Powdery mildew – a common fungal disease that affects practically any tree species, as well as fruit, berry and vegetable crops. It appears as a white floury substance on the surface of leaves and young shoots. These are many tiny fungal spores that are carried through the air and infect new areas. Most often, the tree loses its beauty, the color and shape of the leaves change, they turn yellow, brown or red, and may fall off.
In the landscape, this is an aesthetically unpleasant, depressing picture. But the tree will most likely survive, having lost its decorativeness, but the harvest will be partially lost, and if it is a vegetable crop, the plant may die completely.
This disease is caused by various types of fungi, but most often Erysiphe cichoacearum. Some types of powdery mildew overwinter in dormant buds or young growths. Opening in the spring, these spores are carried by the wind to new plants, causing infection of new areas.
The degree of spread of infection depends on the health of the plants, their age, as well as weather conditions. Outbreaks of powdery mildew occur in places with poor air circulation, dense plantings, little sun and a lot of shade. When the wet season passes, the fungus also leaves, leaving behind infected areas and plants that have lost their beauty.
To control this fungus, you should try not to overload the landscape when planting, not to plant plants in strong shade, and not to make dense plantings. The sun and air must be enough for the normal life of plants. In the spring, it is necessary to thin out sanitary pruning of trees, freeing access of the sun to each leaf. At the very moment of the outbreak, it is undesirable to prune so as not to provoke infection of neighboring plants.
If powdery mildew appeared in the garden, it is necessary to reduce feeding so as not to stimulate the growth of new shoots, which will also be infected. Shoots that are already infected should be very carefully cut and not placed in the compost. When watering, avoid getting water on the leaves, reduce humidity in the area as much as possible.
Fungicides, which will help in the fight against the disease, must be applied according to the instructions for the drugs, protecting yourself from getting on the skin, eyes with special glasses, gloves, shoes and clothes, before sunrise, so as not to burn the plants.
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