Hi folks
My mint plant is sick. There's white mould on some of the branches and some of the leaves. Not all. Can I save it? or is it time to toss? Is this a common problem with mint?
Some of the branches and leaves look healthy and well. But I'm afraid to eat any of this now it's clearly suffering from some type of disease.
Appreciate any ideas.
Thanks so much
Yonnie
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yonnielovesveggies
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- Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2011 9:00 pm
- Location: Beijing
Can you post a pic of the plant? I wonder if the mold might actually be mealy bugs. The adults are covered with a protective waxy coating and don't move, so they might look like mold to folks who have never seen them before.
The other possibility is that your plant has powdery mildew, which is a fungus that grows on the leaves in certain conditions. The spores are spread on the air currents. Again, a picture would help us make suggestions about what is actually wrong with the plant.
Neither condition would make the plant inedible after it was cured. The treatments I would suggest wouldn't make the plant inedible, either, although some purchased insecticides and fungicides probably would.
Both mealy bugs and powdery mildew can be treated. You can use the Search the Forum function to find many past discussions about how to control the problems. There may even be some pics others have posted. Search only one subject at a time, of course, either powdery mildew or mealy bugs.
HTH!
The other possibility is that your plant has powdery mildew, which is a fungus that grows on the leaves in certain conditions. The spores are spread on the air currents. Again, a picture would help us make suggestions about what is actually wrong with the plant.
Neither condition would make the plant inedible after it was cured. The treatments I would suggest wouldn't make the plant inedible, either, although some purchased insecticides and fungicides probably would.
Both mealy bugs and powdery mildew can be treated. You can use the Search the Forum function to find many past discussions about how to control the problems. There may even be some pics others have posted. Search only one subject at a time, of course, either powdery mildew or mealy bugs.
HTH!
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yonnielovesveggies
- Cool Member
- Posts: 66
- Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2011 9:00 pm
- Location: Beijing
Kisal
Thanks for your response! I should have known better than to not post a pic. Here goes:
[img]https://img2081.poco.cn/mypoco/myphoto/20120227/22/643577592012022722191004.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img2081.poco.cn/mypoco/myphoto/20120227/22/6435775920120227222015021.jpg[/img]
Grateful for your diagnosis!
Yonnie[/img]
Thanks for your response! I should have known better than to not post a pic. Here goes:
[img]https://img2081.poco.cn/mypoco/myphoto/20120227/22/643577592012022722191004.jpg[/img]
[img]https://img2081.poco.cn/mypoco/myphoto/20120227/22/6435775920120227222015021.jpg[/img]
Grateful for your diagnosis!
Yonnie[/img]
My goodness! My eyes aren't all that good anymore, but that looks like a bad infestation of some critter! Maybe aphids. Can you wipe the stuff off with your fingers?
I would mix a solution of 1 tablespoon real soap -- not a detergent -- with 1 quart of water. Then, use a soft cloth to wipe down the entire plant. After that, spray the mixture on the plant until it's dripping off. Be sure to spray from every direction, so you cover all the surfaces. Repeat the spraying process every 5 to 7 days, for 4 or 5 treatments.
That should take care of any kind of soft-bodied insect, like aphids or spider mites.
If you're convinced it's a fungus, you can spray the plant with a mixture of any kind of milk -- well, I'd avoid chocolate milk
-- mixed with water. You can make the mix 1 part milk to 10 parts water, or even as strong as half milk and half water. Spray the plant until the mixture is dripping off. Repeat about once a week, until the plant looks clean.
I would mix a solution of 1 tablespoon real soap -- not a detergent -- with 1 quart of water. Then, use a soft cloth to wipe down the entire plant. After that, spray the mixture on the plant until it's dripping off. Be sure to spray from every direction, so you cover all the surfaces. Repeat the spraying process every 5 to 7 days, for 4 or 5 treatments.
That should take care of any kind of soft-bodied insect, like aphids or spider mites.
If you're convinced it's a fungus, you can spray the plant with a mixture of any kind of milk -- well, I'd avoid chocolate milk
-- mixed with water. You can make the mix 1 part milk to 10 parts water, or even as strong as half milk and half water. Spray the plant until the mixture is dripping off. Repeat about once a week, until the plant looks clean.-
yonnielovesveggies
- Cool Member
- Posts: 66
- Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2011 9:00 pm
- Location: Beijing
-
yonnielovesveggies
- Cool Member
- Posts: 66
- Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2011 9:00 pm
- Location: Beijing
