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Powdery Mildew: courgettes, squash, cucumber, pumpkins

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  • Powdery Mildew: courgettes, squash, cucumber, pumpkins

    Powdery mildew (PM) is a fungal disease which flourishes on courgettes, cucumber, summer squash & pumpkins when the weather is warm and dry. It can reduce the crop and eventually kill the plants.
    Infected courgette plants are covered in a dusty, furry-looking greyish-white mould, mainly on the upper surface of the leaves and young shoots.

    Treatment
    Fungicides have little effect: save your money.
    As powdery mildew does not like wet conditions, wetting the leaves reduces the severity of attack. A "wetter", eg detergent, has to be added (just a squirt) ~ plain water will just run off the leaves.

    Scientists ... in Russia observed that powdery mildew spores that landed on wheat seedlings sprayed with comfrey tea did not germinate, and the wheat ...did not become infected.
    source

    Weeds can over-winter the fungus, so good garden hygiene is essential.
    Remove and bin or burn infected leaves, don't compost them.

    Prevention
    Ensure plants have adequate water, especially those in containers, and apply mulches over moist soil if grown in open soil.
    Avoid overcrowding plants to give good air circulation and minimise humidity.

    Don't feed plants too much nitrogen-rich fertiliser because this encourages lush sappy growth which is more susceptible to infection.

    Courgettes Dundoo, Soleil & Tosca have good resistance to powdery mildew, apparently. I might try these next year, as I get PM every s*dding year.
    Last edited by Two_Sheds; 28-04-2014, 06:11 PM.
    All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

  • #2
    Thanks - my pumpkins get powdery mildew every year and I've never known what to do about it! Your post has been very helpful!

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    • #3
      my corgettes have got a bit of powdery mildew. can you just cut them off or is this not recomended? the last thing i prayed with water and detergent i killed the plant!

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      • #4
        how much washing up liquid do i use......i nearly killed my tomatoes with two much washing up liquid.

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        • #5
          My courgettes I grew last year in pots had lots of this but it didn't stop them from producing and producing and producing. Just cut off dead leaves as they died.
          I'm new to veggies, but trying !

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          • #6
            Originally posted by darkcrystal View Post
            how much washing up liquid do i use....
            The advice says to use "washing up water" so only use as much washingup liquid as you would to wash the dishes
            All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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            • #7
              Lost most of my cucumber plant's to what I think is Powdery Mildew, was getting a carrier bag full of cukes a week. Does it also likely to affect aubergine as I have just removed three fruits which are covered in mould.

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              • #8
                I have been trying this with my 3 mildrewy cukes and 2 seem to be recovering....fingers crossed!

                Actually most of the veggie garden has blackfly or mildrew so I need a bigger sprayer...

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                • #9
                  It worked for 2 of the cucumber plants but the third died and nothing in the veggie garden has blackfly now due to diligent spraying!
                  Unfortunately it has no powers against blight!

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                  • #10
                    On radio2 the other day, they had an old boy on from 'in the valleys' and he gave advice on powdery mildew (he'd had an allotment for 50 years.) You make up a solution 9/10 parts water with 1 part milk, mix it and spray on. No idea whether it works as we don't have mildew yet, but seems like a cheap solution if it works.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Waffler View Post
                      On radio2 the other day, they had an old boy on from 'in the valleys' and he gave advice on powdery mildew (he'd had an allotment for 50 years.) You make up a solution 9/10 parts water with 1 part milk, mix it and spray on. No idea whether it works as we don't have mildew yet, but seems like a cheap solution if it works.
                      Doesn't I'm afraid.!!!! Tried it last week but they seem worse than ever. Ah well, probably my fault for being greedy and putting too much in my small greenhouse - BUT - it was good while it lasted!!

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                      • #12
                        I always end up with powdery mildew on my curbits but it never seems to reduce the production of fruits!

                        Some of us live in the past, always talking about back then. Some of us live in the future, always planning what we are going to do. And, then there are those, who neither look behind or ahead, but just enjoy the moment of right now.

                        Which one are you and is it how you want to be?

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Alison View Post
                          I always end up with powdery mildew on my curbits but it never seems to reduce the production of fruits!
                          Every year I get powdery mildew on my courgettes, I remove as much affected leaves as possible and always get more courgettes than I can handle..............NO MORE COURGETTS TILL NEXT YEAR PLEASE!!!!!!!!!
                          Don Vincenzo

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                          • #14
                            Thanks TS. Your Gold Nugget seem clear at the moment but I am glad of the advice. There is so much conflicting advice on this subject it is good to hear from someone that knows what they are talking about.

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                            • #15
                              I've pinched this advice for 'the' site.
                              Hope that's okay:

                              Courgette - WikiGardener Wiki
                              Marrow - WikiGardener Wiki
                              Pumpkin - WikiGardener Wiki
                              Squash - WikiGardener Wiki

                              You've been referenced in each case.

                              Thanks
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                              WikiGardener a subsidiary of Ollietopia Inc.

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