I love to plant my own flowers and vegetables. Every year I plant many trays but always get one tray with “damping off” fungi. Damping off can occur from the presence of a number of fungi. It usually happens with over watering or during prolonged damp weather. The fungus attacks tiny seedlings, which shrivel from where the stem meets the soil upward toward the leaves. It spreads quickly, in fact you can see it spread completely across a tray in few days.

In past years I have resorted to using a fungicide or even thrown out whole trays of beautiful baby plants, where only part of the tray was affected, to avoid the fungus spreading to other trays.

A few years ago, I tried a new technique and was amazed that it worked just as effectively as strong fungicides. Now I use it all the time, and I haven’t had to resort to cancer causing fungicides since my discovery.

Here’s what to do. Crush one clove of garlic and mix into a watering can of tepid or slightly warm water. Pour over affected area. Repeat with each watering until plants are big and strong enough to fight off the fungus.

Stinky – but it works great!

Garlic is antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial, and antipathogenic in general. Bugs don’t like it either, so plant it with your roses and other plants to help keep bugs away.

Tip

Keep your seedlings under a ceiling fan as it will help to dry the surface of the soil quickly so no fungus can settle and grow.