Windex On Roses?

2 years ago

I'm curious if anyone has opinions on this. I have a dear old friend who has a greenhouse and has raised houseplants to sell. Several years ago, I was having trouble with seedlings in my greenhouse "damping off", which I knew was a fungal issue. So I asked my friend Martha what to do. She replied with one word. Windex. Said she has used this in her greenhouse for years for any fungal issues and it works great. The cheap store brand is fine, she assured me. So now I have used it for several years myself. I seldom need it, but when I do, it does the trick! This winter, I have 18 young rose plants in pots and I have them in my greenhouse for the winter.I could let them outside but I'm trying to get them to put on some size before I put them in the ground, so I'm giving them the extra boost with greenhouse temperatures. During the warm days, I open everything up to give them lots of wind movement to keep them strong, so I have very little fungal problems. But several time, on a few of my roses, I saw powdery mildew. I immediately gave them a few sprays of Windex. Next morning when I checked them, there was no sign of mildew or any foliar damage from the spray. I know it's the ammonia that does the job, but I'm not sure whether ammonia can have any averse affects? I certainly haven't seen any. What are your thoughts?

Featured Answer

Diane Brakefield

2 years ago

Well, compounds containing only C, carbon, H, hydrogen, and O, oxygen are known as carbon compounds and are organic. But the term "organic" has been so corrupted it's meaningless. Alcohols are studied in organic chemistry as an organic group of compounds. Diane

Comments (12)

Diane Brakefield
2 years ago
You can google Windex ingredients for more detail. There are two alcohols in addition to ammonia as active cleaning agents, and two wetting agents. The wetting agents help the Windex to "stick" to whatever it's sprayed on. All these ingredients may hinder powdery mildew, not just ammonia. In reasonable amounts, I doubt the Windex will hurt your roses, Just don't drink it--ha. Diane
ann beck 8a ruralish WA
2 years ago
Well, I thought this was a "Big Fat Greek Wedding" quote...but I will give it a try if I need it! Thanks! Sometimes old ideas are the best.
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I think I will try the pepper spray too. Dublin Bay I have full grown roses and they are still in there black buckets (they were put in these containers because we moved a few months back and that is how I transported them) the rabbits do not touch them it could be the container that is stopping them from reaching up to the top of the roses. But today some of them went into the new bed so we will see if they nibble on them when they are out of the containers. I am going to get some of the pepper spray I believe I have seen it at Home depot. As far as the dog as some of you have suggested (which is a good idea) I have a jack russell ( and they love rabbits) but my rose bed is out in front of my house and the street I live on is a busy road and I could not let my dog run free out in front beside the city might pick him up. He stays inside or spends time out in the backyard, he does protect the potted plants on the patio. The reason I did not put the rose bed out in the back is because I do not want my dog around the rose bed he will find some way to ruin it. At our old house we had a separate area that was fenced off and that was where my rose bed was so the dog could not get to it. My hubby does not want to put a chain link fence in the back yard here at the new house so the front was my only place for the rose bed and other reasons to I will not type a long story on why. A cat will also not work becasue of the busy road. so I will purchase some pepper spray and see if it works. I hope it does because the rabbits are a pain in the a$$. As far as the new roses planted next to the foundation of the house as I said above I put some galvanized mesh around the 2 next to the house and it has been a week now and new growth is growing out and the rabbit has not touched them because of the mesh. I am so glad the 2 roses next to the foundation of the house are finally getting a chance to get going. Carrie (Forum member since 1998)
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Here's the scoop on spraying. I spray weekly. The spray has to be early enough in the day that it will dry before dew sets at night. Thus, I can spray at 6 p.m. in the summer when I get off work if need be. Get at least a one gallon or two gallon sprayer with wand. Don't use an old Windex bottle as the coverage is not adequate. Spray with goal of getting every leaf, and particularly try to get under the bottom leaves where blackspot starts. I try to spray using Ortho's product formerly known as Funginex. I also use a second type of fungicide either in combination with Funginex or in the alternate weeks. Now that I have a peach tree I will alternate captan which is part of the fruit tree spray. In early spring Daconil is alternated because it is good for the early spring fungal problems. In the summer heat Daconil will stress roses. I include in each spray a foliar feed, including 1 tbsp per gal. Miracid or Miracle Gro, and 1 tbsp per gal. fish emulsion. I also have Pentathlon and Immunox on the shelf just in case. Pentathlon is used just in case a spotted leaf should show up and then I try to innoculate the plant with repeat sprays as per directions. And Immunox I will use for powdery mildew roses, occasionally. Of course regular watering is needed and if it is dry, water the day before you spray.
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judijunebugarizonazn8
Original Author
2 years ago
Well, Diane, I certainly never considered taking a swig of Windex! Methinks there are better forms of alcohol for that.
Ann, I make no bold claims. So far, it's done the job for me so I'll keep using it when necessary. I don't feel like I'm using big bad stuff when I use it, though I don't know if it's technically organic. Probably not.
Judi
rifis (zone 6b-7a NJ)
2 years ago
Carbon compounds can be organic or inorganic. Krakatoa (not to be confused with Ms. Powell’s Kraken) released carbon disulfide, an inorganic carbon compound which contains neither hydrogen (H) nor oxygen (H).
Diane Brakefield
2 years ago
Of course, carbon compounds can be inorganic. And organic chemistry was originally called carbon chemistry. Diane
judijunebugarizonazn8
Original Author
2 years ago
Both of you fine gardeners know more about chemistry than I do. I'll just be happy if I ever have roses as beautiful as Diane grows. Dianne, your garden pictures have done more to fuel my rose passion than anything else. I listen pretty carefully to your recommendations, beings I live in a high desert climate as well. If a rose does well for you, then I figure it has a good chance of thriving in my garden as well. Many of your roses are on my list or else already growing in my garden.
rosecanadian
2 years ago
I've never heard of this before...what a great idea! Thank you :) :)
Andrea Schmidt
last year
Just used windex on spotted lantern fly nymphs on my rose bushes and peonies and it seemed to kill them😳
Kristine LeGault 8a pnw
last year
Where's my Windex ?
Diane Brakefield
last year
Judijunebug, thank you so much for the nice comments (I'm just revisiting this thread). I hope your roses are thriving and you have some photos to share. I'm still waiting during this slow, slow spring, though it's supposed to be 91F tomorrow. Diane
dianela7analabama
last year
I am eagerly waiting to see your roses Diane. 91 should really really give them a good push.

Windex On Roses?

Diane Brakefield

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