How to Control Powdery Mildew With a Homemade Spray

Updated on 04/29/22

Reviewed by

spraying baking soda spray onto a plant — The Spruce / Adrienne Legault

Project Overview

Working Time: 10 - 15 mins
Total Time: 10 - 15 mins

Skill Level: Beginner
Estimated Cost: $0 to $5

If you are seeing powdery-looking patches on the foliage of your plants, you most likely have a case of the very common powdery mildew fungal disease. While there are chemical remedies for powdery mildew, few home gardeners need to use them; these controls are usually reserved for commercial farming operations. A better solution for home gardeners is simply to follow good cultural practices and, if desired, to apply a simple homemade powdery mildew spray.

You can apply a homemade spray to control the spread of the powdery mildew fungus. It won't get rid of the fungus on leaves that already have it, but it can help prevent it from spreading to the rest of the plant.

What Is Powdery Mildew?

Powdery mildew can be caused by many different species of fungi, although the most common in cucurbits is Podosphaera xanthii. Powdery mildew is very easy to identify because its symptoms are white or gray powdery spots on the leaves, stems, flowers, and even fruit of plants. Typically you first see the powdery residue on the lower leaves and stems, but as the disease progresses, the powdery coating may blanket the entire plant.

Powdery mildew grows best in conditions where you'd least expect it. Instead of a cool, moist environment, powdery mildew prefers warm and dry conditions where there is high humidity combined with moderate temperatures. It often appears in late spring and early summer. While a mild case of powdery mildew typically isn't fatal, a severe infection can leech nutrients from the plant, causing leaves to wither and yellow. Loss of leaves in plants like tomatoes and peppers, for instance, can lead to sunscald of the fruit.

Spores of powdery mildew spread by wind and can survive the winter in plant debris or compost piles. Make sure to dispose of infected plants and leaves to help prevent future outbreaks.

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Equipment / Tools

Gallon container or empty milk jug
Spray bottle or garden sprayer

Materials

Baking soda
Liquid non-detergent dishwashing soap

Mix the Solution

In a gallon container or a clean milk jug, blend together 1 gallon of water, 1 tablespoon of baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of liquid non-detergent dishwashing soap.

The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Decant the Mixture

Pour some of the mixture into a spray bottle. You can also mix and spray directly from a pressure sprayer if desired.

The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Spray the Plants

Spray your plants weekly, preferably on overcast days to prevent the mixture from burning the foliage. Coat all sides of the leaves and stems, and let them dry. Reapply the mixture after rain.

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Tip

Save leftover spray mixture in your container, giving it a quick shake before using it again.

Tips for Preventing Powdery Mildew

Good practices go a long way toward preventing or minimizing powdery mildew formation in the first place.

Choose plants that are less susceptible to powdery mildew. Look for seeds or plants that are advertised as being resistant to powdery mildew. Hollyhocks and phlox, for example, are two ornamental plants that may be available in cultivars that are resistant to powdery mildew.
Plant varieties that are known to be susceptible to powdery mildew with ample space between them for good airflow. The more space you have between plants, the better the air circulation and the less likely powdery mildew will spread. Similarly, dense bushy plants such as lilac (known to be susceptible to powdery mildew) can be thinned out to improve air circulation and minimize powdery mildew problems.
Dispose of diseased leaves and plant stems by putting them in the trash or leaving them for the municipal compost pickup. Do not compost this material in your own compost pile, because the fungi spores can live on for quite a long time. Do not allow dead plant material to overwinter in the garden, because it will immediately infect young plants when they grow in the spring.

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