Will Hydrogen Peroxide Hurt Plants Soil, Fixes & Fertilizers
By: Amy Grant Printer Friendly Version Image by Gardening Know How, via Nikki Tilley
You no doubt have some hydrogen peroxide in your medicine cabinet and use it on minor cuts and scrapes, but did you know that you can use hydrogen peroxide in the garden? There are actually a number of garden uses for hydrogen peroxide. Read on to find out how to use hydrogen peroxide for plants. Does Hydrogen Peroxide Hurt Plants? Almost anything in large quantities can be harmful, and using huge doses of hydrogen peroxide on in the garden is no exception. When using hydrogen peroxide for plants, however, the solution is generally diluted, making it especially safe. Also, it is recognized by the United States EPA, giving it an extra seal of approval. Hydrogen peroxide is also made up of the same atoms that water is made from with the exception of an additional oxygen atom. This extra oxygen (H2O2) gives hydrogen peroxide its beneficial properties. So, the answer to the question "does hydrogen peroxide hurt plants" is a resolute no, provided the strength is sufficiently diluted. You can purchase hydrogen peroxide in various potencies. The most commonly available is a 3% solution, but they go up to 35 %. The 3% solution is the type readily available at the grocery or drug store.
While it has also been used as a general "fertilizer" either added in during watering or sprayed onto the foliage, hydrogen peroxide is not fertilizer, but it can help boost plant growth. How exactly? Hydrogen peroxide helps encourage healthy root growth because of the extra oxygen molecule. Oxygen can help plant roots absorb nutrients from the soil. Therefore, this extra bit of oxygen better enables the roots to absorb more nutrients, which means faster, healthier, and more vigorous growth. And as a bonus, hydrogen peroxide can help discourage unwanted bacteria/fungi that may be lurking in the garden. To give plants an added boost of oxygen or for pest control using the 3% solution, add 1 teaspoon per cup of water in a spray bottle and mist the plant. This amount is also suitable for pre-treating seeds to control fungal infections. For plants with root rot or fungal infections, use 1 tablespoon per cup of water. The solution can be made up and stored for future use, but be sure to store it in a cool, dark place as exposure to light diminishes the potency. If you want to cover a larger area, it might be more economical to purchase the 35% hydrogen peroxide. Mix one part hydrogen peroxide to ten parts of water. That is one cup per four square feet (1.2 square m.) of garden. Mix the solution in a watering can or into a large sprayer. Water at the base of the plants and avoid wetting the foliage. Be very careful when using this percentage of peroxide. It can bleach and/or burn the skin. Spray the veggie garden after every rainfall or as needed. Not only is this an environmentally friendly alternative to pesticides, but it has the added benefit of being anti-fungal and gives plants a healthy boost of oxygen too. Also, 3% peroxide solutions are commonly available (even at the .99 cent store!) and generally extremely economical.
