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Santa Cruz, CA

We live on the California Coast and our patch is about a mile from the ocean. Summers bring fog usually until about 1pm when it clears and is sunny. Powdery Mildew has been a problem in the past and will probably be again. I work with my 11 year old son and don't want him around fungicides. I've heard that baking soda may help prevent the problem. How does that work? Any other solutions? Is there a way to prevent the mildew from starting with some kind of weekly spraying program? We are currently on a weekly foliare spray program of liquid seaweed, fish emulsion, and calcium. Also once a week we spray Neem oil for the cucumber beetles and squash bugs. We also hand pick any stray cucumber beetles we see between spraying and get 2 or 3 a day usually tucked in snugly into the open male flowers.

6/26/2006 11:04:24 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

Whole Milk sprayed as a foliar 10:1.

6/26/2006 11:07:20 AM

Santa Cruz, CA

Is that 10 parts water to 1 part whole milk?

6/26/2006 11:25:23 AM

Menomonie, WI ([email protected])

Yes

6/26/2006 11:41:46 AM

Montoursville, PA

For years I used Neem Oil and Baking Soda two tablespoons full per gallon sprayed on in the coolest part, of my day.

Those days were rarely over eighty five degrees. If they were I skipped for a cooler day.

6/26/2006 3:19:35 PM

Phoenix, AZ

Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. Sodium is very bad for leaves. What you are attempting to do is raise the ph of the leaf so that PM cannot survive before it takes hold. Us lime or something else to raise the ph of the water you are applying.

Milk? Cool, that may work.

6/26/2006 4:00:41 PM

Roanoke Il

I used dehydrated skim milk for powdery mildew last year no fat. fat is bad for soil milk changes the ph on the leaves thats wy it works well in controling powdery mildew,,mark

6/26/2006 7:08:20 PM

Santa Cruz, CA

What is the mix of water to powdered skim milk?

6/26/2006 8:32:30 PM

Montoursville, PA

Sorry............I stand corrected. I use Baking Powder not Baking Soda. The Baking Soda is indeed not the one, to use. Baking Powder has been used, in mildew prevention and treatment, for about as many years as it has existed.

When you achieve a strong healthy patch you may find mildews will be much less, of a challenge. Some of the
Agro-K foliar, kelp, fish and molasses all work together to build that stronger healthy patch over several years.

6/26/2006 11:24:06 PM

Midwest

Bionide Remedy
Potassium bicarbonate 85% (a food grade bicarbonate). Used it one season with very good results. It controls PM if applied every 4-7 days. But, I think you are on the right track with foliar Ca! Keep that up!

6/27/2006 2:37:39 PM

Colo.Spgs.CO. Pikes Peak Chapter @ [email protected]

how about potassium silicate for pm.. preventitive ..anyone try it ?? happy growing....

6/28/2006 4:12:07 AM