Help !!!! Powdery mildew (I think)

Yodawill · Joined: 07 Jul 2004 Posts: 3

I have a powdery substance covering all the leaves on my bushes ..
I wish I knew the name of the bush but the new growth is a yellowish color if that helps ..

In the last few weeks the bushes have been practically covered with this white powdery substance ?? It can be wiped off by hand but I need to know how it happenned and how I can get rid off it !!!

The bushes get little sun (North side of my house) ,, But have thrived in the years past ...

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated ..

pakin · Joined: 31 Dec 1969 Posts: 219 Location: Hubbard,TEXAS

Because no one else has answered your question, I'll throw this in. There's a small insect that gets on bushes that looks like powdery mildew. I can't remember the name, but will try to find it in HG's bug book. I've had this in the past.

Pat Akin

pakin · Joined: 31 Dec 1969 Posts: 219 Location: Hubbard,TEXAS

Well, I remembered. LEAFHOPPER is what I was thinking your problem could be. It's on p.87 of HG's bug book.

If you touch them, they'll jump. Then you know if it's a leafhopper or not.

Organic control: Strong blasts of water and citrus oil products.

Pat Akin

Yodawill · Joined: 07 Jul 2004 Posts: 3

This doesnt seem to be an insect ..
It wipes off the leaf just like it was baby powder or something ..
On the leaves its been on longest thay are getting spots

I need to get that book ..

Thanks ..

goo0h · Joined: 07 May 2004 Posts: 127 Location: Denton,TEXAS

Yodawill wrote: This doesnt seem to be an insect ..
It wipes off the leaf just like it was baby powder or something ..
On the leaves its been on longest thay are getting spots

Sounds like powdery mildew. If it is, some have luck with corn meal juice. Potassium Bicarbonate is another remedy. I've also heard from someone on another forum that apple cider vinegar (mix carefully) also works. (Coincidentally, I noticed the leading ingredient of Garrett Juice is apple cider vinegar.)

Powdery mildew and I go back a long ways, alas. ;)

khwoz · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 777 Location: Weatherford,TX

Garlic spray, sodium bicarbonate(if potassium not available) & milk will also work. From your description, I agree that you have powdery mildew. If you have damaging bugs along with the mildew, use Neem. It takes care of the bugs & mildew. Try to not over water the plants & keep water off leaves if possible. I suspect the odd weather is the main culprit (cool nights).

Kathe Kitchens · Joined: 21 May 2003 Posts: 829 Location: Dallas,TX

Ya'll put some cornmeal in the soil at the base of those plants (half a cup to each foot the plant is tall and never more than 2 cups) and the problem will darned near disappear. Keeping them healthy is the bigger battle once the immediate problem is solved.

What kind of bushes are they? You say they don't get much sun, so the cooler weather could certainly contribute to their ill health but not being in the right place with the right sun exposure contributes mightily. Sometimes it's just better in the long run to replace them with more appropriately adapted plants. I learned that gets rid of a lot of headaches and wasted time in the long run...
:D
Kathe

sforsyth · Joined: 31 Dec 1969 Posts: 2 Location: Fort Worth

We just moved into a new house and I found powdery mildew on one of the crepe myrtle bushes. I suspect it's because it's being crowded out by a large untrimmed tree from the neighbor's yard as well as some huge shrub that's planted next to the crepe myrtle.

Stephanie

goo0h · Joined: 07 May 2004 Posts: 127 Location: Denton,TEXAS

Just recently I thought I'd try 1 oz of natural apple cider vinegar and 1/2 oz molasses in 1 gallon of water. So far it seems to be working better than anything I've tried to date. Though, it does require covering all the infected areas. I also sprayed the ground under the trees for extra measure.

I haven't yet tried garlic juice. Corn meal is a great soil amendment, but so far it hasn't done much for me as a spray against powdery mildew.