Emma Miller
Powdery mildew is a dangerous fungal disease that looks like a white coating. Crops affected by this disease fall behind in development shed their leaves, and cannot fully form flowers, and yields are reduced many times over.
Powdery mildew – what is it?
Biologists say that powdery mildew is a group of diseases, not a particular species. These diseases are caused by powdery mildew fungi. In order to understand whether the plant is infected, pay attention to its leaves, shoots, and stems – if there is a fungus, they are covered with a white plaque. This plaque is a fungus that penetrates the structure of the plant and feeds on its tissues.
Usually, the infection starts at the bottom, gradually increasing in scale and moving upward. On damaged plants, leaves begin to wilt, become covered with dark spots, and may fall off or crumble. Crops infected with powdery mildew are less likely to survive the winter and produce poorer harvests.
Causes of powdery mildew infestation can vary:
- Uncollected leaf litter before winter that got on the plant;
- Dirty gloves or tools;
- Wind or rain that carries fungal spores;
- unskilled picking;
- Nitrogen saturation in the soil.
Experienced gardeners say that very often powdery mildew affects plants that grow in poorly ventilated greenhouses.
Folk remedy for powdery mildew – proven recipes
It is better, of course, not to bring to the state of development of the disease – ideally, if you observe preventive measures. Any infection is easier to prevent than to treat.
Preventing powdery mildew includes:
- Using varieties that are more or less resistant to the disease;
- sparse planting;
- regular loosening of the soil (especially in wet weather);
- deep digging of the soil in the fall;
- calibrated irrigation system;
- application of increased doses of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers;
- timely destruction of weeds and crop residues on the plot;
- seasonal decontamination of greenhouses.
If you find yourself in a situation where it is necessary to get rid of powdery mildew, then use folk remedies. For example, baking soda from powdery mildew helps no worse than store preparations. The recipe is simple – dissolve 10 grams of soda ash in two liters of hot water and add a teaspoon of shavings of laundry soap or liquid soap. After cooling, treatment plants and the top layer of soil substrate with this solution. Spraying is done every 6-8 days, 2-3 times in total.
As an alternative, iodine is also suitable – 1 ml iodine diluted in a liter of water, and to treat roses – 1 ml per 400 ml. Treat plants 2 times a day for 5 days. Manganese for powdery mildew is another remedy that can be used in the fight against fungus. You need to dissolve 1 gram of manganese in 4 liters of water. Treat plants, shrubs, or trees with the resulting solution 2-3 times every 6-8 days. The best time to spray is after the rain.
