Andre CampbellAre your plants affected by leaf spots? Leaf spot diseases can be a problem for many gardeners, causing leaves to develop brown, yellow, tan, orange-red, or black spots [1].
Leaf spot diseases can eventually weaken your plants. However, there are some practical and safe natural ways to get rid of or control the problem.
In this post, we will explore some of the most popular home remedies and natural methods for leaf spots.
Bacterial vs. Fungal Leaf Spot
Bacteria or fungi mainly cause leaf spots.
A simple home remedy, such as baking soda, can treat fungal leaf spots, while copper sprays work well for bacterial leaf spots.
This article will also highlight other natural methods that can be used for both. If you’re not sure what type of leaf spot your plant has, take a sample to your local nursery, and they’ll be able to help you out.
How to Get Rid of Leaf Spot Diseases Naturally
If you’ve noticed brown or black spots on the leaves of your plants, don’t worry. Below are some of the best DIY and natural methods to treat the problem.
1. Rake Up Fallen Debris
Fallen debris can leave the spores lingering, allowing them to overwinter and re-infect plants the next growing season. As such, take up fallen leaves and fruit.
2. Cover Soil With Mulch
When preventing leaf spots, the best thing you can do is cover your soil with mulch.
This helps keep the soil moist and creates a barrier, preventing disease pathogens from splashing back onto the plant.
This method treats bacterial leaf spot diseases, as splashing water moves bacteria.
You can buy mulch from your local garden center, or if you’re feeling adventurous, you can make mulch from leaves, grass clippings, or even bark chips. Just keep it about 2 to 3 inches thick so that it does its job correctly.
3. Prune Plants
Leaf spots can result in some plant defoliation [2]. So it’s important to nip it in the bud (so to speak) and take care of it as soon as you see the symptoms.
One way to do this is to prune your plants regularly. So, remove branches with heavily affected leaves and get rid of them.
The fungus that contributes to this problem loves to grow in humid environments, so keeping the leaves of your plants dry is key. This will improve air circulation and make your plants look nicer.
4. Baking Soda
As mentioned, a baking soda solution works excellently as a leaf spot fungus treatment.
You can spray the leaves of your plants with baking soda by mixing a teaspoon with a quart of water. This homemade spray will help eliminate the fungal spores.
5. Keep Foliage Dry
Keeping foliage dry is key to preventing spotted leaves. This is especially crucial when dealing with leaf spots on houseplants.
A good rule is to water your plants in the morning so the moisture will evaporate from the leaves. And if it’s raining, you should skip watering altogether.
Too much moisture can also lead to leaf spots, as the moist leaves provide the perfect environment for the fungal spores to thrive.
6. Neem Oil
Neem oil can be used for several different purposes. One is as a natural fungicide for leaf spots.
You can buy neem oil concentrate for plants at most garden stores or order it online. Just follow the instructions carefully.
Neem oil is perfect for treating leaf spot disease organically!
7. Space Out Your Plants
Not spacing your plants properly is one of the biggest mistakes you can make when gardening. It creates an environment perfect for certain diseases and pests to take hold.
Leaf spot, for example, affects a wide range of plants. It thrives in moist and shady areas, so if you have many trees or plants clustered together, you will likely see this problem arise.
Properly spacing your plants will allow for better air circulation and help avoid this issue.
8. Arber Bio Fungicide
Arber Bio Fungicide is an effective leaf spot disease treatment. It’s made with all-natural ingredients and is safe for vegetable crops, houseplants, trees, and shrubs.
9. ZeroTol HC
You can also apply ZeroTol HC to the plant’s leaves. It fights against most common plant pathogens and will help eliminate or stop the spread of leaf spots.
You can also use it to treat snow mold.
10. BONIDE Liquid Copper Fungicide
Another product that can be used to treat plants with brown or black spots on leaves is BONIDE Liquid Copper Fungicide.
It’s a copper-based product that you mix with water and then spray on your plants. It’s safe for use around pets and people.
BONIDE Liquid Copper Fungicide is available online and at garden centers. Just follow the instructions on the bottle.
Takeaway
If you have plants with brown, black, yellow, or even red spots on their leaves, you can do a few natural things to tackle the problem.
All of the remedies highlighted in this article are natural and safe for indoor and outdoor plants.
Sasha Campbell
Really helpful information. I have a very old hawthorn tree which has fungal leafspot very badly and two-thirds of the leaves have already fallen. I’m thinking of treating the tree systemically with a neem oil drench. I’ll let you know how it goes.
Thank you! Looking forward.