powdery mildew

[sarah]

i have, this year, started a plot in my garden since i gave up my allotment last year. As it is quite a small area I have crammed quite a bit of stuff in. I have started to get a white powdery mildew on cucumbers and sweetpeas (and a honeysuckle waiting to be [planted). what causes this and should i ditch the offending plants. is it bacause its a bit to packed in there? i've never had this before. my squashes and corgettes seem ok though.

[sarah]

[Biscombe]

There's a few things you could do, powdery mildew will be more rampant if your plants roots are drying out, make sure plans susceptible to mildew get plenty of water.

When mildew starts you won't get rid of it, but you can slow it down by using lots of organic tricks such as spraying with neem, powdered milk. Sulfur is also pretty good.

I would be tempted to pull off the badly effected leaves.

[Tee Gee]

because its a bit to packed in there

This will be the prime reason i.e, poor ventilation and air circulation

Try and thin them out a bit perhaps by thinning out some of the leaves (but not all) to allow air to get around the plants!

[sarah]

thanks both. I have removed the sweet peas and will thin out the leaves on the cukes. I will take out some of the other less productive plants too. thanks again.

[1066]

powdery mildew will be more rampant if your plants roots are drying out, make sure plans susceptible to mildew get plenty of water.

I hadn't realised this, so thanks for the info

1066

[Old bird]

I was losing all my melons, cucumbers, aubergines, courgettes etc because of this - and luckily a gardening friend suggested baking powder - sprayed onto the leaves.  Worked pretty much instantly - although a fair bit of earlier damage!

What is "neem"?

Old Bird

:o

[Biscombe]

Did it actually cure the mildew Old Bird? I've tried this before and it does slow it down but It's not been a cure.

[Biscombe]

PS Neem copy and paste from WIKI

Neem oil is a vegetable oil pressed from the fruits and seeds of Neem (Azadirachta indica), an evergreen tree which is endemic to the Indian subcontinent and has been introduced to many other areas in the tropics. It is perhaps the most important of the commercially available products of neem for organic farming and medicines.

I swear by it!  :)

[thifasmom]

I was losing all my melons, cucumbers, aubergines, courgettes etc because of this - and luckily a gardening friend suggested baking powder - sprayed onto the leaves.  Worked pretty much instantly - although a fair bit of earlier damage!

What is "neem"?

Old Bird

:o

Old Bird what strength to mix the baking soda. i have tried the milk with some success in the pumpkin patch but the courgettes are still succumbing. would like to try something else.

[Tin Shed]

Biscombe - do you spray the neem oil full strength or diluted?

[Old bird]

Sorry - only just seen the replies!

I have used a teaspoon to a 1litre spray - now I have gone to my bigger 3 litre spray and I am using a desertspoon.

It doesn't stop all the really bad stuff - but it doesn't get any worse and the leaves with just a few specks on - yest it does appear to be sorting those out and they are looking very healthy.

I think I was too late with my melons though - I am holding my breath - but I think I was just that bit too late.  The aubergines have been given a new lease of life and the webby stuff - which looked like red spider mite - has also disappeared completely.

There is new growth on most of these plants and I am keeping a watchful eye and spraying - just in case!

O B

[Tin Shed]

Next question - where do you get neem oil from ;D

[thifasmom]

thanks old bird. are you saying you also sprayed the baking soda on the aubergines? not that mine have a problem but just want to clarify in case i need to anytime in the future.

[sarah]

just caught up on this, thanks for the advice old bird i will definately give baking soda a try.  since i thinned things out a bit it doesnt seem too bad but the cukes are suffering, although still getting loads of cukes.  next year i will try baking soda as soon as it starts. baking soda is amazing stuff you know, you can use it for loads of things.  :)

[Old bird]

Yes! and the melons and pretty much everything else except the tomatoes!

It was told to me by a girlfriend who was using it on her cucumbers and I picked it up immediately and seems to work!   And best part of it is that it is very cheap!

O B

;D

[thifasmom]

Thanks again Oldbird.

[Biscombe]

Biscombe - do you spray the neem oil full strength or diluted?

Diluted  :)

[thifasmom]

thanks again Old bird, it has worked :D.