As I'm preparing to move to New Zealand, I have to get my pots ready to
go. They have been power washed with pressure hose, but I also want to get
them sterilised before packing them. This is not a requirement from the
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, but I hear through the "grapevine"
that if you do sterilise them and outline the procedures you've taken they
are less likely to want to fumigate the pots and charge an extra $100-$500
for fumigating on entry.

Sooo, my plan is to soak the pots in a solution of 1oz bleach per gallon of
water, for 10 minutes, then air dry. This is what I would do for mead and
beer brewing (though for brewing I'd rinse in a lots of clear water before
drying).

Thoughts?

Nicolas
http://www.bmee.net
"A community that excludes even one of its members is no community at all"
- Dan Wilkins
"You must deal with me as I think of myself" J. Hockenberry

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On Wed, 23 Jul 2003 23:01:27 -0400, Nicolas Steenhout wrote:


Sooo, my plan is to soak the pots in a solution of 1oz bleach per gallon of
water, for 10 minutes, then air dry. This is what I would do for mead and
beer brewing (though for brewing I'd rinse in a lots of clear water before
drying).

Thoughts?

Nicolas

Nic,

A 10% bleach solution is often recommended for sterilizing cutting boards after cutting up raw chicken or other
meats so it should work for sterilizing your pots. Of course there is no guarantee that bleach will kill every kind of
organism but it is effective against the majority of bacteria. Another sterilant is a strong ethanol solution. In our lab
we use 70% ethanol to sterilize against molds and bateria. It may be a non-standard use for vodka (whatever its
EtOH content), but it should work as well.

Best wishes in bonsai,
Les Dowdell
who only uses ethanol as a sterilant.

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************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

Nicolas Steenhout wrote in message
. ..
As I'm preparing to move to New Zealand, I have to get my pots ready to
go. They have been power washed with pressure hose, but I also want to get
them sterilised before packing them. This is not a requirement from the
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, but I hear through the "grapevine"
that if you do sterilise them and outline the procedures you've taken they
are less likely to want to fumigate the pots and charge an extra $100-$500
for fumigating on entry.

How about emailing the authorities in NZ and asking what they recommend?
Something along the lines of,
"I'm going to arrive in NZ on X date bringing used bonsai pots. How would
you recommend sterilising them?"

Could work?

Cheers,
Heidi Aussie

A solution of 1 to 9 of household bleach will kill fungi & bacteria, but I
would leave it overnight & rinse thoroughly. If you have any suspicion of
virus, you will need a 1 to 4 solution.
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)

"Nicolas Steenhout" wrote in message
et...
As I'm preparing to move to New Zealand, I have to get my pots ready
to
go. They have been power washed with pressure hose, but I also want
to get
them sterilised before packing them. This is not a requirement from
the
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, but I hear through the
"grapevine"
that if you do sterilise them and outline the procedures you've taken
they
are less likely to want to fumigate the pots and charge an extra
$100-$500
for fumigating on entry.

Sooo, my plan is to soak the pots in a solution of 1oz bleach per
gallon of
water, for 10 minutes, then air dry. This is what I would do for mead
and
beer brewing (though for brewing I'd rinse in a lots of clear water
before
drying).

Thoughts?

Why don't you pack the pots in your oven and give them an extra
heatwave? 300deg.C (or so) won't hurt the pots but it will sure kill
all(?) the microorganisms.

If the authorities only want the pots disinfected then the methods mentioned
below will probably be ok. If they want the pots sterilised then that is a
whole different matter!

Regards

Mike Bennett. UK

----- Original Message -----
From: "Les Dowdell"
To:
Sent: Thursday, July 24, 2003 4:33 AM
Subject: [IBC] Sterilising pots?


On Wed, 23 Jul 2003 23:01:27 -0400, Nicolas Steenhout
wrote:


Sooo, my plan is to soak the pots in a solution of 1oz bleach per gallon
of
water, for 10 minutes, then air dry. This is what I would do for mead
and
beer brewing (though for brewing I'd rinse in a lots of clear water
before
drying).

Thoughts?

Nicolas

Nic,

A 10% bleach solution is often recommended for sterilizing cutting
boards after cutting up raw chicken or other
meats so it should work for sterilizing your pots. Of course there is no
guarantee that bleach will kill every kind of
organism but it is effective against the majority of bacteria. Another
sterilant is a strong ethanol solution. In our lab
we use 70% ethanol to sterilize against molds and bateria. It may be a
non-standard use for vodka (whatever its
EtOH content), but it should work as well.

Best wishes in bonsai,
Les Dowdell
who only uses ethanol as a sterilant.


************************************************** **************************
****
++++Sponsored, in part, by Mike Page ++++

************************************************** **************************
****
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

************************************************** ******************************
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************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

At 03:07 PM 7/24/2003 +0100, you wrote:
If the authorities only want the pots disinfected then the methods mentioned
below will probably be ok. If they want the pots sterilised then that is a
whole different matter!

Mike! Thank you for noting the difference. Can't sterilize (as opposed to
disinfected) considering that they'll be left out for weeks. I'd have to
wrap in sterile packing, etc... Won't happen. Isn't necessary either.

As for the suggestion of cooking pots at 300F, it's a thought, but I'll
stick with the chemical solution :-)

Thanks for the answers

Nicolas
http://www.bmee.net
"A community that excludes even one of its members is no community at all"
- Dan Wilkins
"You must deal with me as I think of myself" J. Hockenberry

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Mike Page ++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

If you are doing this in the US, you are sterilizing. ;-)
Oops, no, just disinfecting.

As for the suggestion of cooking pots at 300F, it's a thought,

I sterilize terra cotta orchid pots in the self-cleaning oven, but I would not
do this with glazed pots.
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)

Or you could be dead sure and use a high firing kiln ;-)
"Iris Cohen" wrote in message
...
If you are doing this in the US, you are sterilizing. ;-)
Oops, no, just disinfecting.

As for the suggestion of cooking pots at 300F, it's a thought,

I sterilize terra cotta orchid pots in the self-cleaning oven, but I would
not
do this with glazed pots.
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)

"Iris Cohen" wrote in message
...
I sterilize terra cotta orchid pots in the self-cleaning oven, but I
would not
do this with glazed pots.

Why not? Glaze is originally applied using much higher temps than a
self-cleaning oven is capable of producing. Ergo: glaze will not be
harmed. Unless it's not really a glaze, but some cheap substitute.

"Nicolas Steenhout" wrote in message
et...
As for the suggestion of cooking pots at 300F,

I meant 300 degrees Centigrade, not Fahrenheit. Almost twice as high.

Les: Just for clarification, when you say 10%, do you mean 1:9 ratio of standard bleach (like Clorox) or 10% solution of the
bleach ingredient (sodium hypochlorite)? I believe the last time I looked that Clorox is only 5% sodium hypochlorite, so a
10% solution would mean double the strength of standard household bleach.
Alan Walker, Lake Charles, LA, USA
http://bonsai-bci.com
===============
On Wed, 23 July 2003 23:01:27 -0400, Nicolas Steenhout wrote:
Sooo, my plan is to soak the pots in a solution of 1 oz bleach per gallon of
water, for 10 minutes, then air dry. This is what I would do for mead and
beer brewing (though for brewing I'd rinse in a lots of clear water before
drying).
Thoughts?
Nicolas
========
Les Dowdell wrote:
Nic,
A 10% bleach solution is often recommended for sterilizing cutting boards after cutting up raw chicken or other
meats so it should work for sterilizing your pots. Of course there is no guarantee that bleach will kill every kind of
organism but it is effective against the majority of bacteria. Another sterilant is a strong ethanol solution. In our lab
we use 70% ethanol to sterilize against molds and bacteria. It may be a non-standard use for vodka (whatever its
EtOH content), but it should work as well.
Best wishes in bonsai,
Les Dowdell
who only uses ethanol as a sterilant.

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Mike Page ++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

why the need to sterilise pots in the first place? dont trees naturaly
grow in un sterile conditions

-----Original Message-----
From: Internet Bonsai Club ]On Behalf
Of Alan Walker
Sent: 27 July 2003 04:58
To:
Subject: [IBC] Sterilising pots?


Les: Just for clarification, when you say 10%, do you mean 1:9 ratio of
standard bleach (like Clorox) or 10% solution of the
bleach ingredient (sodium hypochlorite)? I believe the last time I looked
that Clorox is only 5% sodium hypochlorite, so a
10% solution would mean double the strength of standard household bleach.
Alan Walker, Lake Charles, LA, USA
http://bonsai-bci.com
===============
On Wed, 23 July 2003 23:01:27 -0400, Nicolas Steenhout
wrote:
Sooo, my plan is to soak the pots in a solution of 1 oz bleach per gallon of
water, for 10 minutes, then air dry. This is what I would do for mead and
beer brewing (though for brewing I'd rinse in a lots of clear water before
drying).
Thoughts?
Nicolas
========
Les Dowdell wrote:
Nic,
A 10% bleach solution is often recommended for sterilizing cutting boards
after cutting up raw chicken or other
meats so it should work for sterilizing your pots. Of course there is no
guarantee that bleach will kill every kind of
organism but it is effective against the majority of bacteria. Another
sterilant is a strong ethanol solution. In our lab
we use 70% ethanol to sterilize against molds and bacteria. It may be a
non-standard use for vodka (whatever its
EtOH content), but it should work as well.
Best wishes in bonsai,
Les Dowdell
who only uses ethanol as a sterilant.

************************************************** **************************
****
++++Sponsored, in part, by Mike Page ++++
************************************************** **************************
****
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Mike Page ++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

why the need to sterilise pots in the first place? dont trees naturaly
grow in un sterile conditions

You must have missed the beginning of this thread in which I explain that I
am moving to New Zealand and cannot bring the trees, and pots will have to
be as "clean" as possible to avoid the import of nasties into a relatively
"bug" free country :-)

Nicolas
http://www.bmee.net
"A community that excludes even one of its members is no community at all"
- Dan Wilkins
"You must deal with me as I think of myself" J. Hockenberry

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Mike Page ++++
************************************************** ******************************
-- The IBC HOME PAGE & FAQ: http://www.internetbonsaiclub.org/ --
+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++

On Sat, 26 Jul 2003 22:58:20 -0500, Alan Walker wrote:

Les: Just for clarification, when you say 10%, do you mean 1:9 ratio of standard bleach (like Clorox) or 10% solution of the
bleach ingredient (sodium hypochlorite)? I believe the last time I looked that Clorox is only 5% sodium hypochlorite, so a
10% solution would mean double the strength of standard household bleach.
Alan Walker, Lake Charles, LA, USA
http://bonsai-bci.com

Hello Alan,

When I referred to a "10%" bleach solution, I was talking about a 1:9 dilution of commercially available bleach
(like Clorox). I guess, as a chemist, I should have been more exact in the terms I used. Sorry for the confusion.

BTW, the same dilution also helps neutralize the stinging sensations that can arise from the capsaicins(sp) in strong
peppers. So, when you cut and handle them with bare hands, rinse in dilute bleach before touching any other parts
of your body.

Best wishes in bonsai,
Les Dowdell

************************************************** ******************************
++++Sponsored, in part, by Mike Page ++++
************************************************** ******************************
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+++++ Questions? Help? e-mail +++++