Dust on a country red crape myrtle

Question

i have a 2 month old myrtle. i have it in a 3 foot diameter X 3 foot pot with good drainage.

after planting it bloomed wonderfully. the next set of buds were covered with a purleish dust and the stems started to die.

i pruned it and removed all the buds and bad stems. it now has new buds and growth that look great but not yet bloomed.

i watered every night with a dripper. is this fungus from over watering?

it gets direct sun from sunrise till 3:00. thank you

Answer 1

Crape myrtles are infamous for getting powdery mildew.  They are especially susceptible when there is high humdidity or when moisture stays on their leaves.  I would suggest watering only in the morning or early afternoon--and never at night.  Also, you might use a mild solution of dish soap and water - spraying it on in the early AM and then rinsing off with a mist for a few days in a row-then once every 3 to 4 weeks after that.