Help with plant diseases! Powdery mildew on my verbena?
By draconess
@draconess (650)
Canada
June 29, 2007 2:10pm CST
Help! I think my hanging basket full of verbenas has a powdery mildew infection! The leaves are covered with a sort of sticky white powder... It's been spreading... Is there anything I can do to stop it/get rid of it? Will it kill all my poor plants? If they'll be able to survive and continue flowering with it, I would just leave it, but I think it's started causing leaves to fall off. I don't like using chemical pesticides but may have to start looking for something to get rid of the mildew fungus! Any recommendations from the gardeners out there?
1 response
@GardenGerty (160879)
• United States
30 Jun 07
I do not know myself, first hand, but a few years back I heard on the radio program from our soil conservation program that spraying a solution of water and baking soda on wheat with powdery mildew did stop the fungus. Baking soda is cheap, and non toxic. It is worth a try, as you probably have some in your cupboard. Be sure to note, I said baking soda not baking powder.I remember the gentleman joking that the next time he got athletes foot he was going to try doing a baking soda soak. Hope this is helpful.
@draconess (650)
• Canada
1 Jul 07
Oh, really? I'll try a baking soda solution before I go buy anything! There is a garden sulfur powder designed for this kind of problem, but I like to solve these things myself when possible instead of buying a bunch of products. And this will save me a trip to the store. Thanks!
