This summer has been considerably more comfortable, unlike the past several years with six to eight weeks of hot, dry weather that stressed me as well as my plants. There has been enough rain, allowing me to relax a bit from the daily watering ritual. Plants have grown well, but so have the spores of moisture-dependent seasonal mildews. Mildew spores are active in late summer … [Read more...] about Mildew-resistant lilacs
mildew
Dealing with mildew on phlox
I've had an early onset of mildew on summer phlox (Phlox paniculata) this year. These scented, long-blooming perennials are one of the backbones of summer gardens, providing a broad range of colours from midsummer through to first fall frost. Mildew pathogens infect the stems, flowers and foliage, growing quickly to make phlox clumps seriously unsightly. When phlox is severely … [Read more...] about Dealing with mildew on phlox
Monitoring downy mildew on impatiens
For years every garden centre and corner grocery store has been flaunting flats of bright impatiens seedlings. It would be fair to say impatiens is overplanted, but their vivid colours and generous floral displays are hard to resist. Unfortunately, impatiens is being threatened by a devastating mildew disease that destroys every leaf, flower and bud, regardless of whether it’s … [Read more...] about Monitoring downy mildew on impatiens
