Hydrogen Peroxide for plants - 8 Uses in Organic Gardening

Hydrogen peroxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound with the same chemical composition as water but with one additional atom of oxygen.

Hydrogen peroxide can be used in gardening to treat root rot, as an effective pesticide, to enhance plant growth and root development, to enhance seed germination, to create a sterile growing medium, to disinfect tools, pots, and germination trays, to kill weeds, and to treat hydroponics or aquaponic gardens.

A one-to-one ratio of three percent hydrogen peroxide solution can help eradicate root rot by increasing the oxygen content in the soil and killing harmful fungus and bacteria. The solution must be poured in the soil without touching the foliage of the plant.

One teaspoon of three percent hydrogen peroxide added to 250 ml or one cup of water and sprayed on the foliage can remove sap-sucking pests and a wide range of fungal and bacterial infections. A patch test should be done on a leaf before spraying the whole plant.

Soaking seeds in a three percent hydrogen peroxide solution for five minutes and then rinsing them with plain water can help prevent seedling infections. Watering the seeds with a weak dilution of hydrogen peroxide (one teaspoon in one cup of water) for the first week can speed up the germination process.

Disinfecting the growing medium with a one-to-one ratio of hydrogen peroxide solution can improve plant growth and eliminate pathogens, nematodes, and their eggs. However, the free radical oxygen atoms in hydrogen peroxide can also deplete beneficial bacteria and fungi in the soil, so introducing beneficial microbes and nutrients to the soil is important.

A one-to-one ratio of three percent or six percent hydrogen peroxide solution can be used to disinfect garden tools, seed trays, pots, and surfaces. Stronger solutions can also kill mold spores and prevent their growth, but caution must be exercised when using stronger concentrations of hydrogen peroxide.