catoneaster mildew

[dckb750]

I have a large catoneaster which all of a sudden has been covered i

white fluffy mildew, it will however come off with a high pressure hos pipe but reappears days later even worse than before. Is there an product that can be used to eradicate this unsightly stuff. Any advic welcome. thanks chris..

-- dckb750

[paghat]

You could try a soil-drench of horticultural oil or Neem oil to bind the mildew spores to the soil, otherwise they'll just reinfect the plants again & again. The leaves of all susceptible plants can be sprayed with dilute milk, which works on powdery mildew far better than any commercial fungicide (but doesn't work on other types of fungus). If the fungus cannot first of all be be sprayed off entirely or wiped off by hand without leaving damaged leaves, then the plants have to be cut back to start over, & treated with dilute milk as they develope.

Good air circulation through the plants is also necessary. Powdery mildew especially likes areas where plants have gotten overcrowded, & when plants are stressed by such things as droughtiness, sun-stress, overcrowding.

-paghat the ratgirl

[Vox Humana]

What dilution would you recommend. Is there any preference for the type of milk, i.e., whole, 2%, skim ...?

[paghat]

Any kind of milk -- skim is fine -- deluted with five parts water.

-paggers

[Vox Humana]

Thanks! I am plagued with powdery mildew late in the summer. I assume that it is best to use it as a preventive treatment rather than wait until the mildew appears?