Freezing Grape Wood?

[plantaholic]

I have a piece of grape wood that I found a while back. It's been outside always and I want to mount my Scapho on it. I put it in the freezer, shaggy bark and all. Will this be sufficient to kill whatever's on/in it? And, if so, how long should I leave it in there?

[Zoi2]

For my 2 cents: Soaking in a bucket of mild bleach/water mix for a couple of days will probably work better than the freezer.
Joann

[RosieC]

I think a lot of things can survive freezing. It does not kill so much as put bugs into dormancy to wake up when the temperatures rise.

I think you need either bleach or very high temps for a prolonged period to kill things.

[Paul Mc]

I agree with either using chemicals or heat to destroy insects and bacteria. If you use heat, I'd soak the wood overnight and then put it in the oven. One place suggested wrapping it in aluminum foil with a bit of water in it as steam is an incredible disenfectant.

One thought though, are you putting this grape wood in a terrarium or leaving it out? I have noticed that in a terrarium setting it doesn't take long for the grape wood to develop fungus and mold. However, it may also be because I haven't quite regulated my air circulation in my terrarium quite right either (still waiting for my newer stronger fan and experimenting with humidity).