max223•2mo ago

Tried using a 2% hydrogen peroxide mix on a maple stump to speed up rot, ended up with a weird mushroom bloom instead

4 comments

4 Comments

Hah, that's a classic case of overthinking it! I once tried to "help" a compost pile with some weird chemical and just ended up with a slimy mess. Sometimes the simple, slow way is the only way that actually works.

carter.joseph15d ago

Actually, peroxide breaks down into water and oxygen so it could feed aerobic bacteria.

emmam892mo ago

Wait, you poured hydrogen peroxide on a tree stump? That stuff kills microbes, it doesn't feed them. No wonder it got weird. The peroxide probably nuked the normal decay bugs and left a blank slate for some random fungus to move in. Mushrooms popping up is nature's way of saying the plan backfired. Next time just let it rot on its own or drill some holes and add actual compost.

cameronp472mo ago

Yeah, my buddy did something similar with a stump last fall. He soaked it in bleach trying to "clean" it before adding soil, and it just sat there like a dead rock for months. Then this spring it got covered in the weirdest orange slime mold. Totally backs up what @emmam89 is saying about nuking the good bugs and leaving room for the freaky stuff. He had to dig the whole thing out in the end. Messy lesson learned.