This Common Household Product Is a Plant Lifesaver (and You Probably Already Own It) (2024)

Put away the pricey plant sprays, because you can use hydrogen peroxide for plants in a myriad of ways. This common household item, which you may have sitting in your medicine cabinet or under the kitchen sink, can be used for everything from disinfecting to stimulating plant growth.

It's one of those do-it-all ingredients that you should always have on hand—and that you should always turn to before buying a specialized plant product that addresses just one issue.

Here are five ways to use hydrogen peroxide for plants that you can start using on your houseplants and outdoor garden today.

Benefits of Using Hydrogen Peroxide for Plants

Some gardeners swear by this household basic's properties and benefits.

• It's an affordable alternative to more expensive plant solutions and remedies, which makes it an excellent first line of defense.
• It is a chemical compound that oxygenates soil and promotes plant growth.
• It is generally harmless to plants as long as it's properly diluted.
• Because it has disinfecting properties, it can treat a variety of bacterial and fungal infections.

How to Use Hydrogen Peroxide to Disinfect Garden Tools

You may not often think about disinfecting your garden tools, but it's an essential step whenever you're dealing with plants that could have bacteria or fungus lurking. You don't want to contaminate other plants, and garden tools should be disinfected any time they come into contact with a diseased plant.

1. Mix 1 part hydrogen peroxide with 2 parts water in a spray bottle or a bin.
2. Spray or soak the garden tools.
3. Let them sit with the solution for five to ten minutes.
4. Rinse and dry.

How to Use Hydrogen Peroxide to Boost Plant Growth

Because it oxygenates the soil, hydrogen peroxide may help aerate the soil, providing better access to oxygen for plant roots. It also helps disinfect the growing material to stave off bacteria and fungus.

1. Mix two and a half teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide in a gallon spray jug.
2. Spray it liberally onto the potting soil or into the already planted pots.
3. Continue every three to five days, concentrating on the roots as the plant grows.

How to Use Hydrogen Peroxide to Combat Root Rot

Hydrogen peroxide's oxygenating properties are exactly what a plant needs when it's suffering from root rot. While it can't bring back a plant that's completely gone, it can make an impact when you intervene early.

1. Remove the plant from its current potting soil, making sure to rinse off all the soil from the roots.
2. Cut off the areas of the roots that have been infected with root rot.
3. Saturate the root ball with a strong spray bottle mixture of one part hydrogen peroxide to two parts water.
4. Disinfect the container, and repot the plant in new potting soil. Let it dry before watering, and be careful not to overwater.

How to Use Hydrogen Peroxide to Repel Pests

Even if fungal infections or pests have already started to attack your plants, it's not too late to try hydrogen peroxide. Because of its disinfecting properties, hydrogen peroxide can help fight fungal infections, including powdery mildew, and repel insects and pests. It can also kill eggs and larvae.

1. Mix four tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide into a pint of water in a large spray bottle.
2. Spray the mixture onto affected areas from the top to the bottom, leaf to roots.

How to Use Hydrogen Peroxide to Kill Weeds

Used wisely, hydrogen peroxide can be used to kill weeds in your garden. The trick is keeping it away from areas where your own carefully sowed plants are growing.

1. Make a 10% hydrogen peroxide solution (stronger than the others 3% solutions!) in a spray bottle.
2. Spray the plants, letting the hydrogen peroxide scorch them and kill them back.
3. Pull the dead weeds and continue to use the solution as a weed killer in those areas to prevent them from returning.