Nematodes..Guess I'll start it this year

[Pieter]

Debbie, as I read your question it occurred to me that while I have been talking in terms of a bleach solution of 5-10% as the range recommended by Bruce Banyai, the chlorine dilution is actually much lower, BUT, it will depend on the brand of bleach you buy as to what the actual dilution of chlorine is. That will have an impact on the effective working strength of the product you are aiming for. Haven't looked at a bottle of name brand bleach lately, but if memory serves it likely is a 3% chlorine solution, but I have seen no-name brands @ 2% (that's how come they're cheaper).

So, have I confused you enough by mixing chlorine and bleach (which is the dilute chlorine solution).....

[playinmud]

I don't worry about the potency of the solution as much as the ratio. I simply add one part belach to 9 parts water (for a 10% solution). Keep it in a covered bucket in a cool spot. If you can't smell the bleach after a day or two, its time to dump it and mix up a new batch. Great for sterilizing tools and keeping pests/diseases from being introduced into your garden. Knock off as much dirt as possible before dousing your plants, the dirt seems to dissapate the bleach faster. I have a problem with bores infesting my iris rhizomes, so I saok them in a 5% solution (1 part bleach added to 4 parts water). I use cold water and always add the bleach to the water.

[Pieter]

Hate to tell you this Donna, but, 1 part bleach to 4 parts water is a 20% solution. A 5% solution would be 1 part bleach and 19 parts water.....

[Mary Ann]

I have been talking in terms of a bleach solution of 5-10% as the range recommended by Bruce Banyai, the chlorine dilution is actually much lower, BUT, it will depend on the brand of bleach you buy as to what the actual dilution of chlorine is. Haven't looked at a bottle of name brand bleach lately, but if memory serves it likely is a 3% chlorine solution, but I have seen no-name brands @ 2%

That's interesting, Pieter. So are you calculating your solution based on % of chlorine in the bleach? My bleach bottle states 5.25% sodium hyprochlorite. I remember another site stated there is no difference between name brand and generic products when it comes to bleach, vinegar, flour, and baking soda.

[playinmud]

You're right Mary Ann, thanks. I should have stated a 20% solution for soaking the irises. Thanks!

[playinmud]

I mean thanks Pieter...sorry Mary Ann.

[baja220]

My bleach doesn't state anything about the percentage. Wonder why. It's Clorox plus splashless bleach.

So for soaking new hostas before planting we should soak them in a 10% solution? Do we soak the whole plant or just the crown and roots?

[Pieter]

Mary Ann, all I was trying to get across was that there MAY be a difference in the working strength of the solution because of which strength you start out with. Bleach as such is already a diluted product as you know but there may well be different regulations at work here on either side of the 49th parallel. Having said that, I can well imagine a regulation being written in such a fashion that it will allow for range of dilutions not to EXCEED a maximum strength, in this case most likely 5.25% by the looks of it. I'll have a look on the shelves of a couple of local supermarkets and see if indeed my memory serves that there are differences between brand vs generic, and if so, what.

Debbie, if you read my trials and tribulations on the matter you will see I cut off the leaves and petioles and just soaked the crowns with the roots after doing divisions, as per Bruce's suggestions. Bleaching is hard on living tissue, the leaves and petioles won't survive the process anyway and remember, the leaves have a sizable colony of nematodes in them, that's how you notice it after all and you have to eliminate as many of them as possible. You're aiming for none.. might as well remove those areas you know have a large quantity.

[Pieter]

Mary Ann, the nationally-known were 5.25% while two of the store/no-name brands were 3.85%..... in other words, if you wish to make a bleach dilution of 10% out of bleach that is 3.85% hypo-chlorite you use 1 part bleach to about 6.5 parts of water in order to end up with the same hypo-chlorite dilution as when using a 5.25% base bleach.....

[jgh]

Hey, Donna

I've not only had a problem with bores in my iris... I've had them infest every part of my garden... and most of my parties, as well.

I never thought of soaking them in bleach solution - not sure how they will take it, but it is worth a try!

[playinmud]

Jim, if I were soaking a less bulky (?) plant I'd probably use the 10% ratio. I dig up the iris clump, divide it, toss the mushy parts, trim the leaves down to 4 inches or so, knock off the dirt, drop them into the solution and leave them there for a few hours. Then I take them out, rinse well with water and let them air out over night before replanting. I've been doing that for the past 30 years, sad to lose the clump, but better than losing the iris altogether. My ornamental fruit trees get bores too, I dig a 2 inch deep trench 4-5 inches from the trunk, and stick mothballs in the trench, cover it up, and water. The bore can't stand it, stinky, but better than losing the tree. I learned that trick from a local farmer.

PS: How was your trip? Did I miss that post?