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uncle_al_tkp

Spraying milk for red thread

uncle_al_tkp
14 years ago

Hi All,

I am planning to spray my lawn with milk to prevent red thread and have acouple of questions to anyone that has done it with success. How often does it need to be done? Does the fungicidal properties of the milk work on the surface of the grass, in the soil, or is it systemic? If there is an outbreak,can the diluted milk be applied diectly to an infected area such that it would prevent spreading the spores.

Lastly is there anything that can be added to the hose end sprayer that will make the application stick or maybe somewhat rainproof?

Thanks in advance

Al

Comments (9)

  • dchall_san_antonio
    14 years ago

    First of all I have not had red thread, but the common claim for spraying [fill in your organic spray] against [fill in your pest] is every 2 weeks.

    Milk is not a fungicide. It is a food. It provides protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes to the bacteria, fungi, and microarthropods that live on the plant's surfaces. When those microbes are healthy from the good food, they can help the plant to ward off, or fight off, fungal diseases along with spider mites and other sucking insects. It will be interesting to know in the future how all this works - how the microbes work with the plant to accomplish these feats. There is some suggestion that the healthy microbes can put up a sort of cloak of invisibility so that the bad insects cannot even see the plants so they don't land on them. The microbes could change the smell of the plant. They could change the taste of the plant. Or they could carry disease to the predatory bugs and fungal diseases. It has been shown that certain chemicals in the air stimulate certain genes in plants so the plant itself can fight off disease. Two of those chemicals are gibberellic acid and salicylic acid. That was a too long digression to say that we don't know how it works but it seems to.

    So to answer your question, it works on the plant and in the soil.

    You could add sugar (molasses or honey) to the milk to spray and help it stick to the plants. That won't make it rain proof, though.

  • uncle_al_tkp
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    dchall,

    Thanks for the info. You know, if people find out that I'm spraying my lawn with milk and honey they're going to think I'm nuts!!

    Al

  • dchall_san_antonio
    14 years ago

    I grew up in California, the land of fruits and nuts, so maybe this recipe is my calling.

  • picketpaper_optonline_net
    14 years ago

    I'm going to try the milk as well. Seems I have Red Thread mostly becuase I used something to kill the grubs and killed all the good stuff as well. How diluted should the milk be. Can I just put it in my fertilizer sprayer? One problem has lead to the next. I really just need to go organic!! I guess I need to tread my lawn the way I treat myself - NO antibiotics (kills all the good stuff)and by eating organic!!

  • dchall_san_antonio
    14 years ago

    The easiest way for me to spray milk is to put it full strength into an Ortho hose end sprayer and set the dial for 3 ounces per gallon.

  • uncle_al_tkp
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I also used the Ortho sprayer. I was wondering, while spraying, whether milk is non-selective as far as which fungus it is effective against. Are we killing the good stuff too? Anybody know???

    Al

  • dchall_san_antonio
    14 years ago

    For the record, I don't know. I don't know about Trichoderma from using corn meal, either.

  • Nancy Monaco
    5 years ago

    Hello all, I’m having a terrible problem with red thread and I’m tired of putting dangerous chemicals on my lawn. I will be trying the liquid kelp and beneficial microbes. Can these be applied in the summer time and what is the frequemcy of application!

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