It can start with a single white patch on a leaf.
Within days, that powdery coating can spread, black spots may appear, the soil can turn mouldy, and a plant that looked perfectly healthy can begin to wilt. In India’s warm, humid weather, fungal infections can move quickly, making early action especially important.
Mumbai-based researcher and entrepreneur Ekta Chaudhary knows plants far beyond the pot and balcony. Before building Garden Up, she spent nearly a decade studying ecology, from soil nutrient dynamics in the forests of southern India to sustainable farming practices among communities in the Himalayas. She later completed her PhD from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru.
Today, she brings that research experience into everyday gardening, helping people understand what their plants are telling them and how to respond. And when it comes to fungus, here’s what she has to say.
A common problem in Indian gardens
“Fungus, or plural fungi, can negatively affect your plants,” she explains. “There are both good and bad kinds of fungi.”
The harmful ones slowly drain a plant’s strength. “It will make your plant weak; it will make it yellowy and then eventually kill your plant,” she adds.
The signs can vary from one plant to another. You may notice a white powdery coating on leaves, black spots that commonly affect roses, or cotton-like mould on cucumber plants. Sometimes, fungal growth shows up as a white layer on the soil itself, accompanied by a pungent smell.
There’s little reason to panic, she says, because these infections are common in tropical climates. “We stay in a warm, humid space or a humid country, a tropical country, so it is very natural for fungus to grow like this,” she says.
Not every fungus behaves the same
Some fungal diseases stay on the surface of the leaves, while others work slowly beneath the soil. “Every fungal species affects plants differently,” she says.
Some make leaves wilt, while others spread across them, preventing the plant from carrying out photosynthesis properly.
Then there is root rot.
“There is also root rot, root fungus that is notorious for blocking the passage through which the plants distribute water and helps the plant to grow,” she explains. As the roots decay, the plant struggles to move water through its system, making it weaker over time.
When neem oil isn’t enough
Neem oil is Ekta’s go-to solution for many common plant problems. “My go-to for most plant problems is often neem oil or some derivative of neem oil,” she admits.
Fungal infections, however, need something more.
You may notice a white powdery coating on leaves, black spots that commonly affect roses, or cotton-like mould on cucumber plants. Photograph: (Urvann)
For powdery mildew, especially on cucumber plants, she recommends a simple homemade spray made by mixing one cup of milk with four cups of water. Sprayed directly onto the affected leaves, the proteins in the milk interfere with fungal growth.
While vinegar is another remedy gardeners often hear about, she advises beginners to avoid it.
“I would not highly recommend vinegar because vinegar, since it’s so acidic, does not give you the scope of going wrong. If you go wrong, it will kill your plant; it will burn your plant,” she advises.
For infections that refuse to clear up, she suggests using a commercially available concentrate containing inactivated microbes. Mixed with water and sprayed on affected plants, it can be applied once a week until the fungus subsides. Even after the infection clears, using it once a month can help keep plants healthy.
Sometimes, pruning is the best solution
Fungal infections don’t always disappear after one treatment.
“Some fungi survive the treatments, and they will remain hidden in the soil or on the plants,” Ekta says.
If only a few leaves or stems have turned brown or yellow, pruning those affected parts is enough. But when the fungus has spread across the entire plant, she recommends removing it before neighbouring plants become infected.
“I know it is painful to see your plant so infected, especially white fungus is heartbreaking,” she says. “But this is for the good of the rest of the plants.”
Some fungal diseases stay on the surface of the leaves, while others work slowly beneath the soil. Photograph: (Efekto)
One watering habit worth changing
Keeping fungal infections away comes down to a simple gardening habit.
“Fungus thrives in moist places,” she says.
She has frequently seen gardeners pouring water over leaves and stems, believing it helps the plant. In reality, plants absorb water through their roots, not their leaves. In places that are already humid, wet foliage creates the ideal conditions for fungi to spread.
Watering at the roots instead of soaking the leaves, spotting infections early, and treating them before they spread can save a plant from serious damage. As Ekta’s advice shows, healthy gardens are not built on complicated tricks, but on understanding what each plant needs and responding before a small problem becomes a bigger one.
