Editor’s note: “JT potency” (Jenichen /Tichavsky) is a centesimal dilution followed by 500 succussions or five hundred continuous turns with a wooden stick to the right and 500 turns to the left (if handling larger volumes). The JT potency frequently has a better reaction in plants and it is very important in preparation of live bionosodes.
Hello Dr. Tchavsky,
We have rubber tree plantation here in Kerala, India. Two main issues we face are:
- During the month of January and February the tree loses all its leaves and new leaves come. The new leaves are infected with powdery mildew and a lot of leaves are lost. The remaining leaves are wrinkled and have spots on them.
2: During heavy monsoon spells during June- July the leaves are affected by Phytophthora and a lot of leaves fall off as a result. Earlier we used to spray Copperoxychloride with oil. Now we do not spray coc.
I apply Johson Su compost extract twice a year and have not applied chemical fertilizers for the past two years. Can you suggest ways in which I can control both these issues?
Thank you
Jose Joseph Mathew
Dr. Radko Tichavsky:
Dear Jose,
To combat Phytophthora meadii, you can prepare a hydrolate from heartwood chips of Tectona grandis (teak). The heartwood ranges from golden yellow to dark brown and contains antifungal metabolites such as tectoquinone, lapachenol, and dehydrolapachenol.
Use chips taken from the center of the trunk and simmer them for 30 minutes (chip:water ratio 1:5), considering the resulting liquid as the mother tincture (TM). Dynamize it to the 3 JT potency and spray it on the affected trees. Another tree very common in your area is Allamanda cathartica; crush its leaves in cold water (use caution because they are toxic) and dynamize to 3 JT, applying it to affected trees.
Regarding powdery mildew, it helps to do a light pruning of the trees to promote airflow. Homeopathic mixtures made from plants containing scopoletin may contribute as part of a preventive program against powdery mildew, for example using the whole plant of Polygonum cognatum 3 JT (from hydroalcoholic TM), together with an TM from the bark of Punica granatum (which contains ellagitannins and ellagic acid) dynamizated in water to 3 JT potency, plus crushed Ficus carica leaves prepared as a decoction or infusion in water, combine the three at 3 JT in a single preparation.
Another very useful combination is Eupatorium catarium extract at 3 JT, a significant reduction has been observed powdery mildew in Hevea sp., mixed with Murraya paniculata extract at 3 JT, and a Juglans regia (walnut) leaf extract at 6 JT.
And as an elicitor of immune response in your trees, you can use the combination of Ziziphus nummularia mother tincture dynamized in water to 3 JT, Urtica dioica root mother tincture dynamized in water to 3 JT, and a Salix alba decoction in water at 3 JT. Mix the dynamizations and apply before powdery mildew begins. Nitrogen levels should be kept low during the critical season.
Hello Dr. Tichavsky
A neighbor nearby has Black Knot fungus on his cherry trees. We also have cherry trees and want to protect them from this contagion. How should we go about it? We’re in Jacksonville, Oregon, 97530. We have hot, dry summers and cold, wet winters, with warm summer days up to 90s°F and near freezing nights in winter.
Thank you
Oliver Davies
Dr. Radko Tichavsky:
Dear Olivier,
Black knot is caused by the fungus Apiosporina morbosa. The first important step is to prune the affected branches 6–8 inches (15–20 cm) below the knot, remove and destroy the infected material and prevent spring infections with Boswellia sacra (you can use incense resin) prepared in 70% alcohol and dynamized in water to a potency of 3 JT.
Encapsulates the ascospores, making germination more difficult when conditions are favorable (temperatures above 15 °C / 59 °F and three or more consecutive days of relative humidity between approximately 40–100%). You can even apply this preparation to healthy trees as a preventive measure. In the spring, before the first buds appear, you can apply zinc oxide at a potency of 3 JT as a preventive measure.
Dear Dr. Tichavsky,
Cucurbit downy mildew infected our cucumbers. Yellow spots covered all the leaves. As the leaves died so did the plants. I’ve read conflicting ideas about how to control this problem. How do I approach it? The garden is in Madison, Florida, 32341. It’s a humid subtropical (Cfa), climate with long, hot, humid summers. and short, mild winters. It has ample rainfall.
Thank you
Jules Martin
Dr. Radko Tichavsky:
Dear Jules,
Pseudoperonospora cubensis (commonly known as downy mildew) in cucurbits responds well to whey at 3 JT and to Bacillus amyloliquefaciens in a live bionosode, made from a live bionosode prepared from liquefied roots of Hedera helix at a 3 JT potency.
It is important not to irrigate cucumber leaves, use drip irrigation only. Reduce or avoid nitrogen fertilizers (whether synthetic or natural), since these cause excessive vegetative growth, create a humid microclimate beneath the closed leaf canopy, and produce soft tissues that favor downy mildew attack.
As a preventive measure, you can use sour whey at a 3 JT potency. The lactobacteria occupy the nutrient sites of the fungus and hinder its establishment, alternating with Salix babylonica at 3 JT (prepared from a decoction of thin branches of the tree).
Application of potassium bicarbonate at a 3 JT potency helps modify the pH environment on the leaves, which also promotes greater plant resistance against the fungus. Affected leaves must be removed (do not compost them), and the bicarbonate should be alternated with an Aloe vera bionosode at 3 JT, applied early in the morning as a spray.
Althaea officinalis at 3 JT (from the mother tincture of the leaves) contains scopoletin, with direct action against the fungus, as well as mucilages and coumarins (antioxidants), alternated with Urtica dioica at 3 JT (from the mother tincture of the roots).
It contains scopoletin and flavonoids and is a classic elicitor of induced resistance against this fungus. You may also use Polygonum cognatum at 3 JT, which produces scopoletin in its leaves at extraordinarily high levels of this metabolite active against powdery mildew (around 7,000 ppm).
Hello Dr. Tichavsky,
Last year our oranges suffered from Citrus black spot (Phyllosticta citricarpa). We couldn’t sell them, so my family and friends got to eat lots of oranges. How might we prevent a recurrence next season? We’re in Ventura California – 93003 with a mild, Mediterranean climate – warm, dry summers, cool, wet winters. Temperatures range from the mid-40s to mid-70s Fahrenheit
Thank you
Gregory
Dr. Radko Tichavsky:
Hello Gregory,
I’m sorry to hear that you have been affected by citrus black spot. This disease is terrible because even when the fruit is edible, the cosmetic damage can make it unsellable. However, citrus black spot (CBS) caused by Phyllosticta citricarpa is not known in California and is considered a regulated pathogen of high concern in the United States.
If you have indeed been affected by CBS, the first thing to do is to confirm the diagnosis with your local extension/plant health laboratory. Misdiagnosis is common because several problems affecting citrus fruits mimic CBS (e.g., Alternaria brown spot on mandarins, melanosis, greasy spot, sunscald, spray burn).
That said, here is a prevention plan that works for “CBS-like spots on fruit” and is suitable for Ventura’s Mediterranean climate.
Prevention is very important in this case: clean up dead leaves under the canopy (especially those from last season) and remove any fallen/old fruit (“mummies”) if there are any. Dead leaves are the main source of ascospores.
Next, you can apply Thymus essential oil mixed with Boswellia sacra essence dynamizated in water at a potency of 3 JT to the soil.
You can also apply Xanthoria parietina 4 JT.
Thymus vulgaris (thyme) help because its main metabolites, thymol and carvacrol (along with other monoterpenes), are lipophilic compounds that insert into fungal membranes, increase permeability, and can hinder spore germination and superficial growth. This makes sense as a supportive measure in “CBS/CBS-like” scenarios, where much of the risk comes from inoculum produced and released from leaf litter and organic debris, and where a contact effect on surfaces can help reduce viability.
Boswellia sacra (frankincense) provides boswellic acids and a resinous fraction rich in terpenes with potential contact antimicrobial activity. In addition, its resin functions as a film-forming or encapsulating agent, creating a coating that reduces surface moisture, interferes with adhesion and germination, and helps isolate small infection foci. As a complement to sanitation, make the surface microenvironment less favorable and reduce local inoculum pressure in leaf litter and soil.
Xanthoria parietina contains parietin (an anthraquinone) and other phenolic compounds, with a photodynamic component: under light, it promotes localized generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and creates a more hostile microenvironment for propagules. Its polysaccharides also act as film-forming agents or elicitors depending on formulation, helping reduce propagule establishment and viability during periods of humidity and light.
Dear Dr. Tichavsky,
My horse farm is in Central Virginia USA (a few days below zero in winter, humid summers ranging from 80-mid 90s, and snow/rainfall of about 35 inches annually) is being overrun by spiny amaranth (the horses nibble on the upper leaves, flowers, and seeds spreading the seed in their manure), perilla (which is toxic to horses and grows 7′ tall), and jerusalem artichokes (which can grow to 8′ but without sizable tubers).
Most of the weeds are in large swaths in paddocks in both full sun and shade which are continually used for the horses in the winter and occasionally in warmer weather, are overgrazed, and have a high manure content. The weedy areas account for about 4 of the 27 acres being grazed by the horses.
I have successfully reduced the number of yellow docks by extreme hand pulling, digging, and not mowing when they are setting seed, but these 3 weeds present a much harder challenge and by late summer I can’t keep up. Even where I have grass coverage, these weeds push through, eventually shading out the grass. I would appreciate any suggestions you might have? Thank you kindly. Patty Swygert
Thank you
Patty Swygert
Dr. Radko Tichavsky:
Dear Patty,
First, it helps to understand what each weed is indicating and why it is showing up on your farm. Overgrazing and soil compaction reduce infiltration and soil oxygen. After rainfall, compacted areas can develop low-oxygen (low-redox) microsites. That stresses desirable pasture grasses and opens space for three opportunistic plants: spiny amaranth (Amaranthus spinosus), perilla mint (Perilla frutescens), and Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus).
As pasture grasses become weak and thin, bare patches form from trampling, especially during winter use. Near waterers, feeders, gates, and hay-feeding areas, manure and urine “hotspots” develop. These hotspots don’t always push soil chemistry in only one direction; instead they create strong local swings (salts, nitrogen pulses, biological oxygen demand, and sometimes pH shifts). If the overall soil pH is low (often below ~6), cool-season grasses and clover typically establish and recover more slowly and become less competitive.
In that situation, even if you mow, you don’t close the canopy, and the weeds keep returning. From a holohomeopathy perspective, a key allelopathic compound associated with sorghum is sorgoleone (primarily linked to sorghum root exudates and the soil zone around roots).
A practical field approach is to use an acidic (lactic-dominant) fermentation of young sorghum biomass as a biological “signal” and soil conditioner during the germination flush, while ensuring it is accompanied by rest, correction of soil pH, canopy recovery, and reseeding.
Acidic (lactic-dominant) ferment concentrate recipe (10 L batch)
| Ingredient | Scientific name | Amount for 10 L | Plant part used | Time |
| Young sorghum / sorghum-sudan | Sorghum bicolor (or sudan hybrid) | 1.0 kg fresh | Young leaves and stems, finely chopped | Ferment 3–5 days |
| Green barley (Option A) | Hordeum vulgare | 300 g fresh | Green above-ground biomass, chopped | Ferment 3–5 days |
| Barley grain (Option B, if no green barley) | Hordeum vulgare | 100 g | Grain, lightly cracked | Ferment 3–5 days |
| Molasses (or brown sugar) | 50 ml molasses (or 50 g brown sugar) | Add at start | ||
| White yogurt or sauerkraut brine (no vinegar added)
|
100 ml | Add at start | ||
| Dechlorinated water | Top up to 10 L | |||
| Wormwood / absinthium | Artemisia absinthium | 100–200 g fresh (or 25–40 g dried) | Leaves and tender tips, chopped | Steep 12–24 h (after straining)
Add at the end, after the base fermentation is ready and strained.
|
Filter well, dynamize at potency 2-3 JT, and spray it every 7–10 days during the germination flush (typically 2–4 rounds).
If possible, create rest paddocks to allow canopy recovery and reseeding using a mix such as:
- Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis)
- Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata)
- Timothy (Phleum pratense)
- White/ladino clover (Trifolium repens) — keep clover moderate (for example ≤15% of the stand, especially if horses are metabolically sensitive).
Also designate a temporary sacrifice area where horses can be concentrated during wet/winter conditions while other paddocks recover.
In summer, when conditions are hot and dry, you can do dragging/harrowing (using a drag or chain harrow) to break up and spread dry manure piles. This reduces concentrated hotspots and helps distribute nutrients more evenly (ideally followed by a rest period).
You can spot-apply powdered calcitic or dolomitic lime in high-impact areas (gates, feeders, waterers) where weed pressure concentrates. For whole-field liming, follow a soil test recommendation (rate and lime type), especially ahead of fall overseeding/renovation.
BOOKS ON HOLOHOMEOPATHY
Many readers asked about Dr. Radko Tichavsky’s books. Below is a list and a photo of them. They are available in Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. For ordering or information: [email protected]
Books by Dr. Radko Tichavsky
These books have been published in Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese
“Manual of Agrohomeopathy” (2007), “Homeopathy for Plants” (2009), and the
“Homeopathy for Plants” (2009): A book dedicated to the application of homeopathy for plant care.
“Organon of Holohomeopathy” (2018). This book covers homeopathic interventions in agriculture from a holistic view, introducing the novel concept of metabolic similarity among different species.
“Foundations of Agrohomeopathy” (2018): This title is also available in Italian under the name Fondamenti di agro-omeopatia.
Holohomeopathy Manual for Poultry (2018): A specific manual addressing the application of holohomeopathy in poultry farming.
“Advanced Agrohomeopathy” (2021): A more recent publication exploring advanced techniques and concepts in the field.
