Hydrogen Peroxide safe to treat mouldy pot?

Discussion in 'Garden Pest Management and Identification' started by kikiborges, Jun 23, 2008.

  1. kikiborges

    kikiborges Member

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    I have a lavender plant in a previously used pot, and the pot is now showing a dusting of white all around the bottom, stopping about 2 inches up. I'm assuming it's mould, and I want to know how to get rid of it! Also, some leaves are blackening/drying out.

    Would it harm the plant if I rinsed the soil/pot in a diluted solution of hydrogen peroxide + water?

    Any thoughts why this might have happened?

    - I made sure the soil has good drainage.
    - I was watering every couple of days, so perhaps it was too much.
    - When I was potting the lavender, I got rid of a lot of the roots because it was rootbound. Perhaps this weakened the plant and made it susceptible to rot.
    - The plant hasn't grown much since I planted it. It is indoors and has been too weak to take full sun so far.
     
  2. Debby

    Debby Active Member 10 Years

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    The white is accumulated salt (mineral) likely from fertilizing. I'd say put the pot outside in a spot that gets morning sun to start and then move to full sun.
     
  3. kikiborges

    kikiborges Member

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    Thanks, Debby.

    I thought it might be salt, but the way it has spread over the pot surface seems different than a salt layer, which is why I think it's mould.
     
  4. Wolvie150

    Wolvie150 Active Member

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    What I can remember from military med. training and my chemist room-mate, Hydrogen Peroxide is going to basically explode any cell it runs across, healthy, sick, desired, or pathogen. I can remember the exact methodology, but I believe it has to do with breaking water into OH (anyone know for sure?). So I wouldn't suggest that.

    Did you sanitize the pot first? Could it be a reaction from that? If not, it is quite possible mold or a reaction caused by a pathogen with the plant.
    Root rot usually takes a few weeks in my experience, and there is the tell-tale "sewage" smell - not necessarily rotten, but the swampy smell of a damp, slow draining area. There eventually will be quite a bit of mushy stalks at the soil level, with quick droop on those stalks in a few days.

    Sorry I didn't do a bit more research with this - hard day.
     
    Last edited: Jun 24, 2008
  5. kikiborges

    kikiborges Member

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    Thanks for that tip! Hydrogen Peroxide is cool!

    I didn't sanitize the pot, and now I'm regretting it. My plant's drooping and showing a shrivelled stem, so it's basically some form of die-off even if there's no swampy smell. I'll have to throw it out.

    I'm glad I posted here.
     
  6. Wolvie150

    Wolvie150 Active Member

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    Sorry to hear that. I didn't know about sanitizing either my first few times. Was lucky 1 out of 3 times.
    Depending on your style, I know a light chlorine mix (but rinse oh so well) - I haven't done that just knowing about chlorine from my Nuke-chem med training in the military. Another is just a good soap and water, followed by a light rubbing alchohol (91%, not the 70%) followed by one or two rinses works for plastic (I've done that).
    Organically, I haven't looked into what, but have heard there are ways. One way I could think of if it fits in your stove, I know soil can be baked at 300* for an hour (?), so that may work on tera cotta pots...
    Another might be the anti-mold stuff for fish tanks/ponds...

    Any suggestions by anyone?
     

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