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cedillamuerta
- Full Member
- Posts: 53
- Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2012 4:42 am
- Location: South MS
Powdery Mildew
I just recently dug up a small oak sapling (Q. falcata) about a foot or so tall. It was growing underneath the porch at my grandparents' house in almost total darkness. I dug it up (broke the taproot, but it's still been fine) and transplanted it into a large pot until it gets it strength back but today I noticed what I believe to be powdery mildew on the underside of the leaves. It's a fine greyish-white dusty substance that's only on the leaf bottoms. I've read that for non-edible plants it's only an aesthetic problem but I've also read information that suggests it could kill plants. Is it a threat to the sapling and if so, how can I control it without using any harsh chemicals?
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rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 25279
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
For well established plants the powdery mildew does not have to be much of a threat. I have a huge old lilac that gets it every year, but it is just a cosmetic issue.
For a little baby sapling that is already struggling, I do think the powdery mildew could be a more serious threat. You could try spraying it with a baking soda solution, one tablespoon of baking soda in a gallon of water, with maybe a tsp of liquid soap (not detergent) added.
Or a milk solution, any where from 1:9 (milk: water) to 1:3. It is the lactobacillus that works against the fungus, so I like to let the milk sit out at room temperature for a few hours to culture the bacteria before spraying it on.
Either way, be sure you coat the leaves well top and underside, then repeat in a couple weeks.
The powdery mildew tends to occur in conditions of low light and low air circulation, so your sapling probably already had it by the time you got it out from under the porch.
For a little baby sapling that is already struggling, I do think the powdery mildew could be a more serious threat. You could try spraying it with a baking soda solution, one tablespoon of baking soda in a gallon of water, with maybe a tsp of liquid soap (not detergent) added.
Or a milk solution, any where from 1:9 (milk: water) to 1:3. It is the lactobacillus that works against the fungus, so I like to let the milk sit out at room temperature for a few hours to culture the bacteria before spraying it on.
Either way, be sure you coat the leaves well top and underside, then repeat in a couple weeks.
The powdery mildew tends to occur in conditions of low light and low air circulation, so your sapling probably already had it by the time you got it out from under the porch.