Sterilizing driftwood? - Orchid Board

jess_hawk · #1 06-04-2009, 03:30 PM

Does driftwood need to be sterilized at all before use? If yes, what is the best method? Boil it? Bleach it?

I'm not so used to plants yet, I know that everything gets bleached before it goes in my aquariums.

I have a great piece of driftwood I want to mount on (I'll be posting photos in a previous thread, but wanted a specific question here), but before I do I want to make sure its safe.

It's unknown type of wood found on the banks of the Mississippi.

Des · #2 06-04-2009, 06:46 PM

I have always boiled mine ,boiling also removes any salts and other nasties in the wood.
I recently tried to grow an oncidium on a piece of driftwood which I had picked up on the beach, when the new roots pushed out they stubbornly refused to attach to the wood , it was almost as though the plant was saying "ugh I cant touch that!" So I guess there are some woods that are not suitable or poisonous to the plant ,but you wont know until you try them

Tom-DE · #3 06-04-2009, 09:10 PM

If they are from the river or mountain, wash them very well first then let them dry up under the sun for a day or two, then bake them at 275F in the oven for 1-2 hours.

Des · #4 06-04-2009, 09:48 PM

Now thats a good idea , you must do this while your wife's out ,right?

Zoi2 · #5 06-04-2009, 11:14 PM

I get a lot of driftwood from the Missouri and Kaw Rivers. I boil for about an hour then bake at 250 for an hour or so.
Joann

jess_hawk · #6 06-05-2009, 01:04 AM

Thanks! I'll bake it tomorrow... I don't know that I have a pot big enough to boil it effectively. I'll see what I can come up with.
I totally forgot about the baking theory, I remember that for sterilizing sand for hermit crabs.

cabbo · #7 06-06-2009, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Des

Now thats a good idea , you must do this while your wife's out ,right?

Thats hysterical...my wife would kill me.

Des · #8 06-06-2009, 11:09 PM

Yip ,so would mine ! I am still trying to persuade her to let me use the dishwasher to wash pots , her reply is unprintable ,so I suppose its a no ,no !!

jess_hawk · #9 06-07-2009, 01:46 AM

And hence this will be done while my mother is not home... fortunately I go home for lunch.

shadytrake · #10 06-07-2009, 12:52 PM

My big driftwood won't fit in a pot or in an oven so I just put it out on the concrete slab driveway during a hot spell (with some bleach) and let the sun bake it.

We have been getting 90 degree weather here lately so it seems to work.

Here is my Den lindleyi (aggregatum) that I just mounted yesterday. That driftwood is over 4' tall and weighs over 15 lbs.