Q • I have a white coating on my zucchini giving it a cloudy physical appearance, and I’m apprehensive it is going to unfold to my other plants. What is it, and how can I stop it?

A • The fungus that triggers this cloudy visual appearance is aptly named powdery mildew and is a popular disease of many vegetation, such as peonies, squash and zinnia.

The good news is, powdery mildew is remarkably specialized to a specific host, so you really don’t have to worry about powdery mildew transferring from your squash vegetation to your peonies. It is frequently regarded as a seasonal inevitability, and most vegetation are capable to continue to be nutritious and effective even with its visual appearance however, if you are observing a whole lot of it, there are some ways you can acquire to sluggish its development.

Prune off leaves as they create the disorder to assistance slow reinfection of new leaves, and raise air circulation by thinning or pruning. Fungicides that comprise sulfur are effective in preventing powdery mildew progress, but they will not overcome the illness the moment it appears. A 40% dilute resolution of milk carefully applied every single just one to two months can assistance to cut down the severity of powdery mildew.

For much more details on controlling powdery mildew, verify out our simple fact web site listed here: .

Publish to the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Heart for Dwelling Gardening at [email protected] or the Horticulture Solution Services, 4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63110.