How To Deal With Powdery Mildew: 7 Home Remedies That Really Work

powdery mildew The scourge of the garden. Sometimes fatal, but mostly annoying, it coats the foliage in a white powder that makes plants look ugly.

There are two things you can do to help prevent powdery mildew from forming on your plants: space them out far enough for air to circulate freely around them, and don’t water them after noon. Damp foliage after sunset is a favorite host for mold spores.

You don’t need to mount a full frontal assault with loads of toxic chemicals. Powdery mildew can be treated and sometimes even eradicated by using common household ingredients. Below are 7 homemade preparations that you can use to treat powdery mildew in your garden.

But first, some general instructions for treating white powdery mildew with antifungal preparations: Spray plants with a hose before treating them with these preparations to remove as much surface mold as possible. Be sure to coat all parts of the plant with the spray treatment, including the undersides of the leaves and stems. Spray some on the soil around the plant as well. Finally, spray for mold early in the morning before the sun gets too high in the sky. Spray the plants once or twice a week in dry weather and more often if it rains.

Apple cider vinegar. Mix 3 tablespoons of cider vinegar with one gallon of water. Also works on black spot of roses and aspens.

Sodium bicarbonate. Mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda, 2 1/2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, and a gallon of water. Shake well, then add 1/2 teaspoon of Castile soap. Shake the container while spraying your plants to prevent the oil and water from separating.

chives. Use a handful of freshly cut chives, as many as you can hold in a closed hand without falling off. Chop the fries and place them in a heat resistant glass container. Cover with boiling water and let stand until cool. Strain.

Corn and Garlic. Take a handful of corn husks, along with a handful of clematis husks and as much papery outer skins of garlic as possible. Pulverize in blender or food processor. Mix enough water to make a thin liquid. Let the mixture steep for an hour, then strain. This also works as a preventative against powdery mildew.

Horseradish. Place 1 cup of the chopped roots in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Combine with 2 cups of water in a glass container. Let stand for 24 hours, then strain and discard the solids. Mix the strained liquid with 2 quarts of water. This mixture is also an effective preventative against mold and mildew.

Hydrogen peroxide. Spray regular hydrogen peroxide (the drugstore type, not the food grade type) full strength on the affected plants. Do not spray on newly transplanted plants or young seedlings until they are well established. Test a small area of ​​the plant and wait 24 hours to see if it has any negative reactions to the hydrogen peroxide. This works as a treatment and a preventative.

Milk. Mix one part milk with 2 parts water. Spray every 3 to 4 days at the first sign of mold. The milk changes the pH of the plant’s leaf surfaces and prevents mold from sticking to them. It can also be used as a preventative measure.

Copyright Sharon Sweeny, 2009. All rights reserved.