Natural Spray for Aphids, Powdery Mildew and Other Diseases. A Step-By-Step Recipe
Most of us are familiar with its uses in the kitchen and in cleaning various surfaces. But baking soda as a spray is also effective against aphids, powdery mildew and other diseases. Today we have some hints how to use it in the garden.
How to use baking soda in the garden?
It works well primarily as an effective and inexpensive fungicide and insecticide. If you sprinkle it near the base of plants it will kill and repel slugs and moth larvae. It is also useful against cockroaches and ants. And it is also great against aphids and powdery mildew.
When ingested by pests, baking soda releases carbon dioxide into their bodies, which kills them. On the other hand, as a foliar spray used in the garden, it works extremely effectively against fungi.
Homemade recipe for baking soda as a fungicide
You will need:
- 4 l. of water;
- 1 tablespoon of baking soda;
- 1 tablespoon of oil (horticultural is best, but regular vegetable oil will do);
- 2 drops of dishwashing liquid.
Mix the listed ingredients in any vessel, then fill a spray bottle. And... your fungicide is ready for application! Baking soda leaves an alkaline residue on plant surfaces, which is definitely not conducive to the growth of fungal spores. Spores that land on sprayed leaves will die in a very short time. On the other hand, mold and fungi that were already present on them will be deprived of a suitable environment for growth and will die.
A mixture of Neem oil (Indian honeycomb oil) and baking soda as an insecticide
In this case, you can also use baking soda alone, but in combination with Neem oil it will be more effective and at the same time more safe for your plants, that due to its nutritional properties. You will need:
- 4 l. of water;
- 2 tablespoons of Neem oil;
- 1 tablespoon of liquid soap;
- 2 tablespoons of baking soda;
Mix the listed ingredients in any vessel, and then fill the spray bottle. The agent is now ready for application. Spray the pest infested areas with it. It is worth adding that you can also use baking soda itself as a means to deter insects from getting to your plants. All you need to do is to pile up barriers made of it in the critical areas.
Note: fungicides and insecticides made of baking soda should be applied at dusk. Spraying plants in the sun on a hot day can lead to burning their leaves. You also need to keep in mind that baking soda preparations are sensitive to rain and will rather easily wash them off your plants. So it's worth repeating the spraying after the rain if necessary.
Baking soda as a spray for aphids, powdery mildew and other diseases - use it in moderation!
Don't rely too heavily on continuous use of baking soda. It cannot be applied all the time. Its components will accumulate both in the plants themselves and in the soil, so the soil can become toxic to your crops over time.
