Powdery Mildew Solutions
Surely the signs of a few weeks of wet weather are starting to show in gardens and yards across the area. Mushrooms popping up in yards, shelf fungus showing up on tree trunks, and powdery mildew plaguing the broadleaves of perennials and vegetable plants, alike.
Although powdery mildew is not necessarily caused by water, it does show up when evenings are cool and days are hot, which is what the rain storms have presented in these past few weeks of summer.
Powdery mildew looks just as it sounds, powder-like, white blotches sprinkled all over plants with wide leaves. It can affect both the leaves and flowers alike.
Some plants susceptible to this fungal disease are bee balm, tall garden phlox, zinnia, peonies, sunflowers, crape myrtles, magnolias, and big-leaf hydrangeas. Looking toward the vegetable garden, you may also notice powdery mildew on pumpkins, squashes, watermelons, and sometimes even tomatoes.
Do not fret, there are ways of dealing with this pesky, but not deadly fungus.
The first culprit in inviting powdery mildew to your garden is overcrowding. Make sure your plants have plenty of airflow between plants. In the vegetable garden, take care to plant with the adult size in mind, giving lots of room between them to grow. In planting beds, dividing perennials can go a long way in combating overcrowding, making your plants healthier, and avoiding powdery mildew. Dividing should be done every 3 years to ensure the best for your plants.
Choosing disease-resistant varieties is another way to keep powdery mildew at bay. Some examples of plants to look for are Natchez crape myrtle, Profusion zinnias, Itoh peony, and the Balmy line of bee balms.
But if you already have powdery mildew-prone plants in your landscape and veggie garden, there is a way to take care of it; with organic fungicides that target the disease and eradicate it. These fungicides can be from different sources, including copper, oils, soaps and, even bacteria that eat fungus for dinner. Apply according to the directions for optimal performance.
Ultimately powdery mildew is a nuisance more than anything else. It is not dangerous to your plants and will not kill them, although it may stunt the growth for the season, but infected plants should bounce back, healthy and happy the following year.
