We know that most of the plants we plant in the garden can be attacked by pests and diseases. Powdery mildew is one of the best known and most common diseases in the world. There are many ways to fight this disease, but today we are going to focus on the best ones. home remedies for powdery mildew.
If you want to know more about the best home remedies for powdery mildew, keep reading the full article as we are going to explain it to you in detail.
Contents
What is powdery mildew and how to identify it?
As we pointed out earlier, plant powdery mildew is a disease caused by a fungus that causes leaves to look like white powder. These are fungi that are responsible for the weakening of the plant.
The main cause of plant powdery mildew is a combination of factors favoring the appearance of fungi. Specific, powdery mildew occurs in gardens and orchards with too much moisture, little ventilation and insufficient natural light and, as we will see later, the genetics of plants can also affect their health when infected by these fungi. If left unchecked, this problem can end up destroying an entire garden or orchard, so you need to know how to recognize, treat and prevent it. Keep in mind the following tips for powdery mildew prevention and fungicides.
It can be recognized because a whitish cotton layer is created in the shape of a star. This can cover leaves, fruits and branches. Usually, at a later stage, leaves turn yellow and dry. Gradually, the plants weaken and eventually die. We can also identify the fungus because it produces twisted leaves, misshapen buds, and lack of flowering.
Most of the time, its appearance is caused by an excess of nitrogen fertilizer, low light conditions, excess humidity due to overhead irrigation or prolonged rainfall at temperatures between 10 and 20 ºC, abuse of chemical treatments or a combination of these reasons. Its spread is favored by cuts and wounds.
Home remedies for powdery mildew
In this section, we tell you how to get rid of powdery mildew on plants naturally with the best home remedies based on natural fungicides. Learn which are the most suitable, how to prepare them and how to apply them.
Horsetail pulp or decoction
Another option that we recommend if you are wondering how to fight powdery mildew with home remedies is horsetail. It is a plant used in many remedies, among its properties we find antifungal or fungicide, so it helps to put an end to this fungal problem in plants. You can buy a concentrated extract of this plant and dilute it in water and spray it on the plants you want to treat, but you can also make a decoction or porridge of it and spray it.
Infusions or decoctions have a lower charge and are used at the time of preparation, while porridges take days to prepare but are more concentrated and effective than infusions. It may be convenient to make a decoction or infusion to start the treatment, but it is recommended to prepare a porridge and apply immersion treatment to treat severe cases of this infestation, and can even be used later as a preventative method for many pests. You can first make a one-litre infusion, let the horsetail boil for 10 minutes, rest for 10 minutes and then spray on the affected leaves.
Other herbs such as sage, tomato leaves, and nettle are equally effective against powdery mildew and other pests, including fungi and insects, and you must follow the same procedures to use them.
garlic infusion
Garlic is undoubtedly one of the most used foods as a home remedy for countless problems, in fact it is widely used as a household fungicide. It has antibacterial, antiseptic, antifungal, antibacterial properties and others, so it provides a very comprehensive treatment for treatment and prevention.
To use it against this fungal plant disease, you should infuse the required amount of garlic, depending on the size of your garden or orchard, or if you only need to treat one type of plant. We tell you how to prepare it for a liter that will allow you to work with a variety of plants.
Boil a liter of water, and when it begins to boil, add the previously crushed garlic cloves. Add 10 to 30 cloves of garlic for a powerful healing effect. Boil for 5 minutes or a little more, not 10 minutes, then cover the infusion and turn off the heat for 10 minutes. Strain the infusion to remove any residue and pour the liquid into a large spray bottle. Ahour, you can spray fungus-damaged plants once a day until you see them disappear.
Sulfur and copper
Sulfur and copper sulphate are very effective fungicides, but care should be taken when handling them so as not to exceed the doses as they can be detrimental to plants and soil in this case. Get powdered or liquid copper sulfate or sulfur, but don’t use them together. Add the powder to the leaves and soil in the amount indicated on the container or as directed by a gardening specialist. If you use a liquid, you can apply it with a spray. Try to wear gloves, goggles and a mask, especially if you’re going to be using a lot of them, as you’ll be dealing with an entire garden or orchard.
Baking soda as a home remedy for powdery mildew
Sodium bicarbonate is one of the best homemade and natural fungicides because this mineral has excellent antifungal, antibacterial, antiseptic properties and more.
To use in situations where you want to control powdery mildew, this product should be mixed with a carrier oil (like olive oil) and water. Fill a large spray bottle with 1 liter of water, 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda (depending on whether you fill them or place them horizontally) and 2 tablespoons of oil. After mixing well before use, spray all affected plants, concentrating on the parts where you see the most powdery mildew. If you only need to tend to small plants, reduce the number by the same amount.
Hopefully with this information you can learn more about home remedies for powdery mildew and how to get rid of it.