Powdery Mildew Control

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Powdery Mildew Control

Most Effective Products

Patch Pro Fungicide
Emulsifiable Concentrate (EC)
As low as $49.99
Keith's Pro Tips

"Like many fungal lawn diseases, it’s better and less labor intensive to protect or prevent a plant from getting powdery mildew in the first place than getting rid of the symptoms once a plant has come down with the disease. The best line of defense is a healthy plant: give your plants a healthy diet of water and compost to help them stay healthy and resistant to powdery mildew."

Powdery Mildew Control: How To Get Rid of Powdery Mildew

Powdery Mildew is one of the most common and easily recognizable lawn diseases. Powdery Mildew appears in the form of mildew on plants when specific fungus spores land on the plant and the fungus is allowed to thrive under its desired conditions. This fungus can decrease the health of the plant and result in lower yields and a mildewy smell.

Virtually every type of plant life is susceptible to being infected by Powdery Mildew. From trees to shrubs and flower gardens, no plant is immune to getting those unsightly white splotches. While this type of disease is not fatal to the plant life you are growing, Powdery Mildew definitely isn't pleasing to the eye.

If you have notice powdery mildew on your lawn, our DIY treatment guide will show you how to remove it with professional fungicides recommended by our lawn care experts.

Identification

Powdery Mildew

Powdery Mildew can be very easy to identify. You will see white spots which look like baby powder on the leaves. You may think that someone spilled some white powder or some white paint. If it does not rub off it may be Powdery Mildew. If left untreated, the powdery mildew will spread over the entire leave and eventually over the entire plant. In really bad cases, it will look like the entire plant has been doused with talcum powder.

Refer to the image above and our description to help you in identifying powdery mildew. If you are having trouble, you can contact us and we'll help you in correctly identifying your issue.

Inspection

Powdery Mildew on Leaf

Where to Inspect

Walk your lawn and check where the Powdery Mildew has formed and gauge how severe of a problem you have on your hands. Powdery mildew can be found on various varieties of turfgrass, ornamental plants, flowerbed plants and even on your trees.

Powdery mildews thrive under conditions where there is low soil moisture combined with dry foliage, high humidity, low light, and poor air circulation.

What To Look For

As the name obviously states, powder mildew creates a powdery white substance on your plants. You may notice white or gray powdery spots appearing on your turf or even your garden plants, flowers and even fruit.

There are a number of different species of powdery mildew fungi and they have a limited host range. For instance, fungi that grow on your lilacs won't affect or spread to your other plants because powdery mildew is host-specific.

Treatment

Before handling any chemicals, we suggest wearing the proper safety equipment for the job to prevent chemicals from coming in contact with your eyes or skin. Gloves, safety goggles and long-sleeved clothing should do.

Our top recommendation to control Powdery Mildew is Patch Pro. This product contains the active ingredient propiconazole and has shown good results against Powdery Mildew problems.

It is important to preliminary prune and discard visibly infected plants by throwing them in the trash. Do not place these parts in the compost. Spores can lay dormant in soil and debris for a number of years and increases the chances of the fungus returning.

Step 1 - Measure & Mix Patch Pro

Patch Pro in hose end sprayer

Patch Pro is a systemic fungicide that is absorbed into the infected plant to attack the disease head on without harming the vegetation.

To determine how much Patch Pro you need, you will need to calculate the square footage of the target area. To do this, you will need to measure and multiply the length of your lawn times the width (length x width = square footage).

Patch Pro is labeled to treat Powdery Mildew on turfgrass at a rate of 1 to 2 fl. oz. per gallon of water per 1,000 sq. ft. For preventative control we recommend using 1 fl. oz. per 1,000 sq. ft. For curative control, use the 2 fl. oz. rate per 1,000 sq. ft.

We recommend using a 20-gallon hose-end sprayer for ease of use and because it covers more ground on a larger yard.

Step 2 - Apply Patch Pro To Affected Areas

Hose End Spraying Patch Pro

Apply Patch Pro, preferably with a hose-end sprayer, to infected areas spraying to wet (not to the point of runoff). Push forward on the control valve to spray. It is easier to prevent disease than it is to treat active breakouts. Infections occur between 62 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit so try to apply as a preventative application 2 weeks before the temperatures reach that threshold.

You should spray all infected plants and surrounding areas to prevent the spread during conducive conditions. You should also spray areas that have poor drainage or are heavily shaded. Use a fan nozzle setting so it creates a nice mist that will coat the Powder Mildew evenly, spraying to wet but not to the point of runoff.

Make a follow-up application 14 to 28 days after your initial treatment. You may need to make 2 to 3 preventative treatments for total control but do not go over the maximum labeled rate of 16 fl. oz. per 1,000 sq. ft. per year.

Prevention

Lawn care to prevent powdery mildew

After the Powdery Mildew has vanished from your yard, prevention measures must be put into place so that those ugly white splotches don't return.

This can be done by providing better air circulation by not crowding plants, mowing at the 3 to 4 inches in height, minimizing shade by trimming back branches and making sure not to over-fertilize. Rake and dethatch your lawn so more sunlight and water can reach the soil. When watering your plants, water the soil and not the leaves and do it consistently at the same rate and at the same time once a week, preferably in the morning.

Being smart with your lawn care maintenance and consistent will result in a healthy, disease and fungus free lawn and garden.

Key Takeaways

  • Powdery mildew is a catch-all term name for a number of different types of fungi that can affect almost every type of plant with its signature white powdery spotting.
  • Our top recommended fungicide to control powdery mildew is Patch Pro. Timing is important when applying this product for best results.
  • Once your lawn has been treated, keep powdery mildew away with a consistent lawn care and maintenance program, reducing shade and addressing soil moisture issues.
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