If you garden long enough, sooner or later you'll find yourself dealing with powdery mildew problems. This common fungal disease can affect virtually all types of plants. Fortunately, other than slowing down growth, reducing yields, and looking terrible, it rarely kills affected plants. Here are some ways to tackle the problem organically.
There are many types of powdery mildew, all of which spread by microscopic spores. These spores can live for years in leaf debris or in the soil, and are carried to plants by wind, insects, and splashing water. Conditions that favor the spread and growth of powdery mildew include a lack of air circulation around plants (especially in the shade), dry weather, and temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees F.
Spray a fresh batch of the mixture on the tops and bottoms of leaves every 7 to 10 days. Because oil combined with the heat of the sun can damage plant tissues, it's wise to test the solution on a few leaves before using it in large quantities.
Water: This low-tech approach must be done consistently to work effectively. Unlike indoor mildew, powdery mildew hates water and spreads readily on dry leaves. The spore plugs must embed themselves in leaf tissue to grow, which they can't do on slippery, wet leaves.
Spray down the leaves with the garden hose daily. Make sure you do this early enough in the day so that leaves dry out before evening, otherwise you'll be swapping one fungal disease for another.
Compost Tea: When used as a foliar spray, compost tea has both insecticidal and fungicidal properties. Place a gallon of well-aged compost in a 5-gallon bucket and fill it with water. Stir well and let sit in a warm place for 3 days.
After three days, siphon off the liquid tea by filtering the mixture though a burlap sack. Pour the tea into a hand held sprayer and apply to leaves in the evening.
Remove affected leaves and discard severely affected plants. Use a plastic bag to carry the plant debris out of the garden. Spores can live for years waiting for the right growth conditions, so either burn the waste or discard it in the trash. Don't compost it!
By Ellen Brown
By jeannette from West Palm Beach, FL
My hibiscus plant has a white powdery substance on the leaves and stems. The leaves turn yellow and fall off. How do I get rid of it? What is it?
By Dawn H
I recently noticed that one of my succulent houseplants, a kalanchoe, has powdery mildew on the leaves. I just moved and it is in a new location, but nothing else has changed. How to I treat the leaves? They now have brown spots where I have wiped it off. Thank you for your suggestions.
By Barbara from Bremerton, WA
By frugalsunnie
07/23/2011
I've never treated succulents for powdery mildew, but have other plants using a fungicide purchased at the garden centre. Check your local extension website, or talk to the staff at the nursery to see what they suggest.
This is the second summer I've grown zucchini and yellow squash in my garden. Both years the leaves become covered with powdery white mildew. Eventually the bottom leaves die and the new leaves soon become mildewy as well.
I have had two different water systems, underground that waters only the roots, and above ground, but only watering in the morning so the leaves get dry. It didn't seem to make any difference, they were covered with mildew with both systems. I don't want to use a chemical fungicide unless there's no other option to get good healthy leaves. I don't want to eat fungicide. I would be grateful for any help.
By LeeAnne67 from Bothell, WA
By cookie2
09/10/2011
I feel your pain. I've been plagued with powdery mildew for over two decades. It is nearly impossible to get rid of because it lives in the soil from year to year and is both air borne and water borne. One of my yards is so infested with it that I cannot grow any vegetables there at all. It is extremely contagious and easily transmitted by the hands and gardening tools.
The only thing I've learned to do is manage it, somewhat, by eliminating flowering plants that easily succumb to it - morning glories and sunflowers, for example. It attacks nearly all soft leaved plants, so your squash is easy prey. Remove infected leaves immediately and harvest very early, not letting the fruit remain on the vine too long, then pull up the plant when the mildew begins to overtake the it. I've managed to grow squash quite successfully with this kind of diligence. Also, areas of the garden that get the longest hours of full sun seem to thwart the invasion. If anyone knows a cure I'd sure like to know about it.
Hardiness Zone: 10b
By Lynn from South FL
By sabrinadog
11/15/2009
Go to your Nursery, Home Depot or Lowe's for some plant treatment that will kill the white powder.
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Treating Plants With Powdery Mildew