# cleaning store bought plants



## Imperial_Aquatics (Aug 27, 2009)

what is the best way to clean newly purchased plants of pesticides and fertilizers?

I know this crud dissipates after awhile. Just wondering if constant rinsing is actually providing some usefulness.

I just bought Pothos, Ivy's, ferns and a bunch of other tropicals that were all good with the medium light, keep evenly moist, humid environments etc. 

I got 4 palettes of them. 

I just gave them a really strong hosing down outside when I got them home. 

I'm probably going to de-soil them, and replant them with aquatic soil and sphagnum moss as soon as I can find the Aquatic Potting Soil locally. So far, no one carries it, even though I keep hearing Home Depot does. I've been to 5 HD's so far, and called everyone of them in my area and none have even heard of it.


----------



## littlefrog (Sep 13, 2005)

Many of those plants are loaded with systemic pesticides before they even leave the greenhouse... Nothing to do for that but wait.

Unfortunately you won't be able to tell which have been treated and which haven't. Which is why I avoid those places, myself...


----------



## RarePlantBroker (Aug 3, 2008)

Most systemic pesticides break down over about 4-6 weeks. However, the pesticide Imidacloprid is becoming more widespread in the trade--and it is still 'active' in some plants for up to 6 months! 
Best thing to do with your new plants is to rinse the plants and the roots and re-plant/re-pot. Then water daily (allowing the water to run off--don't use a drip tray). After about a month you should be safe. Just don't put any insects in your vivarium for frog food that will feed on the plants for a while....


----------



## Imperial_Aquatics (Aug 27, 2009)

RarePlantBroker said:


> Best thing to do with your new plants is to rinse the plants and the roots and re-plant/re-pot. Then water daily (allowing the water to run off--don't use a drip tray). After about a month you should be safe. Just don't put any insects in your vivarium for frog food that will feed on the plants for a while....



Thanks, that is what I was looking for.

Because of the sheer volume of plants I needed, it was worth buying from a garden center, even if I have to wait for a month. I just couldn't justify spending 6.00-8.00 or more each from one of our sponsors to get something to use right away considering the volume of plants I bought.


----------



## littlefrog (Sep 13, 2005)

I think you'd be able to get most of that from sponsors for far less than 6-8 dollars each... I can't think of anything on that list that I would sell for more than 3 dollars, most of it less. I haven't checked, but I bet the other sponsors have similar prices on those types of things. Plus, sometimes if you ask and you are ordering in bulk, you might find a discount. Another good way to get plants is to keep an eye on the board and look for members selling extras. It sounds like this would work well for you because you don't mind buying a lot when the price is right.

You usually get what you pay for, and if the price is right and you don't mind waiting, go for it. Of course if you bought the vines in pots you will have a source of clean cuttings for years to come, assuming you keep the mother plants outside of tanks and in good condition. 

I'm not sure I would water every day, as suggested. You are inviting rot if you do that. See what you can do about watering frequently but not keeping the plants soggy. The more water you give the plants the quicker they will process the pesticides, but plants can only take up much water, so there is a practical limit. If the roots rot off they can't take up any water...

Just a few thoughts... 

Rob


----------



## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

I just wanted to say something here about systemmic pesticides and pesticides in general concerning nurseries.

First, just about any place that grows ornamental plants in any concentration for public sale uses some sort of insecticide or pesticide (let alone other things). If they tell you they don't, they are either lying or have bugs (to which you will get).

As far as I know, in the state of Florida, nurseries are required by law to maintain a pest free growing environment. It is IMPOSSIBLE to avoid getting bugs in a greenhouse here and as such, we (I) have to use various types of insecticides. My most common pests are Mealy Bug, Aphids, Scale and Thrips. All of these pests are plant juice suckers and are a big problem and pain in the rear.

My most commonly used insecticides are Soap/Water, Neem Oil and Imidacloprid (a systemmic). I have used pyrethrins from mixes that were for use on same day harvest vegetables (figuring it would be the safest) but didn't end up liking them so don't use those anymore.

Now concerning Imidacloprid... Imidacloprid is a systemmic insecticide. This type of chemical is absorbed by the plant via the root system (some are translaminar also which means they go through the leaves). The plant then disburses the chemical throughout its vascular system. When an insect consumes the plant juices or leaves, this chemical kills them. This is actually the EXACT SAME chemical that they use in those insect repellents for dogs and cats like Advantix.

This chemical is an insecticide. Thats it. It kills insects. Its so precise on its job that it doesn't even kill mites (which are of course arachnids) that feed on plants. This chemical will not harm your frogs (or other herps) if your frogs eat a few bugs that have fed on a plant. The concentration just isn't high enough. Now, thats not to say it wouldn't ever harm them but you'd have to feed your frogs a diet of ONLY bugs that fed ONLY on plants with imidacloprid which would be nearly impossible since the chemical works rather quickly on most insects, they would not survive long enough to be consumed.

How do I know this you ask? Well, I have well established colonies of treefrogs (green and pine woods), toads and Anoles in the greenhouse all surviving and breeding. I also only use my own plants in my vivs. I even placed a phone call to a company that manufactures this chemical to ask them how much it would take to kill a pet frog or lizard and they told me what I already knew.

So, you should definitely wash your plants b/c there will sometimes be residue. I don't think, however, that having plants that were treated with systemmics is a huge problem. If you're feeding crickets only, there could be some slight issue there but from my experience, these animals consume their food almost immediately. The few crickets that might survive long enough to feed on a treated plant would not be of much concern since they would die from it anyways.


----------



## ChrisK (Oct 28, 2008)

Good info Antone - so would that mean that most chain store plants would pretty much be safe to use right away after the soil is totally rinsed from the roots and the whole plant is rinsed well?


----------



## Imperial_Aquatics (Aug 27, 2009)

Well that is definitely good to hear.

I'm currently setting up 40 tanks for PDF's and needed a ton of plants, which is why I bought from a local store. Any savings I'd have gotten from mail order would have been consumed rapidly in shipping costs. 

The plants have been thoroughly rinsed down, and are currently in a shaded area, being hosed down good every few days.

So far, my new tanks are pretty sparse, only having a balls substrate, New Zealand sphagnum and topped with a mix of shredded cork bark and "Eco-Soil" that I've topped with Riccia and Java moss.

I had planned on letting the new Ivy's, Ferns, Pothos etc. sit for 4 weeks before planting. But it sounds like I should be okay.

Thanks for the informative post.


----------



## Frogtofall (Feb 16, 2006)

ChrisK said:


> Good info Antone - so would that mean that most chain store plants would pretty much be safe to use right away after the soil is totally rinsed from the roots and the whole plant is rinsed well?


Well.... There are other things that some nurseries use like fungicides and what not. Most of these things are only "active" for a day or two but they do leave behind a residue. Rinsing really well should help. Its also always good to let vivs sit animal-less for a while.

I don't want my post to give people the impression that there's no need to shop with the vendors that support the hobby. You should remember that those of us who do use things try to keep our animals in mind. There are chemicals that some of the "big dawgs" use that I would never even look at. I also can't speak for any of the big box stores or nurseries b/c I don't know what any of them use specifically. My post was mainly to say that if you know a plant was treated with imidacloprid, its not gonna be a big deal to use it.


----------

