Sterilizing Soil with Hydrogen Peroxide before use?

[mtbazz]

So as my battle with fungus gnats continues, I am thinking of ways of avoiding them all together.

Im now thinking of doing a complete soil sterilization with Hydrogen Peroxide before anything new is planted in it.

Has anyone does this before? I was thinking a complete drench with a 1% concentration of H2O2 should do the job. I realize this will also wipe out any beneficial microfauna that may exist in the soil, but I think having fungus gnats is worse than having no microfauna.

As an FYI, I've tried everything so far, dunks, azamax, and nematodes and nothing is wiping these fuckers out.

 

[Mountain]

Has anyone does this before? I was thinking a complete drench with a 1% concentration of H2O2 should do the job. I realize this will also wipe out any beneficial microfauna that may exist in the soil, but I think having fungus gnats is worse than having no microfauna.

As an FYI, I've tried everything so far, dunks, azamax, and nematodes and nothing is wiping these fuckers out.

Wow man sounds like you got issues if you tried all of that and can't get them under control...don't know why though.

I hardly think a 1% dilution will do much and no it won't kill all your microlife. If you want to sterilize your soil then cook it in an oven.

Are you using off-the-shelf bagged soil or are you on a soil recycling program?

If you talk to Solvay, one of the makers of H2O2 they'll tell you that in the food industry they recommend using a 50% solution (almost it's 50% and not 35%) AND very hot to sterilize fruit juice box containers before filling. With all those nooks and crannies in soil at 1% you'll kill a lot of stuff then with all that liberated oxygen your microlife population should explode. Don't know what a 1% drench would do for fuggus gnats but think you're going in the wrong direction.

 

[Rednick]

I have thought about this.
Steam Pasteurization is a thought,or water pasteur would perhaps 'leech' out nutrients from the soil. But could be re-added through waterings?
You need a propane turkey fryer burner/homebrew burner, 40,000+ btu.
55 gal steel drum.
But then there is a reason that they don't pasteurize FFOF, but yeah, the pests are winning somewhere at source or in transit.

I noticed the little fuckers a while ago, not no more though, but they don't seem to be doing much. I have been watering Mayan Microzyme that I had sitting around every other week, and plant success on transplant.
P-bombed the flyers, then fed BB and Myco and sprayed with Mite Rid (luke warm water, what a fucking difference that makes! I would be retroactively flunked in Chem class for going through a whole bottle of Azatrol with cold water)


I'll do a post-mortum in the next month or two.
Definitely going to start getting some nematode population going soon here.

 

[mtbazz]

Wow man sounds like you got issues if you tried all of that and can't get them under control...don't know why though.

I hardly think a 1% dilution will do much and no it won't kill all your microlife. If you want to sterilize your soil then cook it in an oven.

Are you using off-the-shelf bagged soil or are you on a soil recycling program?

If you talk to Solvay, one of the makers of H2O2 they'll tell you that in the food industry they recommend using a 50% solution (almost it's 50% and not 35%) AND very hot to sterilize fruit juice box containers before filling. With all those nooks and crannies in soil at 1% you'll kill a lot of stuff then with all that liberated oxygen your microlife population should explode. Don't know what a 1% drench would do for fuggus gnats but think you're going in the wrong direction.

Ive used both off the shelf (Roots Organics, Happy Frog, FFOF), and my own recycled soil, but the fuckers came in from the store bought soil (infestation started before I recycled).

Not sure about cooking it in my oven. Won't that stick up the house to high heaven?

Wow...50% ? Thats pretty high..damn. Im not even sure that would be safe...

 

[Mountain]

Ive used both off the shelf (Roots Organics, Happy Frog, FFOF), and my own recycled soil, but the fuckers came in from the store bought soil (infestation started before I recycled).

Not sure about cooking it in my oven. Won't that stick up the house to high heaven?

Wow...50% ? Thats pretty high..damn. Im not even sure that would be safe...

I've always had fungus gnats to some extent. They only really bothered me when I was running salts in hydro (rockwool). When in soil I got used to them but they never got out of control. Being in soil with organics you should expect SOME gnats.

What kind of nute program are you using?

That is safe in food production plants because of all the controls they have in place. When Solvay told me that's the program they recommend I was like WoW...and that's for a smooth foil type lined container and not a bunch of nook and crannied soil.

 

[mtbazz]

I've always had fungus gnats to some extent. They only really bothered me when I was running salts in hydro (rockwool). When in soil I got used to them but they never got out of control. Being in soil with organics you should expect SOME gnats.

What kind of nute program are you using?

That is safe in food production plants because of all the controls they have in place. When Solvay told me that's the program they recommend I was like WoW...and that's for a smooth foil type lined container and not a bunch of nook and crannied soil.

For nutes I use EJ grow, bloom, micro, and catalyst. I usually use these grow and bloom in tbsp amounts2-3 times a month, micro and catalyst in half tbsp amounts. The plants get water only inbetween feedings, and only when the pots are light.

As far as H2O2 goes, I routinely use 35% stock solutions at my job, while Id feel safe using that solution at home, Im not sure Id want to mess with 50% or greater outside a controlled environment.

 

[Mountain]

As far as H2O2 goes, I routinely use 35% stock solutions at my job, while Id feel safe using that solution at home, Im not sure Id want to mess with 50% or greater outside a controlled environment.

You probably can't get the 50% grade outside of industry. Even getting 35% is much more controlled. It's been a few years since I talked to Solvay. I did mess with some of their calcium peroxide product for soil applications.

I mean is your room filled with flying critters? You won't get rid of them with how you're growing. A bit surprised the Bti did not take care of it. I always trimmed the bottom 1/3 of my plant off, ran an oscillating fan between the pot tops and the bottom of the canopy, had excellent air flow through the room and another fan tickling the plant tops.

 

[ijim]

A few grams of tobacco in a couple of litters of water brewed in a tea will kill gnats and mites. You can add a few drops of lemon juice to make it smell good. But is not really needed. Strain and use in a spray bottle and all of your pest will disappear. That will get you through this round. Then on the next you can use a more politically correct method if needed. There are those that cringe at the word nicotine but the toxicity only last a few hours.