Some of the primula seeds I planted have gone moldy. I had read something about using hydrogen peroxide to help with damping off. I noticed from some of the threads I was reading that a couple of you use hydrogen peroxide. I was wondering if you found that it helped stop the remainder of the seeds from molding once a few had already started? How strong do you make the solution to spray on them? I used 10 drops of 3% peroxide per litre of water. I also have fungus gnats. Do you find it helps with those?
Sandy
Hydrogen Peroxide
I'm waiting to hear the information you get so I can use it too. I have 'no damp' that I've added to a couple of plants, and it smells there might be some benzoine in it.
Linda
Hi Sandy, and Linda I water with a H2O2 solution for plants and seeds. I don't measure though, for plants I use it stronger than the seeds or seedlings. Joelle
I do use h2o2 when soaking seeds but haven't used it to stop damping off. I tend to use camomile tea. Think I'll do an experiment using h2o2 when spraying new seedlings. For soaking I use about 50% h2o2 and 50% water, Think I'll use just a few drops of it when spraying new seedlings.
Inanda
Edited to fix typos
This message was edited Mar 1, 2005 9:51 AM
I have had some datura seeds (using the paper towel method) which were not germinating after 2 months. Two days ago I put them in a solution of water with a few drops of H202 and when I looked at them this morning it certainly looked like something was happening.
Heather
I dilute the 3% H2O2 thusly: 1 oz H2O2 to 1 quart water. I use less of a dilution for the initial watering.
I've sprayed moldy flats with this and saved the seeds--would suggest moving them to a warmer location for a few days. If you have them covered with plastic, be sure to remove the plastic each day and turn it over, to get rid of the condensation. Even leave it off during the day.
But if you still have some primula seeds left, wouldn't hurt to start another 3x5, rather than wait. Water thoroughly from the bottom with a solution of the H2O2.
The beauty of chamomile tea is that you can use it as WELL as No-Damp or H2O2.
Rosemary
Thanks for the information Rosemary. Do you just use chamomile tea instead of water to wet the seed starter mix to begin with and ten for subsequent watering?
I've only used the tea for on-going watering before I got the H2O2. But yes, wet the mix thoroughly with it. With primula seeds, you'd do well to soak them overnight before sowing. In fact, I soak ALL my seeds that are large enough to handle with tweezers. Really speeds up germination.
R.
I have been watching this thread with interest. I am so dumb about this kinda stuff, I guess. All the seeds I have soaked in the past, I have soaked in just plain rain water. I didn't know you were supposed to use anything else? I guess I have been lucky with my seed germination so far.
Rosemary, do you soak all your seeds in the H2O2 or the chamomile tea? If it's the H2O2, is it diluted 1 oz to 1 quart? I'll have to try to convert that to metric. LOL
OOOPS! Stop! I misled you!
I did NOT mean I soak the seeds in anything but water! I just the mix that I'm going to plant them in.
Mind you, I don't know what the H2O2 would do used that way--maybe nothing--but I've never tried it.
I also usually pre-sprout the soaked seeds (with some exceptions) on a moist paper towel, inside a plastic bag. If they seem to be taking too long, I have sometimes sprayed them lightly with the H2O2 (and chamomile tea would work there too) so they don't get moldy. If you pre-sprout that way, be sure to check the seeds daily to oxygenate them.
Okay, thanks Rosemary. I planted more seeds today. I didn't soak the seed starter mix with H2O2 but I did spray the top with it before and after planting the seeds. I've also been spraying all the trays I've already planted. I hope it helps. I've never tried sprouting the seeds in paper towel first and have only soaked the seeds overnight if the instructions call for it. I might try doing that with some. I've run out of room under my lights at the moment. Will have to move more of the taller ones out when I need to plant more seeds. Goodness knows where I'll put those though. Fun and games. LOL
This is a very informative thread...thanks for the info so far, everyone!
Shannon
I always sterilize the seed starter mix for 1/2 hr at 180F and wash my containers with bleach water. This usually forstalls any dampening off. Planting too thickly can increase the likelihood of problems, however. I've used chamomile tea to mist suspect plants.
Hydrogen peroxide us:
Add to water just before use as the Hydrogen peroxide
loses its strength after a short period of time.
1 oz H2O2 to 1 quart water - are we talking US or Imperial quarts in this metric land of ours?
Ann
I use 1 tbsp Hydrogen Peroxide with 2 cups distilled water.
I've got it in a mister bottle to spray my seedlings with.
If it can be used to stop damping of, could it be used to prevent powdery mildew?
Steve
There was a discussion on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the Container Gardening Forum recently. This is a pretty technical thread but worth reading in detail. I've printed it out and refer to it a lot.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/527353/
I've been using it at 2 tsp/litre for watering tubers and for spraying soil surfaces of germinating seeds. I'm also using a No-Damp spray, so it's hard to tell which is effective (or not). I use Pro-Mix which is supposed to be sterile when you buy it, but I've noticed mold around the seeds themselves, so who knows where the spores come from. The thing is to control it.
There is a difference between 'sterile' and sterilized. Sterile mix usually refers to the absence of nutrients. I bake my starter at 180 F for 1/2 hr, even if it is fresh out of the bag, and I wash all containers in bleach water. I have really good luck with this, and didn't lose any plants to dampening off this spring, though I started hundreds of starter trays in the basement.