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Mildew on the leaves of cucumbers, squash plants or tomatoes is an annual nightmare for many gardeners. However, there is a simple way to prevent this nightmare, which quickly spreads throughout the whole garden. The answer is ordinary milk!
Yes, you read that right, a milk spray is as effective a prevention against the development of mildew as expensive store-bought fungicides.
In fact, this is not new: the effects of milk spray against the development of mildew on garden plants were first reported by Canadian researchers nearly 50 years ago.
How to do it?
All you need is ordinary milk and water, which you mix in a ratio – 40% milk to 60% water (if the risk of occurrence is higher, or if the first signs of mildew have appeared, you can opt for higher-concentration solutions).
As a preventive measure, however, a mixture of 30% milk to 70% water is sufficient. It doesn’t matter whether you use skimmed or whole milk. What protects your plants is not the milk fat but a specific protein found in milk that can form a protective layer on the leaves.
The milk spray works best as a prevention against fungal infections in cucumbers, squash crops, and tomatoes.
It is recommended to spray the plant leaves once every 10 days. The spray is not applied to both sides of the leaves and you will achieve the best results when applying in the evening during sunny and warm days.
Other uses for milk
Instead of fertilizer
Milk used in place of fertilizer has beneficial effects on plants; it will strengthen them. The nutrients that milk contains have positive effects on plants, as well as on people and animals. Thanks to the nutrients in milk we will have a healthier harvest.
The quality of the soil will be better thanks to milk
If we pour milk onto the soil around the plants, it will be much higher quality because it will absorb the vitamins and minerals that milk contains.
Many gardeners sprinkle the soil with powdered milk, but we can also use milk diluted with water.
Milk protects tomatoes
To protect tomatoes from mildew and other diseases, prepare a natural spray for which you will need 1 part milk and 9 parts water. Spray seedlings with this mixture once a month. This way we will prevent diseases and the plants will grow healthily.
Milk also repels some pests
A solution of water and milk repels certain beetles that can harm plants.
Milk and molasses
If we mix milk with molasses, we can achieve even better results in plant protection. This solution is rich in carbohydrates, so the plants will be stronger and more resistant. If the unpleasant smell of this solution bothers us, we can dilute it with water.
Try using milk in your garden too—you’ll see that it’s worth it.
