Why spend any money at all. With a small outbreak of powdery mildew, all you have to do is go to the fridge, take out the milk and dilute it with warm water. Then paint it onto the foliage. Remove any blossom with mildew.

Nancy

Thanks Nancy, I tried that and it didn't work. I used whole milk and water - painted it on all over the plant, and it didn't work. I tried it twice :)

Christy - thank you.

try to look up the disributors of the smallest 2 oz bottle in your area.

i found one place on the net - but you possibly will find cheaper.

www.phyton27.com/distributors_2.html

Here is a link that might be useful: 2 oz phyton 27

Thanks Irina! Unfortunately, I can't figure out how to order the 2 oz. bottle of Phyton 27. It takes me to a sight that has a PDF file for one gallon and 2.5 gallon. I can't find the 2 oz. bottle. Will the Neem not work? Thanks, Christy

Christy -

neem works better as a preventive. If you have a serious outbreak of the powdery mildew - try Lysol straight on the leaves and remove the flowers.

I know that 2 oz of Phyton 27 is available at the violetshowcase.com - I bought mine there. The one I gave a link - orchidmix.com seems even cheaper. But you need to call these people and make an order - or email them. Both of these places are family business.

I.

Hi I just recently fought powdery mildew by using lysol.It worked pretty well.I did find a spot here or there after i sprayed and i sprayed the plant again.I saw on another board a product called fungaway.It is a systemic that keeps powdery mildew from coming back for abouta year.Several people on the other board have used it and swear by it.I just ordered some and look forward to receiving it.www.greenlightco.com is the website. I hope this helps.

Dave

I had a similar outbreak on a plantlet and I drenched the soil with Lysol, and only slightly sprayed the leaves. I let it sit for a couple minutes, then ran water through the soil and let it all drain back into the sink, I never had the mildew again on that plant, and it never spread. You may get some spotting, but new leaves will grow to replace them eventually, the important thing is you saved the plant!

I heard good things about fungaway too.

Lysol - I had not really successful experience on the leaves and babies - the mother leaves were affected - and I didn't care if they get spotted or what - so I sprayed and sprayed with Lysol - and PM kept reappearing.

Then somebody gave me a fungicide from Europe - called Topaz - it is penconazole - and no PM for a year. But - I couldn't find it in States.

So - for prevention - or in a very beginning - home remedies are great - but if this thing is in a full blast - I think the Fungaway would be the most economical. It spots the flowers though, but new flowers are coming back soon in any case.

I.

Okay, I ordered the Phyton 27, thanks Irina. I didn't have any success with Lysol, either. I tried that several times, and it got rid of it, but came right back. Hopefully this stuff will work better!! Thanks again :) Christy

I also tried everything to get rid of the PM that struck a handful of my plants (milk, lysol, cinnamon) and none of it worked. It mostly just marred my leaves and blossoms, and I was beginning to lose a couple of plants. I finally bit the bullet and ordered the Greenlight Fungicide (inexpensive in a small powder jar from violetshowcase.com) and the following day after spraying the stuff was gone. It's been two months with no sign of return, and I've done one preventative spraying since then. Good stuff!

Okay, so I received my order of Phyton 27 today. So, I mix my Phton 27 with 1 tsp per 1 gallon, spray the entire plant, including underneath. Do I spray the soil? Do I repeat? Do I take away from light to avoid spotting, or spray right before the lights go off? Do I take off the blooms? Do I take off the buds? Did I cover all of my questions?!? Thanks again!! :) Christy

Christy - you do not need to remove the blossoms unless they are affected. If you have a serious infestation and everything is covered with this thing - yes- remove. The buds - the same. If PM was in the buds - the flowers would be ugly.

Phyton will create a brownish liquid when you dilute it. So - since I didn't not want the stains on the wall - I carried the plants to the sink and sprayed from the top and from the bottom. Waited until they would dry up - and put on the shelves. It is good idea to use hot water when spraying and not to expose wet plants to draft and light - to avoid spotting of the leaves. When you spray the top and the bottom - I think you spray enough solution on the soil, so you do not need to add any more.

Since it is not exactly a harmless thing - wear gloves, glasses, do not eat and smoke, and take a shower and wash the clothes afterwards.

If it won't return - do not respray.

I.

Okay, I've sprayed down my infected plants. How should I dispose of the leftover dilluted mix? It said not to put it down the drain. I only made a 2 ounce mix, would that be okay to flush? Or, could I dump what's left in the yard? Thanks :) Christy

Well, the PM came back. I've gotten suckers successfully off of this plant, I think I might just throw it away :( Christy

Some plants are more susceptible. If it is a habitual offender - compost it and get another one that won't attract PM so much.

If it would be summer - i would say - spray your roses with the leftover mix.

I.

Lets start off with preventing PW in the first place, from my experience this only occures when you have damp cool temps and very little air currulation. If you have any of these things in combination you might as well put a welcome mat down for PW. when you have altered the conditions that this fungus needs to trive it slows down considerably. Also keep in mind plant spacing and watering practices. As for the pesticides that you have been using using general houshould products that have unknown phototoxicity results is not wise, and expensive chemicals that specifically target certain plant problems can be difficult to obtain in small quantities because for the most part the usage of these are for large industries or companies that have someone that is certified to apply the fungicides/any other chemicals that involve horticultural usage. Start by making your conditons more appropriate for plants and less for the fungi otherwise any treatments you do will not last. Look for fungicids that is copper based these usually work well on PW.

Orchidman -

you are absolutely right. But too harsh on us.

Phyton 27 is pentahydrate of the copper sulfate (why it should be so expensive??). Copper sulfate - is a part of the Bordeaux mix - which was used as a fungicide for hundreds of years. Actually this stuff is quite poisonous in any case. (for humans!)

Second thing - cool temps in the night - sign of spring - PM is back. Not everybody has a climate control in their grow room and usually PM starts when we turn off the furnace. So if we knock it down a bit - here comes summer and the nights become warmer and we will not have these high day low night temperatures - till next spring.

So - there is hope!

Irina

ONLY this plant had incurable PM. Every other plant is in the same conditions, same air circulation, same low humidity, but this plant had to have it's PM. I tossed it. I think Irina is right, it was just a bad apple!! Christy