Another Liquid Tool?
Dec 02 '00
Another one of my frequently used tools on my gardening, "Must Have’s" takes on the liquid form. Indoors and out, every home should have liquid bleach.
There are numerous applications, where people from all walks of life, will find themselves turning to the cheap, yet highly effective tool of, "liquid bleach."
Many homes and institutions include it in their tool arsenal for sanitizing against germs/bacteria’s etc., to control & or prevent spreading of illnesses on environmental surfaces from counter tops to dishes.
Many also use it in their laundering for the same purposes. Plus they might use it to wash out some offending odors. A common desire or expectation when used to wash laundry is for whitening/lightening, brightening and or removal of coloration’s such as staining.
Along with the uses above, I frequently use it to rinse (clean,) my "solid matter gardening tools," by rinsing (cleaning) with a Hot Water Sanitizing Solution, (see below,) and in trying to minimize spreading plant infections, viruses, fungus spores and more.
When I'm preparing a previously used planter for re-use, or soil that hasn't been heat sterilized or is just old left over, stored etc., soil or on anything to be re-used which has previously been in contact with a possible contaminant of the viral, bacterial etc., nature. I always clean with the stronger Hot Water Sanitizing Solution (below)
HOT WATER SANITIZING SOLUTION (bleach solution):
Hot Water
Palmolive Anti Bacterial Dish soap
"enough to form sudsy dish-washable water "
(Palmolive AB is another of my "liquid," Must Have Tools)
Liquid bleach "aprox." 1/4 Cup (mild) - 1/2 Cup (strong) - (per gallon of water)
Mid-Late Fall I begin my winter prep of solid tools etc., for storage. Beginning with any repairs, washing them in the same Hot water sanitizing solution above. Finishing by making sure to dry and do any other needed pre-winter maintenance (like oiling if needed...)
When trying to ripen early harvested products, that didn't have time to mature on the parent plant. I will most often place with apples to help speed up the process. However before I place anything to ripen and before any final storage, I clean the harvested product/s with a bleach solution, (See "Product Sanitizer Solution," Below) Using the power of the bleach to help the, "still ripening," reach Ripe and to help the extend the storage length of the harvest before falling victim to Rot/Mold...
After the harvesting of my, "eatable," garden products, I sanitize and sterilize with a bleach solution, (see "Product Sanitizer Solution," below) prior to storing any raw product. Using this one tool can help kill deadly organisms like "ecoli..." ( "ecoli," can lurk within ones garden as well as with the chickens!) but also to remove any possible, unwanted "bugs and or their eggs..." Hopefully any that don't get noticed or washed down the drain will be killed by the bleach or smothered to death from the my "Palmolive," dish soap (see My tool review of Palmolive Dish Soap.)
Any tubers or bulbs that I over winter indoors, not intended for eating, nearly always begin their, "pre-winter," process by being dipped, ( if not well washed...) in a sterilizing, room temperature bath using a mild solution of the same, "Product Sanitizer Solution," (again, see below...) before any other final storage preparations, like treating with anti-fungal powders, anti-transpirant dips or packing in appropriate storage mediums...
Pumpkins, melons, gourds etc., benefit if washed using the same "Product Sanitizer Solution," to wash before storing away. If cleaned and put away dry in a cool, dry basement etc., they will often keep longer. Even with fully consumable products such as potatoes, apples etc., Storage of sanitized/sterilized raw harvest products will keep much longer.
Before hanging any geraniums, in the basement for over wintering, any plant cuttings I may take, or before transplanting from the ground to indoor planters... any out door plants get a dipping in the mild Product Sanitizer Solution to be sure there’s nothing "unwanted," moving in with or germinating on anything .
The mild solution is good for use just after transplanting. Wetting lightly around the base or stem area, while they new feeder roots are trying to re-establish themselves. Hopefully, it will help to "continue," killing any of the unwanted, "unseen" that managed to sneak by, while minimizing exposure to most fungus’s.
Occasional issues requiring treatment with product /chemical, can often still be handled using the necessary chemical and or treatments, provided you allow time for bleach dissipation... (I usually give at least 24 hours from use of the mild bleach solution before moving on to using a new treatment, a little longer if stronger was used. ) of any bleach by allowing the plats soil to set uncovered, for a day or so, prior to treating with or moving on to anything harsher ( such as the chemical, "Captan." Added to the watering solutions for serious fungal problems. )
The only plant situations I rarely apply any bleach solutions on are with seedlings, "directly," because they are still very delicate. However prior to baking soil from some previous, failed, seed starting attempts, I have no problems pre-wetting the soil with the bleach solution for increased effectiveness at sterilizing it when forced to re-use for what ever reasons...
Product Sanitizer Solution (bleach solution):
Aprox. 1 Gallon Water (preferably room temp.) +
Palmolive Anti Bacterial dish soap (several good drops)
(Dish soap is optional...) +
1+ tsp. (mild) to 2+ TBS (stronger) of fresh liquid bleach
Rinsing of garden "non-eatable," plants, isn't necessary. I rarely rinse them or products such as ornamentals like pumpkins, corn or birdhouse gourd etc.
If you choose to rinse with pre-sterilized water, remember, there's no dish soap residue to continue smothering any unseen "bugs or eggs..." For plants, if you do rinse transplants, you may want to follow up by lightly wetting the soil at the base with the mild bleach solution.
If you didn't use dish soap and used a milder bleach solution on products intended to be eaten. It isn't, "necessary," to rinse the product prior to drying, ripening and raw storage etc. However, you can rinse if you choose to. "Realize, water straight out of the tap is rarely sterile, placing you back at the beginning, before you ever washed them in terms of some water born fungus's...
If dish soap is used on consumable products that will include ingesting the outer layer/skin (like potatoes or apples...), it's a good idea to at least do a quick cool water rinse with *pre sterilized (see below) water, as soap in the intestines can cause some mild even serious discomforts, among other often unwanted situations or irritations...
IF using the stronger "just bleach and water solution," You can either rinse with *pre-sterilized cold water, to eliminate the possibility of the product taking on the dried bleach residue "appearance" (what looks most like... a whitish, possibly drizzled in appearance, or dusty, sometimes even slightly crusty appearance) an occasional result from dried bleach on the products surface. If encountered... isn't all that much of a problem in the end. However, most likely leading to another "extra" step. " Most often," simply re-rinsing in cold (again sterile is best...) water will often return the natural appearance.
NOTE:
Strong (or even weaker) bleach water solutions, if allowed to set out for a few hours, uncovered, (sometimes longer, depending on the amount of bleach in the water...) will result with a gradual weakening of the bleach smell. Finally when there’s no more smell, the water will still be sterilized ( as long as no contaminates have been re-introduced etc...) however the bleach will have dissipated and should no longer be of concern. Also note... using the weaker bleach to water solution, is using less sanitizing power...
*Pre-sterilizing water...
This can be accomplished by using the bleach solution with out the dish soap (from above) but 1st allowing it to stand for several hours (see NOTE:) or by boiling the water for some time, (I like 10 minutes of hard boiling) then removing the pot of boiled water to allow to cool off to room temperature or for colder rinsing water, place the semi-cooled water in the "well cleaned refrigerator" until cold. (remember, to keep unexposed to any possible re-contaminators etc...)
CAUTION... bleach can be an irritant if breathed or if it comes in contact with some peoples skin - ALWAYS read and follow the label for uses and any possible warnings, and NON-Uses etc., (such as not combining with certain household chemicals like ammonia that can produce toxic fumes...) It's always a good idea, (especially if sensitive to liquid bleach...) to use with good ventilation and protective wear to cover any areas of possible exposure....
Bleach as a tool, when used properly is able to provide more than household or industrial sanitation. It also provides a gardener with some security against things like bacteria that can affect you and your harvest. Plus it can help extend your harvested products storable time by helping to minimize and or eliminate spoilage causing fungi... Have more successes like the Pro's... Stay ahead with bleach.
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