How much is too much Hydrogen Peroxide

[Siggy]

Can anyone tell me how much peroxide can be used before it has a deadly affect on soil micro-organisms?

I've read so many papers and articles that all tell of a beneficial affect "and" a point where microbes are killed, but I've not been able to find amounts.

It's become a topic of debate amongst my friends and I. If I can put a maximum concentration limit on the use of H2O2, I can put this issue too sleep.

Because I don't know the max concentration, I do not use it. I understand some of the benefits of it's use, but with my approach of "growing the soil" and allowing the soil to grow my plants, I worry that the addition of H2O2 to my soil will kill more beneficial microbes than the benefits are worth.

Thanks All :D

[sandih]

Excuse my ignorance, but what are you using HP for?

[Siggy]

Hi Sandih

Well, I don't use it. But it's a topic of debate because I have a couple of friends that both do. I've looked for info on it's use, but can never nail down an answer.

I have one buddy that has used it during very heavy waterings, to supply oxygen to the roots and aerobic microbes.

I see the point as the H2O2 will lose an "O" or oxygen to form H2O, and "O".

Then when the free "O" is coupled with another "O", it will form "O2" or oxygen.

I have another buddy that uses it periodically because he claims it's good for fighting root rot.

Personally, I disagree with them both. But when I've searched the internet, I've found bits and pieces of info, that suggests it's been used.

Maybe it's me that's wrong. That certainly wouldn't be a first. :lol: One thing I'm sure of though, is that too much will definitely kill the soil life.

I would love to be able to put an amount on what is "too much".

[Dchall_San_Antonio]

I think any amount is too much. It is used for killing "germs." I don't want my microbes killed.

[Siggy]

Dchall_San_Antonio wrote: I think any amount is too much. It is used for killing "germs." I don't want my microbes killed.

Hi Dchall_San_Antonio

Well that's my opinion too. The problem is that I thought I could just prove that, and the subject would be over with. But to my surprise, I've seen it listed as an allowed product for organic gardening.

[url]http://www.organiclandcare.org/standard/products_fertilizers.htm This is a link to a list of products that are allowed to be used in organic gardening. Hydrogen Peroxide is an approved product on this list. I've seen it used in many places.

I don't or wont use it for the same reason. I don't want to kill my microbes. But if it's an approved organic, how much is being used?

I don't want too beat this horse. But I'm convinced that these guys are harming their soil environments, not helping. But ever since looking around for info. I'm wondering what "is" being used or at least how much.[/url]

[Dchall_San_Antonio]

One organic use I've seen is as a sterilizer for equipment instead of using chlorine bleach. For example you can clean your compost tea maker with hydrogen peroxide to get rid of the slime that accumulates. The slime is a bacterial byproduct that eventually gets fed upon by anerobic microbes and can become a problem. If you clean it with H2O2 then you can dump the wash down the drain without having to worry much about bad consequences. Or you could dump it in the street. But you would never dump it in the yard or in the compost pile.

[CaptainCompostAL]

I read once from Dr. Elaine Ingham's book, "The Compost Tea Manual", that under extremely rare circumstances, that adding a few tblp of H2O2 to hard non-chlorinated water sources, in an aerated 5 gallon bucket recipe of compost tea, helps get the aerobic microbes a little more oxygen, while killing off faster the pathogenic anaerobic microbes.

However like you and others mentioned earlier, I personally don't buy the idea.