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Mint-powdery mildew
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Date Posted: Tue, Aug 17 - 8:48 pm
- I am growing organic mint in a pot. Noticed that there is powdery white stuff on the leaves. What is that and how can I treat it naturally? Is it safe to eat / use the mint leaves if it has this white powdery stuff on it? Thanks Vilma
- The powdery white stuff you see sounds like the fungus powdery mildew. This is a very common problem with many plants but it is not difficult to correct in this type of situation. If you can, first, isolate the plant and remove affected leaves. There are many solutions. I'll list 3 here and you can see which one suits you and try another if the first choice doesn't do the trick. 1.Try using this combination-1 gallon water, 1/2 teaspoon non-detergent soap, 1 tablespoon baking soda. Pour this solution into a clean spray bottle and liberally apply this to the plant. The soap will help the diluted baking soap stick to the mint leaves and stems. It's best to water the plant well before using the solution and don't apply while the plant is in hot sun, early morning is best. You can repeat this every 7 days and after a rain. Some people feel this works best as a preventative rather than a control. So if you find that you're having the same issue with powdery mildew year after year, apply this solution at the beginning of the season. 2. Another solution is a mixture of 3 tbsp. of neem oil to one gallon of water, sprayed onto affected plants every 7-14 days. Again, don't spray while the plant is in hot sun to avoid burning. 3. And yet another possibility is using milk. I have never tried this but I understand you can get some good results. Try a mixture of 4 parts milk to six parts water and spray bi-weekly. Apply in early morning. In all cases, try any solution on a test leaf first to see how the plant responds. And no, I wouldn't eat the leaves that are covered in powdery mildew but once the plant shows no signs of the fungus, feel free to use the plant in whatever dish you like. Good luck and let us know which solution was successful for you.