| I have noticed a white powder on the stems of almost all my plants on the patio and also on my bougainvillea (planted in the ground). I have tried hosing it off, which works but it comes right back the next day. What could it be? |
| There are whitish deposits from an insect that shows up along stems, but this does not harm plants. You can just wipe it away with a paper towel or rag if it bothers you, but it will disappear on its own. It might also be powdery mildew, but that is usually more noticeable on foliage than stems. Powdery mildew appears as a whitish/greyish powder. It overwinters on living plants, and can be difficult to eradicate. There are some things you can do to minimize its effects. Powdery mildew is unique among plant diseases in that it doesn't require a wet leaf surface to spread. It can thus thrive during hot, dry weather. The first line of defense is to grow resistant varieties. For example, it is a common problem with zinnias, so there are hybrid zinnias now that are resistant. Here are some general rules for helping control fungal diseases. Start by making sure that your plants are getting enough direct sunlight. (Eight to ten hours a day is generally the minimum for plants that flower or bear fruit.) You'll also want to make sure that there's enough room between plants for air to circulate freely. Overcrowding not only makes plants more susceptible to diseases, if leaves touch other plants, those diseases can easily be spread. The general advice to inhibit the spread of fungal diseases is to avoid wetting leaf surfaces. In the case of powdery mildew, you can actually inhibit infection with periodic strong sprays of water (not so strong as to damage the plant.) After the new growth of affected plants reaches about six inches long and UNTIL THE TEMPERATURE REACHES 90 degrees F, you may apply dusting sulfur to foliage every 14 days. If necessary apply fungicide. Fungicide works much better as a preventative measure, before the powdery mildew becomes a problem. |
