A white haze has formed on your roses and cucumbers. Now you need to act quickly before the fungus spreads. But helps Baking powder* against mildew and if so, what do I need to look out for? You really need to know!
Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that affects a variety of plants, including roses and cucumbers. It manifests itself as a white haze on the surface of leaves and stems, as well as on fruits and vegetables.
If left untreated, this fungus can cause significant damage to your garden. Therefore, it is important to act quickly before it spreads.
One possible solution to get rid of powdery mildew is the use of Baking powder* - but does it really work?
In this article we address the effectiveness of Baking powder* against mildew - and what precautions you should take when using it. Read on to find out more!
Table of contents
What is powdery mildew and why is it problematic?
Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that can affect a whole range of different plants and trees. From vegetable plants to ornamentals, few are immune. The fungus spreads via spores and, depending on the species, causes a gray or brown coating on the plants.
It occurs on leaves, flowers, stems. Powdery mildew is a big problem for plants because it affects photosynthesis, weakening the plant.
Within a very short time, it ensures that the leaves die and the plant dies.
What are the types of powdery mildew?
Before you Baking powder* against mildew, you first need to know which type it is. A distinction is made between downy mildew and powdery mildew. There are differences in the cause, appearance and damage to the plant.
Powdery mildew
This is a superficial fungal disease that affects leaves, stems and flowers. On the top of the leaves you can see a white powdery coating. Later on, the leaves wither.
Powdery mildew occurs in very warm and dry conditions. That's why you can find it mostly in August on roses, fruit trees, tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, peppers, zucchini, melons, eggplants and vines. It also appears on herbs such as basil, thyme, oregano or mint.
Downy mildew
Unlike true powdery mildew, downy mildew attacks the underside of the leaves. You can recognize it by a brownish coating. The affected leaves turn yellowish and die.
Downy mildew occurs in high humidity and moderate temperatures. You can find downy mildew on potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, vines and lettuce.
Both powdery mildew and downy mildew can occur in the garden, on the balcony and terrace. There are many home remedies against mildewsuch as milk, seaweed lime or garlic broth. But the most effective should be Baking powderbe *. We will now look at this in detail.
Why does baking powder help against mildew?
If you like to use home remedies to fight pests in the garden, you can also resort to baking soda. Baking powder has proven effective against powdery mildew, because it is Baking soda*, which has fungicidal properties.
It kills fungi through its alkaline properties, because it changes the environment in which the fungus feels comfortable. The baking soda raises the pH on the surface of the plant, which causes the fungus to die and stop growing.
If you want to know exactly: baking powder contains Baking soda* or sodium hydrogen carbonate (NaHCO3). When it reacts with water, carbon dioxide develops, causing an alkaline reaction. If you use baking soda on the plants, it deprives the fungus of its basis of life, causing it to die.
In addition, you can use baking powder as a preventive measure against powdery mildew. It has a mild disinfecting effect and prevents the fungus from settling in the first place.
You can use baking soda against true and downy mildew. Its fungicidal properties fight both types of fungal infections.
Really well works baking powder against true powdery mildew, with false mildew effect is more limited.
This is how soft soap works against lice!
How can I use baking powder against powdery mildew?
There are many ways to use baking soda against powdery mildew. You can mix it with water and apply it as a spray, or you can sprinkle a dry pinch of baking soda on the leaves.
We recommend a spray solution because it adheres better and is not immediately blown by the wind.
Attention: Do not use too much Baking soda- leaf damage may occur if the baking powder is too concentrated.
Instructions: spray against powdery mildew
You need Baking soda* or baking powder, rapeseed oil and water.
Rapeseed oil is not mandatory, but very effective because it contains lecithin. Lecithin inhibits spore germination of various foliar fungi such as powdery mildew or brown rot. In addition, the spray adheres better to the plants when you add oil.
Ingredients
- 30 g baking powder
- 2 L water
- 20 ml rapeseed oil
Instruction
- Mix the baking powder with about 200 ml of lukewarm water. Stir until it has dissolved.
- Fill up with the remaining water.
- Add the canola oil and shake the pesticide through so that the oil and water combine.
- Spray the affected plants with it.
- Treat the plants once a week with it in the evening hours - never in full midday sun!
What do I need to pay attention to?
You must shake the product firmly before each use so that the oil and water combine again.
However, baking soda is not a panacea. If the powdery mildew is already too advanced, then it will no longer work. Therefore, always keep a close eye on your plants and act if you suspect a fungal infection.
Cut off all affected leaves immediately and dispose of them in the trash - please do not put them in the compost - otherwise the spores will immediately spread again in your garden!
Tip: The leaves should be dry so that the Baking soda* can spread well and is not washed away. If it rains, wait until the leaves are dry and treat them afterwards.
By the way: If your Tomatoes from blight suffer, then baking soda also helps against it!
How can I prevent powdery mildew?
You can use baking soda to prevent powdery mildew from settling in the first place. But there are other ways and means.
In a semi-natural garden, insects like certain species of ladybugs can help control powdery mildew because they feed on it. If you have enough insects in a semi-natural garden, powdery mildew is less likely to spread.
To avoid mildew infestation, infested leaves and fruits should always be completely removed and disposed of immediately. In addition, it is important not to overfertilize the plants to prevent powdery mildew.
It is advisable to make sure that the plants are not too close together to ensure adequate air circulation. Insufficient air circulation can favor the spread of mildew. Therefore, in the case of greenhouse use should be regularly ventilate or even use a fan.
A helpful way to combat powdery mildew in the bed is to choose the right bed partners. If you choose plants that do not like powdery mildew, there is a chance that other plants will not be affected. Plants such as garlic, chervil or chives belong to this category.
Our conclusion
If you use baking soda against powdery mildew, you have found a good solution to put the fungal disease on roses, cucumbers and co. in their place.
Remove infested leaves and fruits immediately, provide sufficient air circulation and suitable bed partners. All these measures together will keep your plants healthy and beautiful!
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