Hi im getting a new corn to day and want to put a nice branch i cut from our apple tree, i am awear that it needs to be sterilising by heat ie microwave or oven wich is the best and for how long.
first it wants de-barking and sanding down. the u can go differnt way depending on its size, all my branches i use wont fit in my oven. so i soak them in 10% bleach solution. as yours is new id do that over night, then soak in plan water over night refresh water, rince off with hose then allow to dry in the sun. then after that everytime u do a clean just soak for a few hours in same strength bleach solution an then water for a few hours an allow to dry. but like i said depends on how big the branch is but thats the route ive always taken an never had issues