question re:sanitizing pruning tools.

[mdvaden]

Best I can find for information, alchohol is an outdated practice, gone by the wayside with pruning wound sealers. And chlorine diluted in water is leaps and bounds more effective.

I rarely sterilize though. Most species are fine. But with some cherry, roses, etc.,, a blade spray can be handy.

Usually, only two of my tools are involved, rarely using loppers.

Selecting Pruning Tools

As far as handsaws, those can be a bit awkward to sterilize between plants, because the teeth would have to be brushed with a soft bristle brush. It's doubtful that just spraying the teeth is sufficient.

[bare spot]

had heard and believe i read where lysol was ok to use. although i haven't got into the habbit of following through with this practice of using it, don't think i ever used it yet. have been re-thinking this after seeing a holly plant a few wks ago with some kind of white fungus or like damage, which from the looks of it looks to have been at the source of where cuts were made. this mild bleach method sounds interesting, need to learn more at what rate (etc.) it's to be use for safe and effective application. btw-on the holly, had no involvement in them (2 of them) not quite sure what it was (curious, wanna try and learn from this). homeowner been doing some things to treat them and it's looking like it's gonna be good news for these holly, look to be making a comeback. it was a white looking fungus, where some of the bigger cuts were made. lot of leaf shedding and they pretty much went from a bright green to a pale green.

[Landscape Poet]

http://baker.ifas.ufl.edu/Horticultu...uningTools.pdf

[easy-lift guy]

Triple rince with chlorine after every use, at least that was what I was taught in school.
easy-lift guy

[greendoctor]

My tools will never see a corrosive disinfectant. Alcohol is non corrosive. If I am truly worried, then I do what I remember doing in the lab: applying alcohol then igniting it. Nothing survives that.

[bare spot]

thanks for link, good info. also non-corrosive disinfectants, didn't enter my mind, think will try and go with non corrosive solutions.

[greendoctor]

Chlorine bleach and other water based solutions will cause rusting.