Whether fake or real. He is annoying and feared. Mildew. It attacks the gardener’s cherry and apple trees, as well as wine, zucchini, cucumbers and gooseberries. But even ornamental plants such as roses and asters are not safe from the white furry fungal lawn. One (really) loves summer and the warmth. The other one likes moisture. Correctly, mildew is a collective term. With more than 100 species, the fungal disease is one of the most common plant diseases. But using chemicals often doesn’t get you very far when it comes to mildew.
Five inexpensive and environmentally friendly home remedies with which you can protect your plants from powdery mildew and drive them out of the garden if infested.
Lactic acid bacteria are an unnatural but extremely efficient enemy of powdery mildew. And that’s why it’s the most popular household weapon for many gardeners to drive fungus from plants. When used correctly, the bacteria colonize the upper side of the leaves of the affected plants, making survival difficult or even impossible for the annoying fungal growth. In addition, the sodium phosphate contained in milk, but also whey and buttermilk, strengthens the immune system of the affected plant. So you kill two birds with one stone. And the best thing: The preparation, which is very easy to make, can also be used as a preventive measure.
Tip: Mix raw or whole milk with water in a ratio of 1:8 to 1:10. In this case, there are 1.6 or two liters of water for every 200 milliliters of milk. Pour the mix into a spray bottle. And then: open fire – ideally several times a week and, if possible, in dry weather.
In the case of downy mildew, the milk-water mixture has no effect. Here the fungus primarily attacks the undersides of the leaves. These are very difficult to achieve using the spray method and are almost impossible to achieve completely.
Important: The milk-water mixture is particularly effective in cases of mild powdery mildew infestation.
The jack-of-all-trades for household and kitchen also takes on powdery mildew. Mixed with rapeseed oil and a little water, it attacks the fungus sustainably. Water and baking soda combine to form a weak lye that mildew doesn’t like at all. The pest also does not like the lecithins contained in the oil.
Tip: There are two liters of lukewarm rainwater per packet of commercial baking powder. This anti-mildew mix is rounded off with around 20 milliliters of rapeseed oil. Treat the affected plants with the lye approximately every 14 days.
Like the milk-water mix, the mixture is only suitable for cases of powdery mildew infestation. You can’t get rid of downy mildew fungus with baking powder.
Which brings us to a tried-and-tested and very inexpensive home recipe against the downy mildew fungus that grows on the undersides of leaves. Admittedly, the preparation is a bit complicated, but the brew is all the more effective. The decoction of field horsetail and water contains scratchy silica. To defend themselves against this, the treated plants strengthen their top layer of cells and at the same time protect themselves from the dreaded fungal spores of downy mildew. Because they now have to make a lot more effort to conquer the leaves. This makes it clear: horsetail tea can be used very well as a preventive measure. But even if the fungus has already infected the leaves, the dissolved silica is effective. Incidentally, the manure also helps in the fight against aphids.
Here’s how it works: Chop up 100 grams of fresh horsetail shoots and pour a liter of water over the greens. The brew now has to steep for 24 hours. Using boiled water reduces the waiting time by half. Before the plants can be sprayed, the manure should first be poured through a sieve and then diluted with water in a ratio of 1:5. For irrigation water, a mixing ratio of 1:10 is sufficient.
Tip: If field horsetail does not grow in your garden, collect it from nature. The plant, also known as horsetail, feels particularly comfortable on moist soil. It is considered a so-called indicator plant for waterlogging in the soil.
What do mildew fungi and vampires have in common? Exactly. You can’t stand garlic to death. In addition to numerous sulfur compounds, the spicy tuber also contains essential oils. For some it may seem wasteful, but garlic has proven to be an effective remedy against various plant pests. A properly prepared garlic decoction also works against downy mildew, among other things. To do this, pour boiling water over a handful of garlic cloves and let the whole thing steep and cool for a while. Then collect the pieces from the mixture and you’re done. Spray infected plants three times a week with the finished solution.
Algae lime uses a completely different trick to confuse the annoying mildew fungi. The biological product has such a high pH value that the fungal spores do not even germinate. The ecological plant strengthening using a powder sprayer is used as soon as you recognize the first symptoms. Algae lime must be diluted with water when used for the first time. The fertilizer is available in well-stocked garden centers.
Important: Acid-loving plants such as azaleas or rhododendrons should not be treated with algae lime. You need soil that is as acidic as possible.
Sources: “ndr.de”; “utopia.de”; “mein-schoener-garten.de”; “native-plants.de”; “beetfreunde.de”
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