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How to Use Sour Milk in the Garden: Unexpected Life Hacks for a Rich Harvest
07.08.2024 04:10
Sour milk is a product that is often not in demand on the farm.
However, experienced gardeners know: this drink can be a real salvation for garden plants.
Using sour milk in your garden can work wonders to improve the growth and health of your crops.
Plant fertilizing
Sour milk is an excellent fertilizer for garden crops. Rich in calcium, it helps plants form strong stems and leaves.
For feeding, it is recommended to dilute sour milk with water in a ratio of 1:10 and water the plants at the roots.
This type of fertilizer is especially effective for tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. It not only saturates the soil with nutrients, but also improves its structure, promoting the development of beneficial microorganisms.
Plant disease control
Sour milk has antifungal properties, making it effective in the fight against powdery mildew and other fungal diseases.
To prepare a protective solution, mix sour milk with water in equal proportions and spray the affected plants once a week.
This method is especially useful for cucumbers, squash and pumpkins, which often suffer from powdery mildew.
Pest repellant
The unpleasant smell of sour milk repels many garden pests.
Watering the beds with a solution of sour milk (1:10) helps protect plants from slugs, snails and some types of caterpillars.
In addition, the lactic acid bacteria contained in sour milk help improve the health of the soil, making it less attractive to pests.
Accelerating composting
Adding sour milk to a compost heap speeds up the decomposition of organic waste.
Lactic acid bacteria activate the activity of other beneficial microorganisms, which leads to faster and higher-quality compost formation.
It is enough to water the compost heap with diluted sour milk (1:5) from time to time to significantly improve the composting process.
Improving soil structure
Regular use of sour milk as a fertilizer helps improve the structure of the soil.
Lactic acid bacteria help loosen the soil, making it more permeable to water and air.
This is especially useful for heavy clay soils. To improve the structure, it is enough to water the beds with a solution of sour milk (1:10) once a month.
Increasing tomato yields
Tomatoes are particularly responsive to sour milk fertilizing. The solution (1:10) not only provides the plants with calcium, which is necessary for fruit formation, but also helps prevent blossom-end rot.
Watering tomatoes with this solution once every two weeks helps to increase the yield and improve the taste of the fruit.
Rooting cuttings
Sour milk can replace special means for rooting cuttings. It is enough to place the lower part of the cutting in undiluted sour milk for several hours before planting.
Lactic acid bacteria stimulate root formation, increasing the chances of successful rooting.
Seed treatment before sowing
Soaking seeds in a sour milk solution (1:10) for several hours before sowing helps protect future plants from fungal diseases and speed up germination. This method is especially effective for pumpkin and legume seeds.
