" and think the antiseptic approach is possibly based on research in the field of human medicine and the somewhat perilous logical leap of faith that it applies to plants in the same way, although their defense mechanisms have almost nothing in common with animals." Harvestman...I suspect you are spot on about this or at least mostly so. I too have always had a hunch this was the case. I am sure however that viruses and bacterial infections could be spread by dirty pruners. I say this because I've seen open wounds in trees I've had become infected. We know the viruses etc exist because we can see them under high power magnification. We also know for a fact that these "bad guys" can be killed with disinfectants because we can see that too. There is an apple breeding video on YT (12 part Lubera in Switzerland / Germany) in which they describe how fireblight resistance is quantified. The trees are simply inoculated with the viral strain and then they see what the results are. Videos and literature always prescribe pruning shear/tool disinfecting. Having said all that, when watching production professionals pruning/grafting I rarely see them disinfecting their tools. My take on the whole thing is this: I think disinfecting pruners almost certainly lessens the likelihood of cross infection whether bacterial, fungal or viral, but in high speed production pruning it's benefits are probably not great enough to warrant the significant amount of extra time required to carry it out. Professionals (like yourself) have recognized this through a lot of experience and so dispense with this time consuming step. I, like copingwithclay, also disinfect everything (hands, fingers, knife, shears, levering tools etc) and act as though I'm doing open heart surgery on a human in my every move. All the while in doing this though, I know I'm probably just wasting time. Thing is...it's time I have usually so I don't mind. Like you, I too would like to see data on this and I have to think somebody somewhere probably have done such tests, but I've never seen or read anything about it.

The answer is NO. Any natural fertilizer product that is closed up in a bottle or container is anaerobic, and that is why it smells bad. All beneficial microbes that are involved in all sustainable gardening and farming soils are 99.99% aerobic! All modern composting methods for gardens and farms, are totally 100% aerobic decomposition processes. The anaerobic microbes have no real function or benefit to our organically grown crops, or to the organic farmer. Many diseases and pathogens are passed to plants via anaerobic microbes. However, if anaerobic fertilizing materials like fish or seaweed emulsions or old stinky organic teas, are well diluted (and used correctly and safely), and used as a light soil drench, the good aerobic soil microbes can digest them and neutralize them over time, before they can do any harm to the crops. Using sugary applications like dry molasses in the soil, is another smart way to get more aerobic soil microbes to overcome the anaerobic microbes near growing crops. I use old anaerobic teas of horse manures, fish, or seaweed, in very small portions in some of my large aerated compost tea recipes. This way I get the benefit of the extra protein and carbohydrate nutrients from the materials, while neutralizing most of the anaerobic microbes in the tea brew, before I apply the diluted tea to my crops. If an aerated tea is 100% aerobic, it can be used in a diluted form as both a foliar and soil application, on any plant. Indoors or outdoors. Anaerobic teas on the other hand are risky, and usually are safe if diluted and used only as a soil drench application. Hope this helps. Happy Gardening!

I'm with you, Seil - when I read this post title I had images of tiny fish with dark glasses and machine guns going "bad" (like the Far Side cartoon of "Condiments gone bad"). Otherwise, I think fish emulsion is like compost - it can't rot enough to be bad for your garden, but do shake it up to distribute the material that sinks to the bottom of the bottle. Cynthia

Yes, I have had packaged feta go bad, moldy. I hated to toss it, but was too busy to remember to use it, so another few weeks in the fridge would not improve it. Sometimes when I venture into city-land, I stop at a section of Watertown and stock up on Middle Eastern goodies. I like the French feta as a sometimes alternative treat. I had a package of goat cheese in the cellar fridge that I kept forgetting to use. MONTHS. Maybe 6 months. It didn't have any off notes, but my imagination got the better of me and as it was only $5 worth, I experimented and rubbed it onto the bark of a large red maple (Q. rubra). Darn if my buddy the catbird didn't think it was just the berries. That catbird and I have sort of a friendship. She comes over to visit when I'm outside in a hammock or chair. I go out of view, catbird repostitions herself so that she can see me and talk away. I put oldish berries, melon and grape jelly out for her. Her favorites are the grape jelly cups and the chevre sur la bark. lorel*, you are a brave one.