Use of H2O2

[pikevi]

Hello Everyone,

It is very scary when I read about all the infections and infestations that can afflict orchids. I have fallen head over heels for orchids and I am getting nervous to add more plants since ,so far, the ones I have are doing , to my untrained eye,well and I don't want to introduce any 'bugs' into them.

This may be a very dumb question but has 1-3 % (?)percent hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) has been tried on any new plant before introducing it into the existing collection? Or would it hurt the roots?

Just a thought!

[mayres]

A lot of people post of using it without any ill effects - both the diluted as purchased at the drug store (3%) and further diluted - not me personally. What were you thinking of using it to treat?

[janet_a]

i use it to treat rot--just plain submerge the cleaned-off plant in it, straight from the bottle, for at least 15 mins, 2 or 3 times over the course of a couple weeks. (one baby phal, treated in this fashion with sphag & bag, is finally growing some new roots. -fingers crossed-)

are you thinking in terms of treating new plants you bring home before exposing them to your collection?

me, i just keep the new ones away from the old ones for at least 2 weeks and watch them and see if anything crawls out. i also prophylactically treat the entire collection at least once a year with neem spray (but then, i'm growing on a windowsill; if you have any plants outside you'll need to be more agressive.)

I witnessed a greenhouse grower pour straight hydrogen peroxide right into the crown of a phal that she was in doubt about. She let it sit there for 15 minutes or so, then poured it out. She said over the next few days she would repeat that treatment several times.

[pikevi]

I think it is great that we can use H2O2 since it is non toxic, environmentally friendly and cheap.

Actually I was thinking of using it as a prophylactic. After reading about all the parasites and microbes that can hurt the Orchids I was wondering if all plants that are brought into an existing collection could be treated with it.

A stitch in time saves nine?

mayres: I hope the above answered your question.
orchid126: I am surprised that the tender crowns were able to tolerate it!.

Yes, janet_a, that is exactly what I was thinking of. May be next time when I buy an orchid I will try it. I bought an Orchid (Cymbidium) today but it is big and full of bloom.. I don't want to experiment with it.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

What it kills is not likely to be the seriously offending organisms. Don't think it will kill mites, scale, mealies, thrips, or aphids. It has potential to kill fungi and bacteria, but most of this stuff is already lying around your collection any way, just waiting for a plant to have lowered resistance.

Pikevi, you're thinking in terms of the peroxide in reaction to our skin tissues. Plants have totally different cell formation. They probably love the extra oxygen.

[pikevi]

Good points.

I was just thinking of easily biodegradable non toxic chemicals that can 'assist' in curtailing possible infections.

As Cynthia said these viruses and bacteria are ever present and in check in healthy plants. When plants have lowered resistance the microbes will gain an upper hand.

Any info on using potassium permanganate(KMnO4), as a preventive measure?

Thanks

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Whoops, I am sure you meant fungi, not virus. We try to keep virus out of the environment by not having virused plants if we can.

[pikevi]

Yes , I did.

But viruses can be removed with alcohol or H2O2 if they are outside the roots, I think.

And it is also surprising that the viruses you mentioned are not unique to orchids alone.

Thanks for correcting me.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

The normal alcohol you get at Walmart is not good enough to kill viruses on tools, and I have not heard anything about peroxide killing virus.

You might want to check out Firstray's site. I believe he has a section on home/eco friendly remedies for various problems.

[pikevi]

Thanks orchid126.

I will try and locate the URL.