peroxide

please help, how much peroxide is used with what amount of water for starting seeds outside. I am late sowing so I guess this spring sowing.

Good question! I've been trying to figure this out, as well. Let's hope someone who knows, responds. :-)

For watering (house)plants I use 2 oz. per gallon of water, which equals 1tbsp per quart. When I soak the soil before planting seeds I might use it stronger than that. I wouldn't use peroxide on seedlings, though. This is using the standard 3% solution from the drugstore.

I use the same ratio (1 Tbsp. standard 3% H. peroxide per quart of water) for watering in newly sowed seeds and for watering seedlings... I think it helps prevent damping off and that sort of thing.

For wintersowing, I don't add hydrogen peroxide or anything to the water, nor do I sterilize my seed starting mix as I do for indoor seed trays -- I figure the cold temperatures will take care of pathogens for me.

For "wintersowing" in spring, it might be a good idea to use the hydrogen peroxide... but I would not increase the ratio... too much can be detrimental.

Thanks critter and claypa - I have some peroxide upstairs I can use :-)

I probably got that ratio from you, critterologist! I wasn't able to find as much soil-less mix as I wanted, so I figured I'd give the H2O2 a try for the odd bags of soil I came up with.

LOL... I've seen that ratio mentioned several places, so I think it's pretty much standard.

If you're using any of that odd mix for starting seeds indoors, consider sterilizing it... I do mine in the microwave... Be sure to add at least a cup of water per quart of dry mix (dry mix will catch fire), loosely cover container and microwave on high 8-12 minutes until you see steam condensing on the underside of the lid... close lid tightly, and let the steam continue to work on the mix for another 10 minutes or so.

I use no hydrogen peroxide when wintersowing seeds outdoors. Mother Nature never has used hydrogen peroxide either, or at least not to my knowledge, and seeds have sprouted beautifully since the beginning of time.

Growing indoors is a whole different way of propagating seeds. Then hydrogen peroxide, heat mats & grow lights can be used.

Please help me I have never used hydrogen peroxide and don't know why it is used. Why is it?

zen,

i've read that it keeps seedlings from getting that damp off. it's for sowing indoors.

I use chamomille tea to prevent damping off for indoor sprouts. The tanin in the tea decreases fungal growth.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought hydrogen peroxide is used with seeds that are difficult to germinate. I haven't tried hydrogen peroxide, but have used a weak solution of giberrilic acid on very hard seed coats.

Shirley,

i read about chamomile, and figured i'd use that if need be.... never heard about H2O2 for difficult seeds -- but i'm still a noob.

terese

I did a search about dampening off and found this.

http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG1167.html

Fortunately damp off isn't a problem with WSing and neither is breaking down seed coats. You don't need peroxide or chamomile.

Karen

http://www.h2o2oxytech.com/h2o2-uses.htm