The symptoms of apple powdery mildew are obvious. A whitish to dirty-brown coating spreads on the upper sides of the leaves, which can be wiped off with your finger. Affected leaves turn brown, dry up and fall off. It doesn't have to come to that. This guide explains how you can effectively combat powdery mildew on apple trees with home remedies.
How can you combat apple powdery mildew with home remedies?
To combat apple powdery mildew with home remedies, you can spray a mixture of 800 ml of fresh whole milk, 100 ml of water on the leaves or use a solution of 2 l of water, 1 sachet of baking soda and 20 ml of rapeseed oil. Repeat the application every 2-3 days or every 2 weeks.
Fighting apple mildew with milk – this is how it works
Mildew fungi are fighting a losing battle when milk wets the affected apple tree leaves. On the leaf surfaces, lactic acid bacteria create a hostile environment for the pathogens with the botanical name Podosphaera leucotricha. The recipe and application are incredibly simple. How to combat apple mildew with milk:
- Pour 800 ml of fresh whole milk (not long-life milk) into a container
- Add 100 ml of water (ideally collected rainwater)
- Stir solution and pour into a spray bottle or pressure sprayer
- Spray the leaves on the apple tree or crabapple while they are dripping wet
Whey, buttermilk and raw milk are suitable alternatives to whole milk. Repeat the milk-water shower every 2 to 3 days until symptoms of illness no longer appear. On a severely infested apple tree, cut affected shoots back to the he althy area in February or mid/end of July before using the home remedy.
Baking powder and rapeseed oil destroy apple mildew - this is how it works
Baking powder and rapeseed oil are the dream team on the kitchen shelf against apple mildew. In combination with water, a natural spray is created that the stubborn fungal spores have no resistance to in the long term. 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 home remedies into a spray bottle and spray on
- Repeat treatment every 2 weeks
Natron (sodium bicarbonate) in baking powder and lecithins in rapeseed oil make life difficult for apple powdery mildew on the leaf surfaces. When applied repeatedly, the fungal spores lose out and the greasy white coating disappears. Please cut off shoots with dried leaves and dispose of the infected clippings in organic waste.
Tip
When powdery 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 splash of spirit. Allow the mixture to cool and spray the tops and bottoms of the leaves. By the way, this natural remedy works against all lice in the garden.
