Page 34 - Phonebox Magazine October 2006

A Month in the Garden
Linette Applegate
www.applegategardens.com
Plant problems Powdery Mildew
You may have seen some of your garden plants and vegetables with a grey, powdery coating on their leaves this last month – this is caused by a fungus which loves monarda, asters, roses, phlox, beans, cucumbers, grapes and squash in particular.
The fungal spores are carried by the wind and can over-winter on plants and fallen leaves. The warm, humid days and cool nights of late summer encourage the fungus.
Powdery mildew is unattractive and it can reduce the size of some fruits and vegetables. But although it doesn’t look great, plants will not usually die, but they can be weakened by the fungus if it is particularly bad. To minimise this unsightly problem, try selecting mildew resistant plants or cultivars, and prune plants so they will have good air circulation, preventing the spores germinating.
To control powdery mildew once it has appeared, remove affected leaves from the plant or spray with a suitable fungicide. An organic solution to try is mix one part cows milk with nine parts water and spray the stems and tops of leaves with the solution, remembering to treat again if it rains. Another remedy from the HDRA is to spray affected leaves with baking soda – 10g per litre of water, mixed with 10g per litre of soft soap (which acts as a wetting agent). This will raise the pH, creating an inhospitable environment for powdery mildew. d
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38 Phonebox Magazine
Summer is over, Winter is on the way. But of autumn leaves before they drop, and creating new lawns or repairing, aerating
and scarifying existing ones.
Herbaceous perennials can be tidied up for winter, unless the old flowers or seed-heads are deemed attractive in their own right. (Birds may also benefit from this decision) Cut old foliage right
back to the ground and remove any debris.
don’t by disheartened, Autumn is here! All those wonderful golden hues of dying foliage and crispy seed-heads can look wonderful in the morning light. Grasses are wonderful this time of year and add structure to any garden, whilst for a splash of colour, Autumn bulbs shine like jewels. Add to these the colourful tones of yellow, red and orange
enjoy the cooler days with the sunshine slanting through the trees before it really gets cold and wet!
Before the end of October, plant bulbs for next year except for tulips, which if planted in November have less risk of developing virus. The damp atmosphere provides ideal conditions to carry out all lawn work, either
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