Gardening | Sulfur and Chamomile tea for Fungus Control

Chamomile tea is an effective preventive against damping-off disease in seedlings. Using tea made from herbal flowers may sound like one of the stovetop tonics so-called gardening gurus brew up for plant health. However, chamomile flowers are a naturally high source of sulfur and their tea kills fungus.

Historically elemental sulfur is an organic fungicide that has been used for centuries to kill fungal spores and prevent fungal disease on fruits, vegetables and flowers.

Most seeds and seedlings are subject to damping-off disease. The disease is caused by several fungal pathogens that bring about the sudden death of seedlings. The fungi live at the surface of soil. They may infect and rot a seed before it germinates or attack a seedling’s tender stem just above or below the soil. The result is sudden death. Infected seedlings wilt and collapse overnight.

Sterile containers and starting medium, good airflow and not overwatering (soil should be barely moist instead of soggy) are vital preventive measures. Contaminated tools, cool temperatures before germination or excessively warm temperatures afterwards, crowded seed beds and fungus gnats (carriers of fungus) can all contribute to damping-off disease. Even an experienced gardener is not immune.

Once a plant is infected fungicide does not cure it. Instead, fungicide, organic or chemical, prevents disease by killing fungal spores on plants and on the ground.

Chamomile tea is a mild natural source of sulfur well suited for use on indoor seed trays and indoor plants. Its use requires no protective gear or clothing. It is safe for people, dogs, cats, fish and bees. Buy it at the grocery store, keep the tea bags in your pantry and brew it as needed.

You can grow your own chamomile plants, collect the tiny flowers and use them to make tea. It is quicker and easier, though, to buy tea bags at the grocery store.

Try one chamomile tea bag in four cups of boiling water, steep and cool for 24 hours; or put 16 tea bags in two quarts of water, simmer 20 minutes, steep and cool. Dilute with water to a pale color. Refrigerated it lasts up to a week.

How do you use chamomile tea to protect your seedlings? Soak seeds in tea for 2 hours before planting. Use tea to water seed trays. Spray seedlings with a plant mister each time you water. If you see white mold forming on soil and at base of seedlings spray it immediately with the tea.

For garden use sulfur dust and its wettable form are available in garden centers. Wettable sulfur is simply sulfur dust formulated to make it water soluble. Use it either way, as spray or dust to control fungus. The dust also controls spider mites (follow instructions on packaging).

Read and follow all directions on the fungicide container. It is the law.

Sulfur is useful on grapes, strawberries, some varieties of organically farmed apples and other fruit because it is an organic insecticide and fungicide that is effective against mildew and mold related problems on plants and soil.

Be aware that sulfur smells a bit, but the odor quickly dissipates. A yellow residue remains after application; spray off or leave it on plants for continued protection against disease. Spray the remnants off with water before taking flowers and produce inside.

REMINDER: Time is running out but you can still register for the 2016 Master Gardener course. Join Horry County Master Gardener Coordinator Gary Forrester for his spring course. The class will meet each Wednesday from February 3 through May 4, 2016 from 8 AM until 12 PM in the Horry County Extension Office, 1949 Industrial Park Road, Conway, SC 29526.

In order to earn Master Gardener certification it is necessary to complete the training course and provide 40 hours of volunteer service.

For more information on the course contact Gary Forrester at 843-365-6715 or via email at gfrrstr@clemson.edu.

This story was originally published January 17, 2016 at 12:05 AM with the headline "Gardening | Sulfur and Chamomile tea for Fungus Control."