How To Identify And Treat Powdery Mildew On Plants

1. White, Powdery Coating

This is the most obvious sign. The infection starts with small, circular, powdery white spots on older leaves of your plant resembling flour.

Over time, the spots get enlarged to form an uninterrupted and dusty coating spreading upward to the younger leaves.

2. Leaf Curling and Distortion

The mold sitting on top of the leaves damages the cells, altering their function and constantly feeding on nutrients and water.

After some period, the leaves may start to curl or distort, causing dehydration and tissue damage.

3. Yellowing leaves

When your infested plant is under attack from the plant mildew, its layer may block the essential sun rays from reaching the plant.

As a result, chlorophyll production and photosynthesis process deteriorate, compelling the leaves of the plant to change their color to yellow.

4. Stunted growth

Powdery mildew affects the growth of the plant by hampering its root system, snatching all the essential nutrients, and damaging the cells.

Getting affected on all the crucial parts, plants cannot absorb the required elements from the roots, leaves, and stems, leading to stunted growth.

1. Leaves

White mold on plants in general appears on the leaves during the beginning of the infestation. You may detect fuzzy and white powder coating on both sides of the leaf.

2. Stems

The powdery substance can also be found anywhere on the stems.

It may be on the nodes or the points where leaves join the stem, branches that meet the main stem, and lower stems, especially near the soil line.

3. Flowers and Buds

The white mildew less commonly attacks flowers and buds of the plant but can get infested. Upon getting infested, they are found to grow peculiarly.

The quality of blossoms fades away, losing all its essence and fragrance, hindering reproduction.

4. Fruits

Like the leaves and stems, white fungus on plants can also appear on the fruit's surface. Infected fruits have abnormal shape or size and cracks.

The affected fruits often have poor taste and appearance, making them unmarketable. Severely infected fruits may drop prematurely as well.

1. Warm Temperatures

Powdery mildew is found to thrive in temperatures between 60°F and 80°F. Upon receiving warm environmental conditions, the enzymes within the fungal cell actively work to break down the plant tissues.

The ideal temperature helps the plant mildew to grow more quickly, allowing it to spread rapidly across the plant.

2. Low Humidity

If your garden or yard has low humidity, there’s a high chance for your plants to get infested by the white mildew. Low humidity means a low mixture level in the air and it is found to promote airborne dispersal.

Furthermore, low humidity means less competition, allowing mildew to flourish.

3. Poor Air Circulation

Poor air circulation allows spores to accumulate and infect plants rather easily. When air does not flow properly, moisture coming from watering or rain remains still.

This way, ideal conditions of dampness and moistness are ensured for mildew to flourish.

4. Shade

Shade on the plants can further encourage a damp and moist environment around the plants. If your plants are deprived of sunlight and allowed to grow in the shade, mildew is more likely to attack them.

Additionally, plants in the shade take longer to dry after rain or watering. This prolonged moisture on leaves and stems encourages mildew growth.

5. Fragile Plants

If you do not give proper care to your plants, ensuring adequate essential nutrients and water at the right time, your plants will grow immaturely.

This makes the plant weak lacking the robust energy to defend itself from fungal diseases of plants.

Here are some popular gardens and houseplants that are at major risk of getting infested by the powdery mildew:

1. Rose Bushes

Rose bushes are one such plant that requires growing conditions similar to that of mildew. Yes, rose bushes thrive in warmer weather.

On top of that, these plants have dense foliage perfect for trapping moisture and allowing white mildew to grow and develop.

2. Zinnia

Zinnia prefers warm and sunny weather to grow dense foliage with increased humidity and reduced air circulation.

Additionally, their leaves are broad and flat, meaning they have a large surface area allowing more space for mildew to grow.

3. Cucumber

Similarly, cucumber is another plant that likes the warm and humid environment to grow and yield quality crops. Having a dense canopy with pretty large leaves, mildew is fond of cucumber plants.

4. Tomatoes

Like most plants mentioned above, tomatoes grow in warm and humid conditions.

Tomato plant grows with dense upper leaves that are quite large to limit the air circulation around the plant, offering all the ideal thriving conditions for tomato diseases.

1. Choose Resistant Varieties

You may consult a professional before choosing a crop variety to grow in your field, making sure to grow the right cultivars such as disease-resistant roses.

While resistant varieties are a great start, you should be implementing additional preventive measures mentioned below to ensure more effective results.

2. Provide Good Air Circulation

When you decide to grow plants in your garden, you need to ensure they are planted allowing enough space for decent air circulation around them.

Mildew finds it very hard to adjust in unfavorable situations as such and you can enjoy your pest-free greenery lush around your house.

3. Water Properly

Watering is an important aspect to prevent the white mildew infestation on your plants. There are several right ways to water plants effectively.

Among them, watering the plants at their base only after giving them a simple check by inspecting the top few inches of the soil before watering holds a position of universal language in the watering world.

4. Good Drainage

A well-developed drainage system of the soil is mandatory for any plant you choose to grow.

Plants can benefit in several ways when they get to grow in a well-developed drainage soil, making them robust against mildew infestation.

How to Check for Soil Drainage?

You can follow a simple and general method to check for soil drainage by creating a hole of about twelve inches both in width and depth,

Once the hole is made, you need to fill it with water and check if the water level drops by about an inch. If yes, you have chosen well-drained soil to grow your beloved plant.

1. Inspect and Remove Infected Plant

If you are to treat your infested plants effectively, you need to properly eliminate the infected parts as early as possible.

Further, a regular and proper inspection of your plants is a must for any signs of mildew development so that you can dump the infected plant materials in the safe zone.

2. Apply Fungicidal Sprays

Fungicidal sprays can be an effective treatment for white mildew if you choose the right one for your plants.

The elements with which the fungicidal sprays are prepared. can harm the mildew in various ways, leading to their eradication.

But you should know that some of them are not considered environmentally friendly practices.

3. Use Organic Remedies

a. Baking Soda Solution

Baking is found to create an alkaline environment around the plant, deterring the white mildew.

You just need to prepare a solution by mixing baking soda with water and liquid soap and spray directly on the infested plants.

b. Milk Spray

Milk spray is also preferred by people to create a physical barrier between your plant and powdery mildew.

Make sure to dilute the milk with water and spray the mixture on the infected plants.

Further, many professionals suggest that milk when exposed to sunlight creates an antiseptic environment preventing the growth of mildew.

c. Neem Oil

Neem oil can be another effective natural insecticide having antifungal properties to deter powdery mildew in plants.

Prepare a solution mixing neem oil with water and apply directly over the infected plants. Make sure to completely cover the affected parts and if necessary, reapply every week.