7 Easy Solutions to Plant Problems

Aspirin Fungicide

If your garden is infected with fungus, mix one piece of ground-up aspirin with a quart of water and use it to water your plants once a week. (Be careful, as too much aspirin can damage your plants.)

Chamomile Fungicide

To kill fungus on your plants, brew up an extra-strong cup of chamomile tea, and spray the cooled tea all over the leaves. Repeat daily until the fungus is gone.

Cinnamon Fungicide

Cinnamon is a great natural fungicide for plants and the soil. To use, combine one teaspoon of ground cinnamon with one quart of water in a spray bottle. Spray wherever you see the fungus, and repeat every 10 days to keep fungus away for good.

Anti-Mildew Spray

Here’s an old treatment to prevent plants from suffering from mildew or black spots. Mix together one half tablespoon of baking soda with a drop of vegetable oil and two cups of soapy water. Spray on both sides of the leaves of plants that are affected. Complete this treatment in the evening and never in full sunlight; otherwise the leaves may scorch. While the soap helps to spread the mixture and the vegetable oil causes it to stick, the baking soda makes the surfaces of the leaves alkaline, which will inhibit the fungal spores. The biggest advantage of this method is that there will be no adverse environmental impact, thanks to the all-natural ingredients.

Garlic Revival

This may sound like a cure from the Middle Ages, but garlic does a fine job of reviving diseased plants. Grate two cloves into four cups of water and use as much as you need to quench the thirst of your struggling plants. Given the myriad health benefits garlic offers to humans, it’s not surprising it can help the immobile organisms that share your home (and we don’t mean your spouse and kids).

Splints for Broken Stems

A broken stem doesn’t have to mean the end of a flower. If you catch it in time, you can save the limb by making a little splint out of a toothpick and tape. It looks a little funny, but your kids will get a kick out of it, and it makes a great lesson in resilience.

Cover to Protect from Frost

If you have smaller outdoor plants, you don’t necessarily need to bring them inside to keep them protected from frost. Simply cover them at night with small plastic garbage bags (the kind that have...

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