Has anyone tried (routinely use) Hydrogen Peroxide in water for houseplants?

[hlthe2b]

I've been reading lately about how beneficial it can be for a variety of reasons but especially soil aeration, including, but not limited to plants which have had under/overwatering and potential root rot.


I guess the recommendation is for about 3-4 ounces of 3% H2O2 per gallon of water...

I have a 13 foot indoor schefflera tree that always suffers a bit in the winter time and though I've been guilty of overwatering at times, I was very careful this winter, but perhaps too careful. While it is getting good sun (S and SW bank of windows with blinds) and has healthy new growth, I still have a lot of drooping, semi-wilted leaves and some with light spots which usually precedes loss of those leaves. I water once weekly right now when the top is totally dried out and the one hole in the bottom of the planter doesn't seem to be seeping any moisture. It is so tall, I can't do much with it, but know I am going to have to get help to transplant it in the next year or two. My understanding is these plants don't mind being a bit pot-bound....

I'm tempted to try the H2O2 treatment, but this is a pretty irreplaceable plant for me. Anyone have experience of thoughts on using peroxide treatments for house (or garden) plants?

[Curmudgeoness]

1. I have never tried this

and have never heard of it before, but I do have a few thoughts that immediately came to me.

Hydrogen Peroxide is not very good as an anti-bacterial agent, and it does a lot of damage to living tissue...even when we use it on a cut, we often have damage to the edges of the cut. So I would wonder if it would do further damage the roots. Actually, you don't know for sure that you have any damage to the roots, do you?

Another thing, I would expect that any action that you would get from the H2O2 would be at the surface of the soil where it first comes into contact, and would not get to the roots.

Then there is the good bacteria in the soil that helps the plant....would it harm them as well if it does get down to the roots?

If I were concerned about the watering, and if I were over or under watering the plant, I would get a gauge so that you know when you have to water. I do know that all of my indoor plants suffer in the winter----not as much daylight, the air too dry because of the furnace, etc. But I just accept that where I cannot avoid it, and look forward to summer with conditions that make my plants happy.

On edit: With all that said, I do not think that the concentration that you are talking about would do anything, good or bad.

[hlthe2b]

2. Yes... I have a gauge but it doesn't reach all the way to the bottom of the pot

(can't find one that long), which is why I mention feeling for moisture at the one drain hole to determine when I need to water. But, no, I don't know that I have root damage, that's absolutely true.. I thought it possible when I searched for info on wilted leaves and yellow spots for this particular plant. Two years ago, what I read & concluded (was that I was overwatering)--that was undoubtedly true, but I've been quite cautious since then, but perhaps too much so. The continued tendency towards wilted leaves bugs me (and some blogs have suggested that means poor aeration). Of course, it has had to live through the cold wintery drafts near the window, but I've kept the heat pretty minimal so it doesn't suffer from blowing hot air "vent" damage but try to not let it get colder than about 59 degrees

I'll link a few of the articles on H2O2 treatments (though I agree at that dilute concentration it is not likely to harm, but perhaps would not be helpful either....) Maybe I'm just obsessing since warm weather did tend to help it thrive last summer after all the winter damage....


http://hubpages.com/hub/Hydrogen-Peroxide-for-Plants
http://www.using-hydrogen-peroxide.com/peroxide-garden.html

[Curmudgeoness]

4. I am a skeptic all the time,

so don't take this too seriously. I am skeptical of the second article simply because it is a sales pitch---they are selling "food grade H2O2". That article also suggests that the H2O2 furnishes the plant with an oxygen supplement. The problem is that plants don't need oxygen, it is a waste product that they produce (luckily for us).

The first article says that it is a great soil aerator, but I would suggest that it would be better for you to drive stakes (or some type of heavy duty metal skewer) into the soil and out again, several times, to break up the soil and aerate it that way. And it also says that it will remove chlorine from the water....but so will leaving the water sit in an open container for 24 hours. Or you could collect rain or snow water to use on the plants and avoid all the chemicals in tap water. I also saw that it says for "Soil Pest and Root Rot Treatment -
1.Mix one part of additive-free 35% Hydrogen Peroxide with ten parts water." A 35% H2O2 at 1:10 ratio is as strong or stronger than the 3% solution you would buy at a drug store, and that seems like too much to me.

So the skeptic says that I, personally, would not try this on a prized plant. I would be willing to experiment with this, because I find experimenting fun....but not on a tree that I think is not replaceable. My two cents.

[hlthe2b]

5. Thanks... that's sort of how I was leaning, but I appreciate your thoughts- echoes my qualms...

[Aerows]

8. What on earth are you trying to grow?

I'm just asking because that seems a bit extreme.

[hlthe2b]

9. A 13 foot Schefflera (umbrella) tree n/t

[LiberalEsto]

3. I don't know about hydrogen peroxide, but have read that tea tree oil can be beneficial

for mold problems in houseplants. It has to be greatly diluted.

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/tea-tree-oil-fungicide-plants-57276.html

[hlthe2b]

6. interesting... thanks...

Don't think I have mold yet, but it could happen.

[Major Nikon]

7. I haven't tried it, but I heard about it being benefitial for root rot

Some that are doing hydroponics use it, but I don't think it's in widespread use for the purpose. It's best to not get root rot in the first place and if you get it there's often nothing that you can do if you don't catch it quickly enough.

[bettyellen]

10. interesting! I saw a lot of recs for treating bulb rot and many swore by cinnamon and some other

spice I can't remember. This was for amarylii, which can get a nasty slimy rot that eats away at the bulb. Sounds safe and pleasant, anyway. Good luck!