Powdery mildew solution

I was sooo excited about my big swan neck gourds that were developing only to be let down by the  sudden appearance of fluffy ugly white patches on the bottom leaves of my plant. It’s right now in the heart of a hot August in dry California – it’s just a given that my plants are going to get it.

I instantly cut the leaves off only to find many more the next day. At that rate I wasn’t going to have a plant left!

From what I read powdery mildew thrives in hot windy dry conditions. From my reading this is one of those times that overhead watering is ok. This will slow the spread of the white patches. Before this I had only been soaking the soil with soaker hoses below and no water was getting on the leaves.

Ants in addition to wind spread the powdery mildew and when the ground is dry it’s more susceptible to an ant invasion – which I also had. If ants are on the soil after you water cover the soil with cinnamon. This acts as a repellent and they will go elsewhere. Which still left me with dealing with the powdery mildew that already took hold.

Here is my solution

Every day soak the leaves under and above in the following solution. It will NOT get rid of the white mildew that is already there so you may want to cut many of the badly infested leaves. It does however seem to stop the spread and cause the existing white patches to be less noticeable on my gourds.

• In one gallon of water boil 4 bags of chamomile tea (anti fungal properties)
• add 2 teaspoons of baking soda (magic ingredient but no more than that or it will burn the plant)
• Add 4 aspirin (for the salicylic acid)
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil (helps keep the mixture on the leaves)
• 2 teaspoons of dish soap (make sure it has sulfur in it – preferably an organic orange oil soap – this will repel insects and evenly break up and disperse the oil)
• 1.25 cups of garlic powder (I didn’t have this so I put a whole head of garlic in the boiling water and then mushed and strained the mixture. I am not sure why this works but many say it does so I am trying it.)