Gardeners’ Forum: “mold on phlox”
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Posted by Judy Nolan on Wednesday, January 9, 2002 7:22 am ASTI have had my perennial Phlox for about thirty years. Last summer, we had an unusually dry season. I noticed mold on several of my plants,and also on my Shasta Daisy. Someone told me this is a soil disease and that I would have to spray the soil with something. What do I use? Does anyone have another idea. I am trying to get away from chemicals in my garden because I also have free range chickens.
re: mold on phlox
Posted by Mary Steiner on Thursday, January 24, 2002 12:40 pm ASTAnn, Looks like it is time to dig out your old phlox and get rid of them. If this is an heirloom type that you want to save, try moving a small portion to another location so that it will get more light and air circulation. All the professional nurserymen and women tell me that mold is just something that happens. In my reading, I found one famous gardener saying that if you can't stand it get rid of them, or else just get used to it. There are types of phlox that are disease resistant, and you can replant with them. They also happen to be more beautiful. Your Shasta daisy shouldn't have gotten the mold, but maybe it also needs more sunlight and air circulation. Check to see how confined it is and try to give it more space. Good luck, Mary
re: mold on phlox
Posted by bernice on Monday, January 28, 2002 1:50 am ASThi there i have had the same problem in the past and what i have learned is be careful of the way you water. do not water directly on the leaves or the force on the soil as the soil is the spore holder . spraying the ground splashes the spores onto the leaves therefore causing mold and other diseases. we had a very dry season last year and many people watered hard and at the wrong time of day. water early morning so as the leaves have time to dry before the strong afternoon sun. if you need a good organic spray try baking soda and water. a tsp of baking soda to a litre of water. try this and let me know
re: mold on phlox
Posted by sam on Tuesday, January 29, 2002 8:37 am ASTI have had mold problems too. One thing that helped with my veggie garden is, not spraying when I water,just lay the hose down and let it run. Have a timer, set , and go do something else nearby. Before I would stand watering for 2-3 hours. Now I can pull weeds or plant while watering. Then when timer goes off, move hose to next area. My plants do so much better now because they are better watered. With hose spraying it was hard to spend the time to get them well watered. I had white powder on my peas for 2-3 years. I almost was not going to plant any last year. But, we love peas so I gave one last try. Well, I had 4 kinds of peas instead of 1 , and none of them got any thing on them but lots of peas. I also have had white powdwer on flowering plants phlox,bee balm, sweet williams too .Not spraying them helped.I pulled out the sweet williams before I changed my watering habits I hear that the baking soda idea is really good too. My soda book says: For black spot and powdery mildew and I would assume mold, spray with a solution of: 7 TBS.baking soda a few drops of insecticidal soap(without pyrethrums) 5 GALS.Water Spray every other day for a few days but check for signs of burning.If you see none,spray once a week throughout the season. I see this is recommended for roses. I would try it for phlox too. ( Does anyone know if this would be too strong for phlox?) Some other natural tips are: Sprinkle baking soda lightly and just occasionally,around flower beds to discourage rabbits from nibbling on buds. Get rid of back yard slugs sprinkling baking soda on them! No need for costly, toxic chemicals.(I just got this book ,This tidbit will come in real handy. We have LOTS of slugs here . Make your own safe ,Organic pesticides, Combine:1TSP.Baking Powder 1/3cup cooking oil From this mixture, measure 2TSP.to combine with 1 C. water and fill plant sprayer. This spray is said to kill aphids,spider mites,and white flies and to be benign to beneficial insects. or try: 2 TBS. B. soda 1 GAL. water Spray on garden plants Another formula option: 1/2 C. B.soda afew drops liquid detergent 1QT. water Spray occasionlly on plants in the early evening to rid them of unwanted pests. Grass or weeds growing where you do not want them ,are killed when sprinkled with B.soda. The excess sodium kills them. Also kills moss. B. soda is also compost friendly, it will help control odors when applied directly from the box. It also keeps the acidity levels down in the compost area. Hope this helps
re: mold on phlox
Posted by sharon on Sunday, February 16, 2003 1:59 am ASTI, too, had a problem with powdery mildew on phlox until I changed my watering habits. I now use a soaker hose. This is a black hose with holes which you lay on the ground or you can bury it just beneath the soil. It waters the root system, but leaves the foliage dry. Also, I switched to the mildw resistant phlox and delphinium and find them much better.
re: mold on phlox
Posted by sharon on Sunday, February 16, 2003 2:03 am ASTP.S I should have mentioned as well that I have found you really have to allow for air circulation of both phlox and delphiniums, if you have the old varieties.
re: mold on phlox
Posted by Kathy on Monday, April 28, 2008 1:33 pm ADTThis is my first year starting my garden from seed. I put a portable greenhouse in my basement and have grow lights and a heating lamp. At the start of my planting I got Powdery mildew before I purchased the heat and grow lamps. Now, the mildew has taken over the seedling -only on the top of the soil at the base of the plants. The plants that have emerged are growing tall have no signs of the fungus on the plant itself. The seeds that did not germinate I fear will not - at this point. What should I do? I have sprayed the plants and the soil with a sulfur solution but it is not going away. Should it trash the entire tray of corn, watermelon, peas, and broccoli? Or is there a way to salvage the plant before replanting in the garden. Help..
re: mold on phlox
Posted by Leonard Baron on Wednesday, June 4, 2008 7:19 pm ADTI had heard about the use of the baking soda mixture with detergent for roses and begonias. I also had white mold on my phlox and I was interested in the suggestions to try the solution on the phlox which I will do.
