Powdery mildew disease causes a lot of trouble for owners of gardens and vegetable plots. This disease affects vegetable crops, so fruit trees and shrubs. It is not easy to prevent its appearance; it is even more difficult to get rid of it in order to save infected plants. But before using any medications for powdery mildew, you need to make sure that it is she who is causing the problems.
Signs of powdery mildew
The hallmark of powdery mildew is a whitish-gray coating. Thin and dust-like at the beginning, it gradually begins to thicken and turn black over time. Small brown balls form on the upper side of the leaves. Diseased leaves dry out, shoots bend at the ends, darken and die.
Whitish powdery spots may appear on the leaves of roses, grapes or cucumbers. At the first stage, even before plaque forms, the infected leaves become dull, lose their elasticity or slightly wrinkle.
Most often, the infection begins its destructive effect from those leaves and shoots that are located near the ground. Gradually it rises higher and captures the entire plant, including petioles and stalks. Infected fruits usually crack and rot.
Causes of powdery mildew
In order to find effective means from powdery mildew, you need to clearly understand where and why it occurs.
Spores of the fungus that causes powdery mildew disease live in the soil. They are almost always present there. But they begin to manifest themselves only when certain conditions. So, in sunny, warm weather, with sufficient watering and optimal nutrition, plants rarely become infected with this fungus. But as soon as the ambient temperature drops to 12 - 15 °C and remains there for about a week, an alarming white coating begins to appear on the leaves.
Gardeners have long noticed that not all plants get sick. Even pampered cucumbers in a greenhouse can remain intact if they are not overfed with nitrogen and not exhausted by too much humidity. The fungus does not settle even where fertilizing was applied in time and thinning was carried out.
What factors contribute to powdery mildew infection? As practice shows, this is:
- cool, cloudy and damp weather when air humidity exceeds 80%;
- presence of excess nitrogen in the soil;
- highly dense plantings;
- the soil often gets too dry and then flooded;
- watering occurs when upper layer soil is still wet.
Fungal spores awakened in this way can be transmitted to other plants. They are easily transported through the air, along with water, even through the hands of a person who has touched an infected leaf or branch.
Prevention of powdery mildew
Like most other plant diseases, powdery mildew is easier to prevent than to cure. Therefore, prevention is the first remedy against such a fungus. And any prevention is, first of all, correct agricultural technology. To minimize the risk of infection you should:
- regularly thin out plantings;
- remove old leaves in contact with the ground;
- water the plants only after the top layer of soil is completely dry;
- do not abuse nitrogen fertilizers;
- carry out phosphorus-potassium fertilizing on time.
Another type of prevention against powdery mildew can be carried out in early spring, before the leaves bloom. Berry bushes and other perennials are simply scalded with boiling water. This must be done quickly, using a watering can with a diffuser. You should pour over all the branches as a whole, without lingering long in one place.
The short term impact is very hot water does not have time to cause harm to plants that have not yet fully awakened after winter. But spores, mycelium, as well as pathogens of other diseases, die. A jet of steam under pressure produced using a household steam cleaner has a similar effect.
Treatment for powdery mildew
To successfully combat powdery mildew, it is necessary to destroy not only the mycelium, but also the spores of the fungus. At the first signs of the disease, you should:
- completely eliminate any spraying;
- refuse to fertilize those beds where affected specimens are noticed;
- if possible, improve the illumination of plants;
- thin out the plantings and remove all weak and old leaves, cut off flower stalks;
- if the plant is in a pot or container, it is advisable to replace the soil in its upper part;
- water or douse using one or another remedy for powdery mildew;
- treat not only the leaves, but also all shoots and stems with a medicinal preparation; potted plants you can simply dip it into a basin, bathtub or other container filled with a solution.
For treatment, you can use proven folk remedies, or purchase ready-made ones. chemicals.
Folk remedies for powdery mildew
1. Soap and soda solution:
- soda ash - 25 grams;
- liquid soap - 5 grams;
- hot water - 5 liters.
Dissolve soda in water while adding soap. After cooling, the plants and the adjacent top layer of soil are sprayed. This should be done at least twice, with an interval of 7 - 10 days.
Another variant:
- baking soda - 1 tablespoon;
- liquid soap - 0.5 teaspoon;
- water - 4 liters.
All parts are mixed well and the plants are sprayed 3 times at intervals of no more than a week.
2. Whey solution:
- whey - 1 part;
- water - 10 parts.
The plants are treated 3 times at three-day intervals, so that a film forms on the leaves, preventing the mycelium from breathing. The product is effective only in dry weather.
3. Horsetail decoction:
- fresh horsetail herb - 100 grams;
- water - 1 liter.
The horsetail is filled with water and kept for a day. Then boil on fire for two hours. Then cool and filter. The resulting concentrate can be stored in a cool and dark place about a week. Before spraying, the product is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:5. Treatment is carried out three to four times every five days.
4. Copper sulfate solution with soap:
- copper sulfate- 5 grams;
- soap - 50 grams;
- water - 5 liters.
Soap is dissolved in warm water. Separately dilute the vitriol using a glass of hot water. The vitriol solution is carefully combined with soap, pouring in a thin stream and stirring constantly. The resulting emulsion is applied to the affected plants several times at weekly intervals.
5. Mustard solution:
- mustard powder - 2 tablespoons;
- water - 10 liters.
Mustard is stirred in warm water. After cooling, you can either spray or simply water the plants.
6. Soap solution with ash:
- ash - 1 kilogram;
- water - 1 bucket.
The water is heated to approximately 40 °C and the ash is poured over it. The solution is thoroughly mixed and infused for about a week. After this, it is drained, separating and removing the ash suspension that has collected at the bottom. Before spraying, add a little soap to the solution. It is necessary to process every other day or daily.
7. Infusion of rotted cow dung;
- rotted manure - 1 part;
- water - 3 parts.
Manure is poured cold water and leave to infuse for at least three days. Before spraying, dilute with water twice.
8. Garlic infusion:
- garlic - 50 grams;
- water - 2 liters.
Garlic is crushed and dipped in cold water. After standing for 24 hours, drain and filter. The solution is used undiluted for spraying.
9. Copper sulfate and soda ash:
- copper sulfate - 80 grams;
- water - 10 liters;
- soda ash - 50 grams;
- water - 10 liters.
In the spring, even before the buds open, they are sprayed with a solution of vitriol, and after flowering is finished - with soda ash.
10. Colloidal sulfur solution:
- sulfur - 40 grams;
- water - 10 liters.
The product is well suited for spraying currants during periods of their growth. But we must remember that it cannot be used for gooseberries.
Special chemicals for powdery mildew
« Topaz " - popular systemic fungicide, used for the treatment and prevention of fungal diseases. The active ingredient is penconazole. To spray currants, gooseberries, grapes, cucumbers and strawberries, one ampoule is diluted in 10 liters of water. For flowers and potted crops - 5 liters. Spray only with freshly prepared solution, evenly wetting the entire plant. The treatment is repeated after about two weeks. The protective effect lasts up to 14 days. The drug belongs to the third hazard class - toxic to fish, but not dangerous to beneficial insects and birds. It is considered moderately dangerous to animals and humans.
« Tilt CE » - systemic fungicide. Used as a preventative and protective agent. The active ingredient is propiconazole. Available in the form of an emulsion concentrate. It has a long duration of action, stops further development of the disease, and suppresses the formation of fungal spores. Increased air temperature has a beneficial effect on the work of the drug, enhancing its effectiveness. "Tilt CE" has high rain resistance, as it penetrates very quickly into plant tissue.
A working solution, with a concentration of 0.4 to 0.5 ml per liter of water, must be prepared immediately before use. It is not recommended for use at air temperatures exceeding 29 °C, accompanied by humidity less than 60%. The protective effect exceeds half a month and begins to appear within two hours after the end of treatment. Dangerous for fish and bees.
To combat the spread of powdery mildew, the following drugs are also used: “ Byleton », « Sulfaride », « Fundazol », « Previkur », « Acrobat MC », « Score », « Vitaros " and others.
Powdery mildew can occur on many types of plants, both outdoors and indoors. closed ground. IN room conditions Powdery mildew can be found on roses, gerberas, cineraria, Kalanchoe, begonias, cissus, and violets. The cause of the disease is stagnant, humid air and sharp fluctuations in room temperature.
Powdery mildew spreads when a diseased plant comes into contact with a healthy one, during watering, and is carried by insects or air flow. Treatment of powdery mildew should begin as early as possible.
Causes of powdery mildew on indoor plants
First of all, this is due to stagnant, humid air in the room and sharp temperature fluctuations. The spread of the disease also occurs through contact between the patient and healthy plants, during watering, with air flow, and also when carried by insects.
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The cause of the development of the disease can be excessive use of nitrogen fertilizers, as well as a lack of calcium in combination with high temperature and indoor humidity. At the same time, abundant watering is not at all a reason for the development of powdery mildew. 
Signs of damage to indoor plants by powdery mildew
Gradually the white takes over the stems and other parts indoor plant. Over time, the spots increase in size, the mycelium thickens (becomes felt), the plaque darkens and acquires a brownish color.
It should be noted that flowers can also be affected by downy mildew (downy mildew), external signs which are similar to real underwear. But, unlike the real one, downy mildew in the form of plaque appears only on bottom side leaf blade, then the spots turn yellow, increase in size and then acquire a brownish color. 
Folk remedies for combating powdery mildew on indoor plants
There are many safe for humans and plants folk remedies from powdery mildew. For example:
- soap-soda solution: dissolve 50 g of soda ash or baking soda and 20 g of liquid or grated soap in 10 liters of water and treat the plants at least twice at intervals of a week;
- whey solution: pour 1 liter of whey into 10 liters of water, stir and apply three times in dry weather with an interval of 3 days;
- kefir solution: stir 1 liter of fermented kefir or yogurt in 10 liters of water and treat the plants three times with an interval of three days;
- decoction horsetail: Pour 100 g of horsetail with one liter of water, leave for a day, boil over low heat for two hours, cool, strain, dilute with water 1:5 and carry out 3-4 treatments at intervals of five days. Undiluted, the decoction is stored in a cool, dark place for about a week;
- mustard solution: dilute 2 tablespoons of mustard powder in 10 liters warm water and spray or water the plants;
- potassium permanganate solution: dissolve 5 g of potassium permanganate in 10 liters of water. This solution stops the development of the disease and washes away the fungus from the fruit;
- ash solution: add 1 kg to 10 liters of water wood ash, stir, leave for 7 days, carefully drain, dissolve 20 g of liquid or grated soap in the infusion and treat the plants with this composition every other day;
- garlic infusion: 50 g of garlic pulp (crushed cloves and shoots of garlic) are poured with two liters of water, infused for two days and filtered. Use the infusion undiluted;
- infusion onion peel: 200 g of husk is poured into 10 liters of boiling water, left for two days, filtered and sprayed on the plants before flowering, after it and before leaf fall.
Special chemical preparations for powdery mildew on indoor plants
If powdery mildew appears on your flowers, combating it is most effective with the help of modern fungicidal agents. They have a detrimental effect on the fungus, stop harmful processes in plant cells, protect and treat it. Spraying is carried out 1-4 times with an interval of 7-10 days (depending on the chosen drug).
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The most effective drugs for powdery mildew:
- Fundazol;
- Topaz;
- Acrobat MC;
- Previkur;
- Speed;
- Vitaros;
- Amistar extra.
A well-known fungicidal drug is phytosporin, active substance which contains a concentrate of Bacillus subtilis bacteria in powdered chalk and humates. Despite the fact that phytosporin is considered a medicinal agent, it is practically useless against existing powdery mildew. However, as a preventive measure, it will work flawlessly. 
Prevention of powdery mildew on indoor plants
Like most other plant diseases, powdery mildew is easier to prevent than to cure. Therefore, prevention is the first remedy against such a fungus. And any prevention is, first of all, correct agricultural technology. To minimize the risk of infection you should:
- regularly thin out plantings;
- remove old leaves in contact with the ground;
- water the plants only after the top layer of soil is completely dry;
— do not abuse nitrogen fertilizers;
— carry out phosphorus-potassium fertilizing on time.
Another type of prevention against powdery mildew can be carried out in early spring, before the leaves bloom. Berry bushes and other perennials are simply scalded with boiling water. This must be done quickly, using a watering can with a diffuser. You should pour over all the branches as a whole, without lingering long in one place.
A short-term exposure to very hot water does not have time to harm plants that have not yet fully awakened after winter. But spores, mycelium, as well as pathogens of other diseases, die. A jet of steam under pressure produced using a household steam cleaner has a similar effect.
And outdoor plants and requires immediate treatment.
Why is it dangerous and where does it come from?
It is dangerous for plants not only due to the loss of their decorative attractiveness, but also when this disease appears, the plant loses nutrients, the processes of photosynthesis, respiration and evaporation are disrupted. All this leads to the fact that the leaves begin to dry out and die.
Through the leaf petioles, the disease spreads to young shoots, which in turn die off even with minor cold snaps, since they have not yet had time to form.
This disease is dangerous not only to leaves and young shoots, it infects everything completely, which leads to irreversible consequences and death.
Then the so-called fruits grow on it Brown, which contain fungal spores. These fruits can be easily seen; their diameter is 0.2-0.3 mm.
The infection begins to affect the plant from the leaves, which are closest to the surface, and then spreads to the entire plant.
How to deal with powdery mildew
Powdery mildew can appear on indoor plants and others; then we will look at prevention methods and how to deal with the disease if it has already appeared. 
Prevention
So that the ashtray does not start on yours indoor flowers, you should adhere to some preventative and plant care measures. To avoid infection you need to:
Important!If you decide to use soil from your dacha, make sure that the soil is not over-moistened and does not have a moldy smell.
Folk remedies
There are many folk remedies for powdery mildew, but we will look at the most effective of them:
1. A solution of baking soda and laundry soap.
This solution is prepared as follows: add 0.9 liters of water to 4 g of baking soda and a large number of soap (soap serves as gluten). The resulting mixture should be sprayed onto the plant so that it hits both sides of the leaves. You need to spray no more than twice a week. 
2. Treatment with serum.
Regular whey should be diluted in water in proportions of 1:10. When it gets on the leaves, such a solution creates a film that makes it difficult for the mycelium to breathe, and the plant receives additional nutrients. Should be done every three days for 12 days.
Did you know?Powdery mildew can live in the soil for more than 10 years without showing itself in any way.
3. Treatment with ash.
To prepare the solution, take 100 g and mix it in 1 liter of hot water. The resulting mixture is infused for about a week. Then the liquid is poured into another clean vessel, a little soap is added and stirred.
It is advisable to spray with this solution every day for 3-4 days. And the remaining ash is stirred with water and the plant is watered.
4. Mustard solution.
Add 2 tablespoons of mustard powder to a bucket of warm water, stir and let it brew for a day. This solution can be either sprayed or watered. You need to spray every other day for one week. 
Powdery mildew is unpleasant fungal disease, which is spreading at tremendous speed. Fungi, drawing nutrients from plants, make them unsightly. To prevent the vegetation from dying, it is necessary to take prompt measures to cure such an unpleasant disease.
A few words about the disease
At the beginning of the course of this disease, a powdery coating forms on the vegetation, resembling powder or flour in appearance. white, which is sometimes easy to mistake for ordinary dust and can be easily brushed off with your finger. As a result of the development of the disease, not only the leaves turn white, but also the flower stalks and stems. Old leaves, losing turgor, slowly begin to turn yellow, and new ones grow inconspicuous and twisted.In the places where the mycelium is attached to the leaves, you can see small ulcers that “eat” living tissue. The white coating covering the leaves also significantly complicates the process of photosynthesis.
Fungal spores can enter plants different ways: with water for irrigation; by air (from nearby infected plants or trees); through the hands (this happens if you touch diseased plants and then touch healthy ones).
How to cope with adversity
Of course, the main condition for competent control of powdery mildew is good agricultural technology. Plants need to be watered only after the top layers of soil have dried. Thickened plantings are thinned out, old leaves in contact with the ground are torn off. During the period of combating powdery mildew, as a rule, they generally refuse any spraying, with the exception of medicinal ones. To cure the disease, if possible, damaged plants are taken out to sunny place until complete recovery. During illness, they also try not to use fertilizers, and during the period of remission, they increase the amount of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, reducing the number of nitrogen fertilizers.In pots, containers or under plants in flower beds, the top layer of soil should be replaced - this is where mushroom mycelium can be found.
When treating an illness, you can use a solution of potassium permanganate for spraying: 2.5 g of it should be dissolved in ten liters of water and applied 2 to 3 times with a five-day break.
A solution of rotted manure (cow manure would be the most suitable) helps a lot: it is poured with water in a ratio of 1:3 and left to infuse for three days. The resulting concentrate is diluted with water twice more, and then the plants are sprayed with it.
You can also fight the scourge with a serum solution. For this purpose, the serum is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10. This solution creates a film on the leaves and stems of plants that makes it difficult for the mycelium to breathe, and the plants treated with it noticeably improve their health, receiving additional nutrition in the form of various useful substances. Appearance vegetation is also significantly improved. Treatment with the rescue composition should be carried out at least three times at intervals of 3 days, in dry weather.
A combination of soap and ash will also be a good remedy. 10 liters of water are heated to 30 - 40 degrees, then ash (1 kg) is stirred in it. Stirring occasionally, the solution should be left for about 3 to 7 days. Then the liquid component, having previously separated it from the ash suspension, is poured into a clean container, mixed with a small amount liquid soap and, pouring the composition into a special sprayer, treat the plants 3 times daily or every other day. And water (10 liters) is poured into a bucket with ash particles at the bottom, mixed and used for irrigation.
You can prepare a solution of soap with soda ash: dissolve 25 g of soda ash in five liters of hot water, then add a little liquid soap (5 g). Both the plants and the top layer of soil are treated with this solution 2–3 times with a one-week break.