Hydrogen Peroxide

Hi fellow Hoyaddicts,

I hope everyone is going to have a lovely weekend!

I was looking through some older threads and stumbled upon Awanda's post about hydrogen peroxide http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/483097/

I have had great success using food grade hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) purchased from a local hydroponics shop - it is pretty inexpensive. I use the 35% concentrate which allows me to use small amounts (a couple tablespoons per gallon of water), so it lasts a long time. While there is the intervening variable of spring/summer sunshine, I have noticed that with the addition of hydrogen peroxide plants that were just sort of "sitting there," not putting on any new leaves (most likely because they are in too dense of potting soil and in too big of a pot), really perked up and started putting on lots of new growth. Also, I noticed an increase in blooms. What's also really nice is the H2O2 apparently renders the chlorine in tap water inert, as well as helps eliminate buildup in the soil from hard water, nasty chemicals used to combat pests, etc.

The only thing missing from the post Awanda provided was the importance of waiting at least 20 minutes after adding the hydrogen peroxide to the water before adding plant food to the water. Apparently this is necessary because it takes that much time for the unstable hydrogen peroxide to stabilize in the water.

For anyone who wants to try this method, I would suggest the food grade hydrogen peroxide over the drugstore kind. The drugstore variety includes lots of chemical stabilizers that reduce the benefits provided by the H2O2 (although those chemicals apparently do not harm the plants).

Two Hoyas that I have had for over five years that just sort of languished, never putting on any new growth, have perked-up very nicely. One, a fraterna, had just three leaves (the whole time!), and now it has seven. Another, an unidentifed Hoya, had about eight leaves on a long, very stiff, woody vine. Now it has five new ones and some green "bumps" that should also become leaves.

Ann

Oh, one other thing completely unrelated... I got a macrophylla start from a woman in town that sells Hoyas - I have since stopped purchasing from her for reasons cited here - it came with scale! First, thank the stars that I managed to catch this before I put it in my collection. Second (the point of this little section of my blathering), I just started washing the leaves in plain running water every day for a few days, then every couple of days for a week, etc. It's been two months since I stopped and the scale is gone - with no chemical weapons used! Has anybody else done this with success? Is it possible to be as effective on larger plants with more than a couple of leaves?

My experience with scale is that it "sticks" to the stems and leaves to the point where actual scraping it off with a fingernail or Qtip or wiping with tissue, etc is necessary. I would not think just washing would get rid of it. Also I have read that underneth the little armor shell is lots of eggs.
I have used alcohol or Shultz Houseplant spray on it.
Marcy

Thanks for the valuable info on the food hydrogen peroxide. I have to see how much it costs in a hydroponics store here. I also didn't realize you were supposed to wait for before putting in the fertilize.
:) Donna

Yes, I forgot to say I appreciated that info too. I also didn't know about the waiting to put it in. I have used it before altho not all the time. Think I will start using it more often. I had just been using the drug store kind too.
Think I will look up a few of those hydroponics stores around here. I have still been looking for that leca too.
Marcy

Interesting information, Ann. Do you think the effectiveness is in that it gets Oxygen down to the roots...hoyas love their roots aerated. Clever girl....good success with the scale!!!

Carol

Yes, Carol.
I think that is the key. I believe that the addition of the unstable oxygen molecule creates (not sure how to say this) space around the roots allowing them to "breath" rather than being stifled in waterlogged soil.
That being said, I am not sure of the necessity of H2O2 if the plant soil is already loose and free-draining. Adding H2O2 to that may simply be washing money away since the extra oxygen molecule is not needed because the roots are being moistened and fed, but not waterlogged.
I noticed the plants that it was effective on were: 1) small plants, in too large of pots, growing in regular potting soil; and 2) older, larger plants that benefited from the the H2O2 "cleaning" up build-up in the soil.

Thanks for the info Maizee dotes! I did scrape off what scale I could see, then when I would do the daily wash I would lightly scrub the leaves and stems with a sponge. I have continued to keep them away from my other plants just in case!!!

Ann

Marcy, I have been researching the leca. I have found that it is the exact same thing as hydrokorrels, or hydrton. The spelling may be off on those, sorry. The have the same properties. Any hydroponic store should have them. It's funny, everytime I go into the hydroponic stores, people try to give me products to help grow marijuana! I guess because of how I look! It's interesting to see their reaction when I tell them, I'm growing hoyas! They usually don't have the faintest idea what hoyas are! Good luck to you! Hopefully, they won't mistake you for a pot grower!!
Heather

Marcy, If you do a search on hydroton you will find several sources. I have used them and I really like them. I had never heard of the one Nan had listed as hydrokorrels. I will have to check that one out. Deb

... just jumping in about the leca and hydroton. Both of those are brands of expanded clay aggregate. Each brand is slighty different in density and shape. For eg, hydroton is pretty much spherical. Leca is more irregularly shaped and so the capillary action is better (more water is taken up).

Thanks all. Glad to learn it is the same. I have found the hydroton & have a bag of it. Now to see if I can get my hoya roots so darn healthy they stick to it like Christina's do. Ha Ha.
I am going back to that store now though and get some of that hydrogen peroxide.
I don't think they will think I am there to grow pot now. Ha Ha. Unless of course they think I look sick & need it for medical reasons. Ha.
I just don't look "hippy" enough anymore. Of course there was a time when I had my peace neckless on & my leather sandles with my tie-dyed T-shirt that they DEFINATELY would have suspected me. But that was many moons ago. :-(
Marcy

NOT that many, Marcy...it is all relative!!! (ie it is our younger relatives that make us...um...more mature 'looking').

Back to the Hydrogen Peroxide issue...
I went to that hydroponics store last week end and got a few things, however I skipped buying the "35 percent" peroxide.
The guy literally scared me to death to use it. He said it is VERY caustic and can eat right through your hands. Said you must wear rubber gloves. Said he had a cut on his hands once and got some on his cotton gloves and it ATE a hole in his finger. Also said it is extreemly poisonous & must you must wash everything that it comes in contact with.
Well, after all that.....think I will just stick with the drug store kind & take my chances. Gheeze. Why cant they just sell you some that is already mixed up to a safe level and still be good for plants?
Marcy

It is true that it is very caustic and will eat through layers of cloth and skin in its highly concentrated form - just as household bleach and cleaners will if one doesn't take the proper precautions. I think ultimately it is just a matter of being as careful with the concentrate as you are with any other household poison.

That said, I think you were absolutely right to stick to what you are comfortable with!

I am very careful to pour the the H2O2 concentrate into the water jug in the sink and I rinse my hands thoroughly when I am done (regardless of whether I think I may have come in contact with it or not).

Ann

Marcy, thanks for sharing that information. I purchased some of the H202 concentrate and the store didn't saying anything to me about that. I had decided to use up the regular hydrogen peroxide first, so hadn't even opened the container yet. I have second thoughts on using it or taking it back. I just really appreciate knowing that it will need extra care in handling it. Deb

BTW - it is an excellent disinfectant for cuts and wounds, as well!!!

It is also an excellent household anti-bacterial cleaner. And it is not toxic like bleach.

Wait a minute...now I am confused.....didn't I just say that a man told me he accidently got some on his fingers with a cut & it ate a HOLE in his finger? If this is so....how can it possibly be good for cuts and wounds???? Unless you are talking about the regular drugstore 3 percent variety. Then...yes, I have used that for that also.
Ann...I am also confused by your statement that it is not toxic. I was always told that even the mild form is poisonous. That would make the heavy concentrated form REALLY bad. Seems it would be dangerous to use it as a cleaner. Am I wrong on this?
I need a refresher course on the basic danger of this stuff it seems.
Marcy

Marcy - for wounds you should use a diluted to 3% form. The concentrate is very potent, but not meant to be used at that strength. It is diluted before use to the strength you need. I use 3% for wounds, general disinfecting, in the laundry as a bleach substitute. It is definitely not poisonous at that dilution. I brush my teeth with it at 3% with no problems at all. It is not caustic (diluted of course) like bleach which is why you can pour it in open wounds.

The 35% (which I have) just needs to be handled with care - the way you would any strong household chemical. I heard if you got a drop on your skin it would bleach it bright white - but never heard it would eat through flesh. If you get the concentrate on porous surface like your wood floor or tablecloth - it WILL bleach that! I took the gallon of 35% and immediately dilluted it to 3% in a gallon of distilled water - this I keep under my kitchen cabinet for general household use. (I wash my vegetables with it and they keep forever almost!) - I washed a pumpkin off with it last year and kept it on my kitchen table from October to early June last year with not one speck of rot. I dilute it to 8% to use in water I root plants in, to soak seeds before sowing and to foliar spray plants - YES, they love it. The 35% concentrate I covered tightly and I store it in the back of my freezer where it will keep without degrading at all for ver a year). Here is a link to a guy who INGESTS the stuff to treat ailments as well as uses it in his garden:
http://www.landrights.com/Hydrogen_Peroxide.htm
Here's another link about how it is being used to treat cancer:
http://www.cancertutor.com/Cancer/HydrogenPeroxide.html

Diane Krny

The thing to remember here is that Diane, myself, and all of the links to details of human and household uses, are talking about food-grade hydrogen peroxide. The chemical stabilizers in the drug-store variety lessen the overall quality of the product.

In addition to the links Diane provided, here is a list detailing H2O2's usefulness as a non-toxic household cleaner (with recipes): http://www.h2o2-4u.com/house.html

And, an overview of commercial uses of H2O2: http://www.h2o2.com/intro/overview.html

Ann

Thank you both so much. That clarifys a lot for me. Now I am not so afraid of it. May pick some up after all, and will just regard it as I do bleach and store & use with care.
Deb....I would just hang on to what you have & follow the directions carefully, don't get it on yourself, & store as any poison.
Marcy

Marcy,

Thanks I have decided to keep and in fact used some for the first time this morning. I went to a hydroponics store yesterday and got a liquid measure for millimeters. It is easy to use, simular to an eye-dropper. Deb