Powdery mildew is an uninvited guest that affects roses in particular, but also many types of vegetables. Many gardeners are at loggerheads with the annoying parasite and do not shy away from any measure to get rid of the pest. Unfortunately, many do not think about the consequences of the chemical agents. But there is a simple household remedy that drives mildew away gently. Buttermilk is not only an important food for human health.
Mildew does not tolerate acids
Powdery mildew thrives on acid
There is a lot of lactic acid in buttermilk, which the fungus that causes powdery mildew shuns. This acid has three benefits:
- on the one hand it drives the fungus away
- it also strengthens the plant's defences
- on top of that, it prevents an infestation, since the fungus is prevented from the start
Make buttermilk mixture
An effective buttermilk solution can be prepared inexpensively and in a short time. You need:
- buttermilk
- water
- a spray bottle
- mix the buttermilk with the water in a ratio of 1:9
- fill the solution in a spray bottle
- mist your plants with the buttermilk mixture every ten days
tips
No buttermilk in the house? But you certainly have conventional milk on hand. This is just as good, provided it is not raw milk. The mildew does not go away immediately after the first application. With a little patience, however, you can drive the pest away.
Only helps against powdery mildew
There are two types of powdery mildew, true and false. Unfortunately, the lactic acid in buttermilk only drives out the former. You can recognize it by the white, later brown, film that forms exclusively on the upper side of the leaf. If the underside of the leaf is also affected, it is downy mildew. But don't worry, there are biological uses against this species as well, so you don't need to use chemical agents.