Powdery Mildew solution

Spraying milk for powdery mildew has been around in gardening for ages, but imho it is minimally effective, especially when compared to other solutions.

One example are peonies, which most, heirloom varieties especially, are prone to powdery mildew, and you will spend a lot of money on milk and frequent sprayings (which wash off with any precipitation), and even if you do all of it, it still is just barely minimally effective against the powdery mildew.

What works very well in my experience is a copper spray, but you have to get it very early in the season, since it’s more of a preventive than a cure. Once powdery mildew gets going, it’s very difficult to eradicate, so it’s much better to deal with at the prevention stage.
 
Just straight up water works well for me on powdery mildew. Washes off the spores. Just blast them in the morning when you see signs with the hose. My roses and beebalm get it badly some years, and it completely controls it without any chemicals
 
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snarfing said:
i watched a video on it awhile ago, but ive been doing it for years on my moms advice

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The video was fine, except the “expert” doesn’t understand the why of one of the solutions - she describes doing a sodium bicarbonate spray as an effective solution for powdery mildew.

However, later, she says she isn’t going to get into the home remedies and if they work, like baking soda and milk.

What she doesn’t seem to know, is that baking soda IS sodium bicarbonate. 🙄
 
BucksCountyFigs said:
The video was fine, except the “expert” doesn’t understand the why of one of the solutions - she describes doing a sodium bicarbonate spray as an effective solution for powdery mildew.

However, later, she says she isn’t going to get into the home remedies and if they work, like baking soda and milk.

What she doesn’t seem to know, is that baking soda IS sodium bicarbonate. 🙄
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haha well she said potassium bicarbonate, thats a different chemical! Similar though.
 
BucksCountyFigs said:
Spraying milk for powdery mildew has been around in gardening for ages, but imho it is minimally effective, especially when compared to other solutions.

One example are peonies, which most, heirloom varieties especially, are prone to powdery mildew, and you will spend a lot of money on milk and frequent sprayings (which wash off with any precipitation), and even if you do all of it, it still is just barely minimally effective against the powdery mildew.

What works very well in my experience is a copper spray, but you have to get it very early in the season, since it’s more of a preventive than a cure. Once powdery mildew gets going, it’s very difficult to eradicate, so it’s much better to deal with at the prevention stage.
Click to expand...
I got powdery mildew on my peonies for the first time last year. It started on 2 that were planted next to each other (good amount of space between them as they are still young), but there wasn't much of it. Got lazy about it and next thing I knew it has quickly spread to the rest of them in that area along with some I had in another area that was further away. Will try the copper spray this year. Do you spray as soon as you see leaves? How frequently do you recommend spraying?

Can't wait to see their little snouts this year since it will be year 4/5 for most of them. Hoping to get many blooms! Also, crossing my fingers that my tree peonies are still alive. I'm pretty sure they died soon after I purchased them last year, but left them in just in case. 🤞
 
GoneWithTheFig said:
But won't that just spread the spores to the ground?
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yes but they only survive on the plant. if theyre on the ground they just instantly die. so as soon as you knock the spores off the plants its over. theyre really, really species specific, video explains and i can attest its effective. and doesnt use chemicals (and yes copper is still a chemical, and in fact bioaccumulates in the soil)
 
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