How do I get rid of white powdery mold on my squash plants?

Question

I'm in Virginia, plants are getting plenty of sun and the soil appears to be good. I've added organic soil and plant food to the garden. Tomatos, chili peppers and herbs are growing okay, but not my squash or pumkin plants.

Answer 1

I'll agree with Miss Pris.

But also try using Baking soda. Dilute it down with water and spray that. It is safe and natural.

Answer 2

Hello fellow Virginian!!

Don't you love our summers?? Heat, Humidity, little critterd tracking everything everywhere on there little footsies??

What you have is called "powdery mildew".  If you have melons, cukes, or beans, it will be showing up there pretty soon too.  It's litterally a mildew that, when the leaves dry (and the humidity lowers) turns into powder (hence...the white color).  The bugs walk across it on their way to their garden party (sorry...couldn't resist)...and track it to the next plant.  Most 'maters and peppers are resistant, but your herbs: especially the sage, might be the next on the "hit" list.

How to get rid of it??  

Lots of different ways really, it just depends on how organic, concerned about your ground water and bees, you are.....versus....the ole attach the noxious poison in a bottle to your hose end, add water, and just hope it works.....that I hope (since you have added organic sail)...you aren't.

There are lots of remedies:

1:  only water in the morning.  This allows the plant leave to dry throughout the day, limiting the fungal production

2: cut and remove any heavily affected leaves of the plant.  i know they are pretty when they are full, but a squash plant with 4-5 healthy leaves will produce far more product than one that is dead from the fungus.

3:  dispose of those leaves as far away from your garden as possible.  DO NOT COMPOST!

4:  Dry rub the remaining, healthy(ish) leaves with paper towls to remove the loose spores that can be caught in the wind or tracked to other plants by vagabond critters.

5:  Keep an eye on everything else too....and especially (although I didn't mention it before): get rid of the Japanese Beetles!! They are the absolute WORST for spreading this....

Now.....There are some fungal control agents that are organic, (and the ones that aren't....but I don't use them so....)and of course both are available at the usual outposts: Lowes/Home Depot.  Some people do this funky milk wash down thing, but.... Personally, I've always had the best luck when I subscribe to the clip it back, wipe it off, water at night, thin out your space to increase breeze methods....and I've even tried wiping the leaves down with oil if they weren't too far gone....I can't swear that the oil thing helped...but is sure didn't hurt.

Dont give up!  Squash bounces back....  

Good luck and happy Gardening!!

Answer 3

I use this on my plants..it works great..I simply pour the contents in my ortho dial a sprayer that attaches to my hose..and set it for 2 teaspoons per gallon of.It does great

http://www.horticare.net/picturepages/ga...

Answer 4

Sounds like your plants have some kind of disease. Take some pictures, and take it to a local nursery to find out what it is, and ask what the procedure is to kill the disease.

Answer 5

You have powdery mildew and the best cure for this is a cup of milk (any kind will work) in a gallon of water. Spray this mix on your plants getting ALL surfaces until the problem goes away. usually 2 applications will kill off the PM.

this works better than baking soda and far better than any chemical fungicide.

Be sure to rinse your sprayer well after use as any milk solution left in the hoses or tank will get stinky fast.