Surely at home, you have some hydrogen peroxide and use it to heal small wounds and scrapes. However, a lesser-known use of this product is in our garden or vegetable garden.
Hydrogen peroxide is very useful in the garden, orchard, and in pots on terraces and balconies, that is, in general, to take care of the health of plants and is used for different applications. However, it is not enough to know what hydrogen peroxide is for plants, but you have to know how to use it correctly because excessive or frequent use or a high dose could harm them instead of benefiting them. Thus, in this article, we will see the uses of hydrogen peroxide in the garden and how to use it properly.
What is hydrogen peroxide in the garden for and how is it used
The hydrogen or hydrogen peroxide water is not harmful to plants, but it helps the roots to absorb nutrients from the soil, thanks to the extra oxygen molecule that provides them with what their healthy development is encouraged, faster and vigorous. In addition to this effect, it also helps to drive away undesirable bacteria and fungi, which is why it can act as a pesticide .
How to use hydrogen peroxide on plants
Hydrogen peroxide can be used at 3%, which is its pharmaceutical form. It is important to consider the concentration, as a high concentration could cause damage such as discoloration or burns. The preparation consists of adding just one teaspoon per cup of water in a spray bottle and spraying the plant and the garden after the rains or as needed. This solution can be used in seedbeds for seeds with fungal infections and for plants with root rot or fungal infections. The solution can be prepared and stored for future use, but keeping it in cool, dark places, as light can diminish its potency.
If you want to cover a larger area, it could be cheaper to buy it at 35%, but in this case diluted in ten parts of water. Mix it in a sprinkler or large sprayer and water the base of the plants, avoiding wetting the foliage.
Hydrogen peroxide for plant roots
Hydrogen peroxide is also used to keep plant roots healthy . Something fundamental for plants is irrigation, but its excess can generate rotting in the roots , since when all the empty space that remains in the earth is occupied by water, the roots run out of oxygen. In this case, to prevent the plants from dying, it is watered with 3% hydrogen peroxide diluted in a liter of water . After this, you will have to wait for the substrate to dry completely before watering again.
Hydrogen peroxide for sprouts
Hydrogen peroxide can also be used to speed up seed germination . This effect is due to the fact that it acts by softening the protective layer of the seeds and eliminating the harmful agents that damage their growth.
Its application consists of soaking the seeds for approximately half an hour in the 3% hydrogen peroxide and then rinsing them well before sowing.
Hydrogen peroxide as fertilizer for plants
Hydrogen peroxide can also be used as a natural soil fertilizer . As we have already seen, hydrogen peroxide is so named due to the additional oxygen atom it possesses and it is precisely this atom that helps make the roots of our plants stronger and facilitates the absorption of nutrients.
For its application, a tablespoon of 3% hydrogen peroxide must be diluted in approximately three and a half liters of water and spray our plants.
Hydrogen peroxide as a pesticide
Hydrogen peroxide can also be used to kill fungi and bacteria. This is done by mixing 3% hydrogen peroxide with the same amount of water and spraying it on our plants with a watering can or sprayer. As in wounds, hydrogen peroxide helps to eliminate bacteria, molds and fungi , since it accelerates the oxidation process of biomolecules.
Can hydrogen peroxide harm plants?
Like any other substance, the excessive use of hydrogen peroxide can cause damage to plants . For this reason, it is very important to dilute this hydrogen peroxide before using it in the garden. This use is recognized by the US EPA, giving it its seal of approval.
Hydrogen peroxide or hydrogen peroxide has the same chemical formula and atoms as water, with the difference of having an additional oxygen atom (resulting in H2O2), which gives hydrogen peroxide its beneficial properties.
