Can household items treat plant fungal infections?
Written by
Nguyen Minh
Reviewed by
Prof. Charles Hartman, Ph.D.White leaf spots from fungal infections cause gardeners to panic. Before purchasing chemicals, look in your cupboard or refrigerator. I have stopped powdery mildew on zucchini by simply using milk, which is always available in my pantry. Household remedies work, but you have to be careful. If used too much, they will harm your plant more than the fungus will.
Milk Solution
- Mix 1 part milk with 2 parts water
- Spray leaves morning weekly for 3 weeks
- Effective against powdery mildew only
Cinnamon Power
- Dust undiluted on fresh cuttings
- Prevents damping-off disease in seedlings
- Reapply after watering
Hydrogen Peroxide
- Dilute 3% solution with equal water
- Kills surface mold on soil
- Avoid contact with healthy roots
Proteins in milk provide antifungal protection but are ineffective against down mildews. A customer complained that their cucumber plants turned yellow after using milk as a treatment spray daily. Advise them to use it weekly! For mold in the soil, hydrogen peroxide offers a rapid solution but will damage beneficial microbes. Use compost tea to recover afterward.
Aid in the prevention of reinfection by improving airflow. Make certain to space plants 18 inches apart. I was successful in bringing a basil crop back with a mulch topped with cinnamon. Alternate remedies to avoid pathogens developing any resistance. Use a milk spray for one application and neem oil for the following application. This will confuse any fungi.
Read the full article: White Leaf Spots: Causes and Solutions
