Freshly sprouted, leaves formed and then the nasty surprise: a white coating on the leaf surface. One has already dreamed of fresh cucumbers in vain, because the plants are suffering from a fungal disease. What can you do if the cucumber has white leaves and what home remedies help against powdery mildew on cucumbers, we will tell you in the article.
Cucumber has white leaves: what can be done about powdery mildew?
Powdery mildew is a very common fungal disease. The pathogens are different for the different plants, but they have one thing in common: the fungi form a powdery, white coating on the leaves and flowers. Then the leaves begin to turn yellow, and the flower buds dry up and fall off. Affected cucumbers either do not form fruit or they remain very small and do not ripen. If the disease is advanced, the fruit can also rot.
Powdery mildew occurs both on outdoor cucumbers and on plants in greenhouses. In order to prevent spreading to the neighboring plants, the affected plants must be treated immediately. The following measures help with prevention:
- Minimum distance in the greenhouse: Plant the young plants at a distance of 50 cm. The minimum distance between the rows should be 140 cm.
- Minimum distance in the vegetable patch: 110 cm between rows, 50 cm between plants in a row.
- Drain the cucumbers: The leaves that lie directly on the ground are entry points for the fungi. When pinching out, the plant is also thinned out so that air can circulate between the leaves.
- The plants pour from below and keep the leaves as dry as possible. The right watering time is early in the morning.
- Weeding wild grasses in the flower bed – they are often attacked by powdery mildew and should therefore not have direct contact with the crops.
- low-nitrogen fertilizers use.
- Remove all diseased plant parts and dispose of with household waste.
Luckily, there are several home remedies that are effective against cucumber powdery mildew. It is best to choose a warm afternoon for the treatment. If the weather is sunny, spray the plants after sunset. If it then rains in the evening, you can repeat the treatment over the next few days.
Buttermilk against mildew on cucumbers
Milk is one of the best-known home remedies for mildew. You can safely use buttermilk instead. Mix 100ml buttermilk with 800ml water and pour into a 1 liter spray bottle. Spray the diseased plants 4 to 5 times a week.
Incidentally, milk is only effective against powdery mildew – the home remedy cannot help with downy mildew.
Spray with garlic broth against powdery mildew
Alternatively, you can make a spray against mildew with garlic yourself. To do this, take about 5 to 7 cloves of garlic, peel them and squeeze them. Pour 1 liter of water into a pot and bring it to a boil. Remove the water from the stove and add the crushed garlic cloves. Allow the brew to cool and then steep at room temperature for the next 24 hours. The next day, fill the garlic broth in a bucket and add 9 liters of water. Spray the diseased plants with the solution and also treat the soil around the root area. Repeat the process every 5 days.
Neem oil against powdery mildew
Neem oil and, by the way, jojoba oil are effective natural remedies to combat powdery mildew. The plants are treated every week with a solution of 1 tablespoon of neem oil and 4 liters of water. You can add a few drops of mint oil to strengthen it. Its effectiveness as a natural fungicide has already been proven in numerous studies. However, treatment with neem oil cannot help immediately – you have to treat the plants several times with the home remedy and the first results are visible after a week.
Apple cider vinegar for mildew
Vinegar, especially apple cider vinegar, is also very effective against powdery mildew. To do this, simply fill 3 liters of water in a bucket and add 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Mix well and sprinkle over affected cucumbers. Treat sick cucumbers three times a week, and spray neighboring plants as a preventive measure once a week. Best in the late afternoon to avoid burning the leaves.
If the cucumbers are affected by powdery mildew, several home remedies can help and kill the fungus. You can make the spray yourself and then treat the vegetables with it. Incidentally, it is also worthwhile to use the sprays as a preventive measure on neighboring plants in order to prevent the pathogen from spreading. Unfortunately, if the disease is very advanced, home remedies can no longer kill the fungi. Then treatment with specialized means is necessary.