The Plant Doctors – July 2014

Introduction: The first place to address your question is the online materia medica – www.considera.org/matmed – and the less-complete repertory – www.considera.org/rep. The repertory and materia medica are designed so that anyone can consult them and add to them. Everyone can add their experiences on-line or by post.

If you find a remedy, here are some suggestions for how to apply these to the plants:

Kaviraj suggested this: “When I refer to treating plants with homeopathic remedies, this is the standard dosing procedure: Put 20 drops of a 6X potency in a litre of water. Succuss the bottle 50 times. Put this litre in the watering can, fill it up with 19 litres of tap water and stir. If the watering can is smaller, the amount of remedy put in must be proportionally smaller. Thus a 10 litre can needs only ½ litre and just 10 drops of the remedy. Apply the contents of the watering can to the roots of the plants to be treated.” 

The Plant Doctors

Mark Moodie, Dr. Iftikhar Waris, Pawan Singhania

Dear Plant Doctors,

We have a small number of apple trees and the apples developed Apple Scab, a fungal disease. Yellowish-green spots are on the leaves. The apples have scabby spots that are brownish. Much of the fruit is infected. Is there anything we can do either this year or next?

Thanks very much

Harriet Tomlinson

Dr. Waris : Well Harriet, you can spray Silicea 200 & Psorinum 200 alternately after three days.

Hi Plant Doctors, 

I am having problems with white mealy bugs on my orchids in my kitchen window. They have probably been affected by some neglect already because April – July 4 is our busiest season for our small business and we have a hard time keeping things watered often enough.  Sometimes the only time I think to water is when my spider plant looks wilty, so neglect may be taking part in this, sorry to say.

Thanks,

Marie    

Dr. Waris: Hi Marie. Antimonium Tart. 1M & Mezereum 1M are the best remedies to control the above mentioned problem.

Pawan: Marie, take a tooth brush, dip in Formalin solution (2%) and scrub clean the mealy bugs. You may try using Garlic or Nicotine decoction spray diluting 1 part of the decoction with 6 parts of water, repeating once every 7 to days.]

Hi Plant Doctors,

Every flower plant I put into a certain area of my garden just gradually dies off. The plants die from the bottom upwards. They are watered and fed as per the other gardens. The plants wilt, go brown and look sick and unhealthy, (like they have been given no water). I have given them Psorinum 30 – Sulphur30 – and Copper 30 (not all at once). Nothing seems to do well in this particular garden at all. There may be nematodes in the soil. This is a flower bed

Hope you can help                      

Natalie Harrop       

Dr. Waris: Natalie, when the disease startsfrom the bottom upwards the remedies are Ledum Palladium 200C & Conium Mac. 200C. Alternate the remedies after every three days.

Pawan: Natalie, I faced the same problem with roses and I named the disease Die-Up. It is advisable that if possible, you get the soil tested in a lab for disease pathogens present in the soil. Meanwhile, try using biological fungicide Trichoderma viridii. Besides, use only disinfected compost (subjected to at least 60 deg. Celsius by the natural composting process which cleans it of all pathogens). In other words anything you put in the soil should go via a compost heap which attains at least 60 deg. Celsius. If you suspect nematodes, you may try companion planting with Tagetes or marigold and also nasturtium with your flowers.]

Dear Plant Doctors,

My strawberries are showing grayish colored mushy spots with what looks like fungus spores. The strawberries end up shriveling and rotting. Can you suggest a remedy or other holistic solution to this problem.

Thank you

Denise Hatcher

Dr. Waris: Denise, you can use Silicea 200C & Mezerum 200C for this problem.

Pawan: Denise, check that your strawberries are well aerated. Remove any dense growth to allow free air circulation. Try using Stinging Nettle Tea diluting it in 1:6 ratio. Strengthen your strawberries by incorporating well decomposed compost made of green vegetations, which must attain a temperature of 60 deg. Celsius to disinfect it. You may also try Silicea 200. Stir 10 drops of the remedy in 10 liters of water, clockwise and anti-clockwise for at least an hour (using plastic bucket) in rhythmic way and spray over the plants. If you can follow the Bio-Dynamic Calendar, spray it on the day when the moon is in any one of the Air signs or when the moon is opposite to Saturn. You can learn more about this from any Bio-Dynamic practitioners. You can refer to the literature published by the Bio-Dynamic organizations.)