A must know gardening tip - All about using hydrogen peroxide for plants and gardening.

 

Hydrogen peroxide is common in our first aid kit. But, how many of us are aware that hydrogen peroxide is also common in gardening. Hydrogen peroxide provides immense benefits for plants. We will discuss in detail about how hydrogen peroxide benefits plants, how much hydrogen peroxide is safe for plants,  how to use hydrogen peroxide for plants and many more details.

Now, let's see what are the benefits of hydrogen peroxide to plants.

Hydrogen peroxide is very effective in maintaining a healthy root system.It treats root rots.

Apart from this it is used for
1. Hydrogen peroxide actually releases oxygen and provides additional oxygen supply to roots, thus promoting vigorous growth of plants.
2. Pest control
3. As a foliar spray that prevents fungus
4. Pretreating seeds
5. Treating soil fungus
6. Accelerate germination: Soaking the seeds in a weak solution of hydrogen peroxide will enhance sprouting rate immensely.

With so many benefits to plants what is that which exactly makes hydrogen peroxide beneficial to plants?

Similar to water, hydrogen peroxide is also made up of the same atoms of hydrogen and oxygen, except that hydrogen peroxide has one additional atom of oxygen and this is what gives it the beneficial properties.

We might also wonder, if hydrogen peroxide is harmful to plants?

After looking into the make up of hydrogen peroxide, which is very similar to water, hydrogen peroxide is definitely not harmful to plants, provided it is used in diluted quantities. Generaly 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide is the one which is commonly available in stores. They can also go upto 35%. When it comes to gardening purposes, 3% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is safe for plants.

The next common question is that, how much hydrogen peroxide should I use for the plants?

To give your plants a good boost of oxygen and to control the pests, dilute 5ml of 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide in 240 ml of water and spray it on the plants. If you want to treat plants with root rot or fungal infections, dilute 15 ml of hydrogen peroxide in 240 ml of water.

If you want to use hydrogen peroxide for a larger area of your garden, then consider using 35% hydrogen peroxide solution and dilute 1 part in 10 parts of water.

Once we know the amount to be used we also have the question, how often should hydrogen peroxide be used for the plants?
We can water the plants with hydrogen peroxide solution once a week and we can also use hydrogen peroxide after it rains.

Do you notice these common signs in your plant - BE ALERT - Gardening tips and Gardening ideas.

Plant nutrients and it's importance: 

Plants, just like us need nutrients and having great interest in gardening, we would have definitely tried out different fertilizers. We will now see about what nutrients plants actually need and in addition to this we will also see when is the right time to provide the plant nutrients. 

Importance of noting various signs in plants, to identify the kind of nutrient lacking in the plant: 

You need not be an expert farmer or gardener to know these, as this is not rocket science. These are just simple gardening tricks and gardening tips that you need to know. 

Signs in the leaves and what do they indicate: 

First we will see certain signs in leaves and will see which nutrient deficiency causes these signs, so that we can supply the plant with those specific nutrients. Check out for brown spots in the leaves especially in the edges, yellowing of veins, yellow edges and brown veins. 

In addition to these signs curling of leaves, purple spots under the leaves should also be looked for. Mostly these deficiency symptoms will begin to appear in older leaves. 

What happens if these signs are left unnoticed: 

This when left unnoticed will lead to overall reduction in plant growth including reduced root development, seed and fruit development. If you notice any of these or most of these symptoms then it is definitely due to potassium deficiency. Potassium is the 3rd most important nutrient required by plants. 

Potassium deficiency and plant diseases:

Moreover, potassium deficiency will lead to more diseases in plants, this is because the thickening of cell walls in plants will not happen properly. This is because when adequate amount of potassium is present, silica will be accumulated and incorporated into the cell wall thus strengthening the cell wall which functions as a physical barrier to the pathogens which cause plant diseases. So now let's see what we can do to increase the level of potassium. We will look into certain natural sources of potassium. 

Natural sources of potassium: 

Seaweed, wood ash, crop residue, manures, kelp meal, green sand (which can be got in the nursery), fruit peel fertilizer - especially banana peel fertilizer and coffee grounds. 

Wood ash is one of the richest and fastest accessible source of potassium for your plants. You can easily make it at home and provide a feast for you plants in the garden.