{"id":1184,"date":"2019-04-28T05:20:11","date_gmt":"2019-04-28T12:20:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.globalgarden.co\/?p=1184"},"modified":"2022-08-03T21:59:35","modified_gmt":"2022-08-04T04:59:35","slug":"how-to-treat-powdery-mildew","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.globalgarden.co\/knowledge\/how-to-treat-powdery-mildew\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Treat Powdery Mildew"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Whether you\u2019re a first-time grower or a seasoned pro, you’ve probably wondered about how to treat powdery mildew. This common fungal disease can quickly get out of control, so it’s important to learn how to handle it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before you can learn how to treat powdery mildew, it’s helpful to have some background information on this disease. In this guide, you’ll learn about the causes, symptoms, preventative measures, and treatment for this fungus.<\/p>\n\n\n

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What is Powdery Mildew?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Powdery mildew is the term given to a <\/span>group of fungi<\/span><\/a>. Even though this term applies to different species, all species exhibit similar symptoms. The key visual cue that your plants have this fungus is a white, powdery substance covering the leaves. You guessed it, that’s where the name comes from. Some of this white substance is made up of mycelium and some of it is made up of spores.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some species of these fungi are host specific, meaning they can only survive on one species of plant. Other fungal species can live on a variety of plant species.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of the species require live plants. While the <\/span>fungi<\/span><\/a> can survive the winter in the form of dormant spores, they cannot grow without living tissue.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Powdery Mildew Life Cycle<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The fungus exists on a plant as mycelium – a group of fungal tissue. When the conditions are right, damp and dark, the mycelium produces spores. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once spores are produced, they travel to other plants via wind, water, or human movement between plants. Once the spores land on new tissue, they form hypha to attach to the plant. When enough hyphae form, they become mycelium. This cycle continues, spreading the fungus between crops.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A special type of asexual spore can survive cold conditions of winter. This allows powdery mildew to exist through multiple seasons.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are Favorable Conditions for this Fungus?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Powdery mildew, like many fungi, thrives in cool, damp environments with minimal airflow. While it can attack <\/span>leaves that aren’t wet, <\/span><\/a>the environment must have high humidity. In fact, it grows best when the relative humidity is high at night and low during the day. This is because spores germinate at high levels of relative humidity and are dispersed at low levels of relative humidity.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These fungi have a hard time surviving direct sunlight and high temperatures. Therefore, this disease is not common during hot, sunny summer days. In fact, days such as these can help stop the fungi in its tracks.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is it Problematic?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First off, this disease can directly weaken plants. As part of its life cycle, the fungus produces structures called haustoria. These structures enter the plant and help the fungus absorb <\/span>plant nutrients<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second, it can slow or even stop the photosynthesis process. Photosynthesis is key to plant growth. When photosynthesis is inhibited, plants end up small and weak. No matter what sort of plants you\u2019re growing, if they\u2019re not going through photosynthesis the way they should be, you\u2019re going to be left with an unimpressive yield.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is Powdery Mildew Harmful to Humans?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you’re a grower working around powdery mildew, you don’t have to worry about your health. Being around the fungus isn’t harmful. However, this fungus can be a risk to your health or your customer\u2019s health if it infects a crop that\u2019s later smoked. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is Smoking Powdery Mildew Bad?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The short answer is yes.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smoking powdery mildew can create serious health issues involving the respiratory system. This is especially true for people suffering from conditions such as asthma.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

 It will also make your product seem like a low-quality option, and it can scare away future buyers. The last thing that you want is to have this fungus on buds, which is why you have to take care of the problem before it has a chance to spread.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It Spreads and Persists for Multiple Seasons<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This fungus is particularly problematic because it spreads through the air in later stages. It can also survive on plants through multiple seasons if they aren\u2019t removed from the area. That means you could be fighting this fungus for many seasons if you don\u2019t properly deal with it the first time.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There could be a weed harboring spores sitting at the edge of your garden box right now, just waiting to spread the fungi to your important crops. Whenever you deal with a plant that suffers from this problem, make sure you remove it from your growing area so you aren\u2019t fighting a perpetual problem.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you’re dealing with fungal outbreaks indoors, you should also try and limit airflow over infected crops, because the spores spread through the air and good airflow can help them spread more rapidly to your other healthy plants.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

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How to Identify<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As a serious grower, you need to understand what this fungus looks like. It also helps to understand what stage the fungus is in depending on how your crops look. Learn to recognize the problem and you\u2019ll know what you can do to treat it when it shows up. Fail to recognize it and you\u2019ll be left wondering what you should do for your withering crops.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Watch for Powdery Mildew<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Knowing how to spot early warning signs means you can treat your plants faster and keep them in better health. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to look for these early signs while monitoring your plants for health.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

White spots on fan leaves<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Small sections of gray or white fungus on the upper portions of the leaves, usually on the fan leaves first. It starts off as tiny white bumps and progresses.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Powdery mildew on buds<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While the fungus is generally visible on the leaves before the buds, it does infect plants’ buds. Look for small blisters on the buds followed by a white powder.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overcrowded areas<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Even before the mildew shows up, be aware of bushy and damp sections of your growing environment. These are spots where the mildew might show up.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What You Can Do about this Fungus<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s one thing to know about how to spot this white powder after it\u2019s already on your plants. It\u2019s also important to know how to treat any mildew that you do find. And make sure to learn how to prevent the fungus from occurring in the first place.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Eliminate Risk Factors<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the best things you can do to prevent this disease from affecting your plants is to reduce your risk factors as much as possible. Keep the below recommendations in mind when growing plants, and you\u2019re less likely to run into issues with fungus and mildew in general.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n