mildew on stonecrop

[opp2]

I was out in the garden the other day and noticed that my stonecrop has black spots and they aren't doing well. I have about 20 of them and three are "infected". I suspect it is mildew. Would you yank the infected plants and start over?

I've mixed up a bottle of water, bakingsoda and dish soap to spray on them but I'm wondering if that will really work. They all have nice new growth at the bottom, but I don't want to risk the plants next to these getting the same stuff.

any thoughts as to what you might do. I might post a picture, but it take forever for me to download, resize, up load and all that....I'll see.

[opabinia51]

I would make some aerated compost tea and spray that on the stonecrop. The beneficials will eat up the mildew and keep it in check.

[opp2]

Hopefully I'll be able to get some at the garden center. The two worst ones the leaves fell off, so I cut them back to the new growth. Hopefully they will survive. If not I'll plant more next year. I have some that are coming really nice beside another plant that has it. I'll try the compost tea asap..

thanks

[opabinia51]

Generally speaking, you usually won't be able to find aerated compost tea at a gardening store. But, they are simple to make:

In a bucket or barrel:

Fill with water and add several shovel fulls of active compost (not something that has been sterilized) and at the very least stir vigorously twice a day. It's better to buy a little aquarium aerator and put that in the barrel. You can buy these special aerators for making compost tea that work really well but, they can be pricey.

Anyway, once you are set up, you will have a good supply of the tea. It's an excellant foliar spray and of course contains nutrients for plants as well.