The symptoms of apple powdery mildew are obvious. A whitish to dirty-brown coating spreads out on the upper side of the leaves, which can be wiped off with a finger. Affected leaves turn brown, dry up and fall off. It doesn't have to come to that. This guide explains how to use home remedies to effectively combat powdery mildew on apple trees.

Powdery mildew is easy to spot

Combat apple powdery mildew with milk - this is how it works

Powdery mildew fungi are at a loss when milk wets the affected apple tree foliage. On the leaf surfaces, lactic acid bacteria create a hostile environment for the pathogen with the botanical name Podosphaera leucotricha. Recipe and application are very simple. How to fight apple powdery mildew with milk:

  • Pour 800 ml fresh whole milk (no UHT milk) into a container
  • Add 100ml water (ideally collected rainwater)
  • Stir solution and pour into a spray bottle or trigger sprayer
  • Spray leaves on the apple tree or ornamental apple on the top until dripping wet

Whey, buttermilk and raw milk are suitable alternatives to whole milk. Repeat the milk-water shower at intervals of 2 to 3 days until there are no more symptoms of the disease. On the heavily infested apple tree, cut back the affected shoots in February or mid/late July to the healthy area before using the home remedy.

Baking powder and rapeseed oil destroy apple powdery mildew - Here's how

Baking powder and rapeseed oil are the dream team from the kitchen shelf against apple powdery mildew. In combination with water, a natural spray is created that the stubborn fungal spores have nothing to counteract in the long run. How to do it right:

  • Heat 2 liters of water in the kettle (do not boil)
  • Stir in 1 packet of baking powder
  • Add 20 ml rapeseed oil and stir
  • Pour the home remedy into a spray bottle and spray on
  • Repeat treatment every 2 weeks

Baking soda (sodium hydrogen carbonate) in baking powder and lecithins in rapeseed oil make life difficult for apple powdery mildew on the leaf surfaces. Repeatedly applied, the fungal spores lose out and the greasy white coating disappears. Please cut off shoots with already dried leaves and dispose of the infected clippings in organic waste.

tips

When mildew weakens the apple tree, cunning aphids are not far away. With a simple home remedy, you can thwart the dreaded pests. Heat a liter of water. Dissolve 40-50 grams of pure curd soap in it and add a dash of spirit. Let the mixture cool and sprinkle the leaves on the top and bottom. By the way, this natural remedy works against all lice in the garden.

Category:

Trees