avoid bringing
> infective agents into the U.S., they don't want you to
> bleach things either.
> When bringing in plants from a foreign source, the plants
> must be bare
> rooted and CLEAN rooted.  The plants need to be dipped in
> insecticidal soap
> then rinsed thoroughly, ALL foliage with ANY damaged or
> discolored areas
> need to be removed. (and they'll check with a jeweler's
> loupe, so do it
> thoroughly) Then the plants have to be bagged in clear
> plastic that can be
> easily opened and reclosed during inspection, and labeled
> with ID as close
> as possible.

I wonder, what's in the "insecticidal soap" and is it any
better for plants or humans than bleach?

A close look with a loupe or manifying glasses (more
comfortable) will reveal most critters, but will it for
algae/algae spores?

Scott H.

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