Wondering what the white powdery substance on your plant is? It is probably powdery mildew. Check out this article to know what it is, how to identify it, treat it and prevent it from happening again!
What is powdery mildew?
Powdery mildew is one of the most common diseases found on plants. It affects a wide range of plants (and affects the quality and quantity of flowers and fruits on your plants. Powdery mildew usually develops in hot and humid weather., which is why it usually appears around April and May (when temperatures increase) or around the beginning of Autumn (when humidity starts up again).
How to identify powdery mildew?
Powdery mildew is a white fungus that spreads around the plant and creates a powdery mat on the leaves, stems, and flowers. This fungus attacks plant cells preventing them from getting all the nutrients they need for proper growth. Because powdery mildew affects the growth of your plant, you might also notice it thanks to the leaves curling or discoloration.
How to prevent powdery mildew?
- Only water the base of plant, avoid watering the leaves as that can contribute to the development of a lot of common diseases.
- Place your pots in sunny spots as powdery mildew usually develops in shady places.
- Choose naturally more resistant plants like cucurbits
- A great pre-treatment such as Phostrogen® Organic Fungus Plant Defence, will create a natural barrier on the plant to prevent against infestation
How to treat powdery mildew & avoid further infestation?
When plants get infected best technique is control and prevention, allowing you to control the infected plant to prevent surrounding plants from getting infected.
Many fungicides treat powdery mildew and are usually a good, effective solution that is low in toxicity.
Here a few tips to prevent the fungus from spreading to other plants:
- Air out the plants to avoid humidity
- Spread out your pots as mildew can contaminate closely surrounding plants
- Get rid of infected leaves and other infected aeras
- Make sure to clean the tools you use on the infected plant before using it on a healthy one