Gardeners are being urged to spray milk over their garden plants this September.

While milk is usually reserved for tea, coffee and cereal, the dairy product can actually be beneficial to flowers, fruits and vegetable plants - and could even help ward off disease.

Milk can actually be used as a fertiliser for your garden to help plants grow, as well as a natural antifungal and pesticide. 

That's according to gardening experts at The Spruce, who say calcium, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium found in milk can boost plant growth while also preventing blossom end rot in tomatoes, squash and peppers.

"The same properties that make milk good for a human, such as the calcium and B vitamins, are what benefits plants. The calcium helps the plants grow, as well as prevent blossom end rot, which can be caused by a calcium deficiency," they stated.

According to one study, milk’s antifungal properties are successful in treating powdery mildew, a fungal condition that can impact crops - including grapes, courgettes, apples, blackcurrants, gooseberries and peas.

Putting milk on your plants is straightforward, as long as it's been diluted properly first.

“Any type of milk, including fresh, expired, evaporated, and powdered, can be used in a garden as long as it's diluted properly. Stick with reduced-fat (2 per cent) or low-fat (1 per cent) milk, rather than skim or whole options," the experts said.

However, gardeners have been warned not to put too much milk on their plants or risk killing them. That's because too much skimmed milk can cause black rot, soft rot, and Alternaria leaf spot, while fat in whole milk can produce a smelly odour, according to the experts.

The sugar and fat content in milk can also attract pests such as flies, sparking an unwanted infestation in your garden. 

Gardeners should also not use milk as the primary source of watering, as this could starve the plant of moisture causing it to wilt and die. 

Gardeners should also be aware that the growing season is coming to an end in September, with only one month left to fertilise plants before the dormant period begins. So, use up any leftover milk while you can.