We Tested The 3 Most Popular Powdery Mildew Controls - Here's What We Learned

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[sproutingemily]

I find it very helpful to trim off all of the lower leaves. It improves airflow and reduces stress on the plant by removing diseased leaves. It will also help reduce the amount of spray you need to use.

[jeannamcgregor]

I'll be sticking to the baking soda. The copper is not allowed where I live due to evidence that it's harmful to aquatic life, and I think that's important. 💚

[jahineverybody]

Milk is actually vary effective for Me. The one caveat though; and it took me years to realize this, IT HAS TO BE APPLIED IN FULL SUN. It’s not about the ph, there’s something about the fats, or proteins that when applied in full sun, fries the spores. It works great that way. 2 things though. It attracts flys, and if you have a large plant/ leaves that never receive full sunlight, then it just won’t work. I dilute it to a 50/50 milk/water ratio. Sometimes 40/60 and it still works. I do apply it multiple days (3 or 4) in a row.

[jerseygirl]

Milk didn’t work for me either. Thanks for taking the time to do this experiment. Very helpful…

[laurasinkins]

Oh my gosh i had the same baking soda leaf browning and i thought i did something really wrong! I'm so glad you showed that. I didn't know it was normal.

[lizomen]

This is a great experiment I love when garners do experiments. I'm actually looking for something to spray weekly as a preventative. I'm going to try the baking soda this year. Luckily I'm not near any waterways so when it gets bad I apply the copper.

[bobbiechinn]

Oh and I recently used peroxide and it works great!

[marthamiller-plumb]

A word of praise for you and (especially) this video! I’ve been buying your products for a few years—with excellent results.
This year, I thought I’d try a late planting of cucurbits-zucchini and two types of squash (Zone 6B). Two days before I saw your video, downy mildew hit these thriving plants. (For years, I stopped growing these plants because of DM being so bad).
After I watched your video, I decided to spray with a water/baking soda solution. Unfortunately, I was sick for a few days and wasn’t able to spray for two more days (4 -5 days since I first saw the mildew). After spraying, the Downy Mildew was all but gone. I wasn’t able to save all of the plants, but with your information, I now know to begin spraying before first signs. I’m quite optimistic about next year; I might start growing pumpkins again! Yay! Thank you so very much! Keep Growing!

[shellycarter]

Milk is most useful for aphids and spider mites. The milk crystallizes on the aphids and mites, effectively smothering them. If you can get fresh cow milk, unpasteurized, that’s the best. But whole milk from the store works amazingly well too!
Edit!!! The milk only works on soft bodied bugs, not the hardshell type!
Also a thing to remember, milk does NOT harm pollinators!!!

[bobbiechinn]

The milk needs to be applied in the sun. It works if you apply the milk and then let the sun shine on it. Its a combo thing. Goes against everything we know but I've done it time and time again and that's how it works. Probably why the bottom leaves didn't improve but got worse. I cut those off.

[christopherfelker]

I had tremendous success this year with a 30% shade cloth (I’m zone 7b western NC) and 2Tbs peroxide to 32oz water… next year I’m going to buy the concentrated 12% peroxide as my adjustable hose sprayer can be used (it doesn’t go high enough for 3%)

[kennypridemore]

Great video Luke !!!! now do one on cucumber beetles and do a test on 3 plants again ....

[paintedlady]

My peonies had the problem. I first trimmed the lower leaves where it started. I drenched the plants with a mixture of water and milk a couple of times per week for two weeks. This was two summers ago and the mildew never came back.

[cmussell]

Thank you so much! This was so timely as my squash and zucchini leaves have developed the mildew! Perfect timing!

[nello]

from Melbourne Australia, loved the video well conducted experiment ill try the copper this season.

[chabelameneses]

From a home gardener's perspective, for a quick treatment tool here in the very humid south, whole milk and baking soda are good for spot treating heavily affected areas until one is able to make a trip to town or Amazon delivers. Down here, we can actually watch it melt off the plant leaves immediately upon spraying the plants, but they most certainly aren't going to control the PM by any means.

[designsbybriana]

I’ve read that the milk really doesn’t help unless it is used as a preventative. I agree that copper fungicide does work because I’ve used it, but if you look at the back label, it says heavy metals are involved and if I’m spraying that on a plant that I plan to eat that makes me question what I’m eating. Also, if you watch the science on microbes in the soil, they say that spraying copper fungicide actually will kill off the fungi microbes in your soil, causing an imbalance. I do love this experiment you did because it was very eye-opening.

[PinkamingoHaven]

This is great information! My pumpkins are really bad. I've never grown pumpkin before. Will make a note to be proactive next year!

[JohnWood-tkge]

Wow great video! I will be sharing it with friends.

[HomesteadImaginations]

The Powdery Mildew was horrible this year for me. Any advice on how to have better soil to avoid it from ever starting?