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Powdery Mildew and Fungus

May 15, 2012  |  ideas, insects, insects and diseases
Fungus on Plants

It's (Unofficially) Fungus Week! Aren't you excited? We've been seeing lots of samples of plant material in the last week with powdery mildew, black spot, and other fungus afflictions. We've seen it on roses, rhododendron, tomatoes, phlox, begonias, zinnias and many others...if you look closely you may find some as well. A combination of moisture and cool temperature has been around long enough that the ever present spores have been thriving. Powdery mildew generally will not compromise the health of the plant but can certainly be unattractive, and cause some flower and leaf deformity in young growth. To treat and prevent,

  • Do not crowd susceptible plants, thin and divide perennials as necessary
  • Do not water over the top of the plant, water the ground below it
  • Water early, avoiding late afternoon and evening
  • When treatment is necessary, spray covering all surfaces of the leaves; the good news is that each strain of powdery mildew is fairly specific to one type of plant...it should not spread from your begonias to your roses for example.
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    We recommend Fungonil, Daconil, or Neem Oil as a spray treatment. These treatments are also effective on most other fungus, including black spot.