See:
Henry, this study brings to mind to some additional interesting information that I have come across recently (of course now I can’t find where I was reading it! LOL )…but it was something to the effect that seeds soaked in fish emulsion would also germinate better. Now again, this was in reference to vegetable seeds and not specifically rose seeds. Perhaps a few experiments are in order for me this year with some fish emulsion…have to think about that…
Ah…forgot to mention that I did some cursory experiments last year with the use of hydrogen peroxide (partly inspired by some info on your webpage actually…). Preliminary results would indicate that a soak of seeds in hydrogen peroxide for roughly 24 hours prior to stratification reduced the amount of mold on the seeds, compared to seeds that were soaked for 10 hours or less. I also used an eye dropper of hydrogen peroxide to control emerging mold/fungus on seeds that had not previously been soaked in H2O2 (again, adapted from info on your webpage in using H2O2 on young seedlings). I do not believe this negatively impacted germination, and in fact suspect if anything it may have helped in some cases. Again, these were cursory observations as opposed to controlled studies.
I have to concur with you, Michellynn. The H2O2 definitely works on damping off. Last year I used a fine needled syringe with a drop of H2O2 emerging from, but still hanging onto, the needle. On the seedlings having damping-off problems, I gently let the drop of H2O2 rub up and down the stem. I didn’t lose one seedling to damping-off using that method. Thank you Henry!
Jude, I knew you had experienced similar results with this as well. It is always nice to have a few sources of corroboration when trying to establish effect treatment methods and processes. It would seem that all of us have found H2O2 to be effective in various applications with seeds and seedlings .
Now, my memory is not as accurate as I would hope…as such, it seems the information I came across on fish emulsion assisting in germination was actually in reference to seaweed NOT fish emulsion. And of all places to read it…not in a scientific paper I had come across…but rather on the side of my Neptune’s Harvest container of seawood fertilizer!! However, in doing some additional digging it would appear that there are actually some studies out there that support this concept. (Whew! Hate to think I would believe everything I read on product labels at face value!! LOL) I may in fact try using some seaweed presoaks and diluted fish emulsion when I wet my medium this year.
Has anyone tried a fish emulsion treatment this winter? (I am just now putting my seeds into their germination containers and am considering adding fish emulsion.)
I used dilute fish emulsion for soaking some seeds after stratification, for wetting some of the growing media, and for some emerged seedlings for the first few waterings. There are too many variables to prove that it was the cause of success, but I’ve had no post-emergence damping-off troubles this winter, which is rather unusual for me. I do believe the fish emulsion helped, and at the very least it did not hurt the seedlings; if it worked, it was a very cost-effective solution to the problem. Other potentially significant variables include the Perlite topping I put around the seedlings (mostly to prevent fungus gnats from laying eggs and destroying the plants’ roots) and the growing medium I used, which was simply high-organic-matter, friable topsoil from the garden. The soil likely contained both beneficial and harmful microorganisms and it was my hope that the fish emulsion would favor the beneficials.