How to get rid of powdery mildew...ewww

I was so excited watching my squash plant growing, blooming, and starting little squashes. I couldn't wait to saute them up! However, as they started growing I noticed a recurring problem. The squash would get about an inch or two long before the end would turn black and shrivel up. 

I did a little research and learned that powdery mildew on the leaves is an indication that the plant has a fungus that effects the fruit production. I inspected the leaves, and sure enough...powdery mildew!

More research told me to use a fungicide to get rid of it, but I try to avoid chemicals (and spending money) as much as possible. I heard about some people using a skim milk and water solution to spray on the leaves for powdery mildew, so I thought I would give that a try.

All you need is Skim milk (I have heard that it MUST be skim, but I'm not sure why), water and a spray bottle. Simply mix 1 part skim milk to 6 parts water in a spray bottle and spray any leaves that show signs of powdery mildew.

After just a few days, the improvement was undeniable! All of the powdery mildew is completely gone! 

Now I am back to having a healthy squash plant and lots of yummy squash to eat.

Now that I knew about the powdery mildew, I started noticing it on other plants in my yard as well- camellias, sasanquas, zucchini and watermelon. I promptly sprayed every spot of it that I could find, and the skim milk solution worked on all of them as well!

I love it when I can use what I already have at home, especially when it works as well as what you would buy at the store. And all natural is even better!

What are your favorite garden home remedies???