Homemade fungicides for fruit trees

Fungi are a type of living organism ranging from molds and yeasts to mushrooms. They are different from plants and animals, although, at first glance, they may resemble the former. One of the characteristics of fungi is that, unlike plants, they are heterotrophic, that is, they cannot carry out photosynthesis and have to feed on other living organisms , although the way they do it is by absorption, just like the plants. In this way, they parasitize or infect other living beings and feed through its surface.

In fact, fungi can infect both animals and plants, and can have different sizes, although, in most cases, they are microscopic organisms that manifest as spots as an entire colony of these living beings. When this happens to a plant, it is essential to eliminate them, since, otherwise, they will feed on it, damaging its health and even killing it.

In fact, fungi are one of the most common diseases of trees , as you can see in this other AgroCorrn article.

Fungicides are substances that act as poison for fungi , whose Latin name is fungi , where the name comes from. The fungicides that exist can be very varied, although, broadly speaking, they can be divided into natural fungicides and chemical fungicides .

In the case of natural fungicides, we will be talking about substances produced by nature and that act as poison for fungi, which eliminate them without leaving any artificial substances in the environment. On the contrary, in the case of chemical fungicides, we will be talking about artificial substances that act in the same way when it comes to eliminating fungi, but that, unlike natural fungicides, do lead to the release of toxic substances in the environment.

In fact, one of the problems that occurs when treating fungi in plants such as fruit trees is that they are plants intended to be consumed as food. In this way, if chemical fungicides are used, these toxic substances will pass to the organism that feeds on them, whether they are people or animals, since food contamination occurs . In this way, and especially in the case of plants such as fruit trees, it is much better to opt for homemade and natural fungicides, which will eliminate fungi from the fruit without putting the health of future guests at risk.

These are the best natural fungicides to treat fungi in fruit trees , as well as a very effective technique to get rid of these parasites in a natural and ecological way.

Cinnamon

One of the simplest homemade fungicides to make is the one that can be made based on cinnamon. Cinnamon is obtained from the bark of the tree known as cinnamon. In addition to being an excellent condiment in the kitchen, this substance has fungicidal properties that will prevent fungi from spreading through our plants.

To use it, it is best to dissolve a generous amount of cinnamon in a liter of water, let it rest for at least one night, and then spray that water over the affected areas of the fruit tree. Another way to apply it is to cover the soil around the tree with a good amount of cinnamon, which will be especially useful if the fungi are affecting the roots.

Sodium bicarbonate

Another of the most powerful natural fungicides that we can make at home is the one made from sodium bicarbonate . To prepare it, we must mix a tablespoon of baking soda with one of natural soap, and add a liter of water. Once the mixture is well dissolved, it can be applied to the leaves of the tree with a sprayer. In this recipe, the baking soda is the part that acts as a fungicide. However, it is necessary to add a spoon of natural soap so that the formula will adhere better to the leaves.

Discover here more Uses of bicarbonate in the garden and orchard.

Apple vinager

Another natural product that has fungicidal properties is apple cider vinegar . To prepare the homemade fungicide from apple cider vinegar, it is recommended to mix the vinegar with water in a 50/50 ratio and add a teaspoon of natural neutral soap. Once the mixture is well dissolved, it can be applied directly to the fruit tree with a sprayer.

Absence of water

One of the factors that we have to take into account when eliminating fungi is that these types of organisms always proliferate in humid areas or with excess water. In this way, if the fruit trees, or any other type of plant, present fungi, it is possible that it is due to an excess of water in the irrigation. Therefore, a good idea to eliminate fungi is to reduce the excess water present in the environment.

However, this measure does not usually destroy the spores of the fungi completely, but will simply slow their growth. However, it is a good way to enhance the effects of the fungicides mentioned above, so a combination of less water and a natural fungicide will be perfect to eliminate the presence of fungi in any type of tree.

If you want to read more articles similar to Homemade fungicides for fruit trees , we recommend that you enter our category of Growing and caring for plants .