I planted 4 pincushion/scabiosa plants about a month ago - 2 pink, 2 purple. They are full of MOLD. They get plenty of sun including afternoon sun. What's the scoop? Never had an issue in Chicago. I'm worried they are going to spread to my roses - any sage advice from the TX crowd? Time for the SP? Or can I spray them with milk/water?
Pincushion / Scabiosa moldy mildew
I had the same problem with these plants 2 years in a row and then never planted them again. I tried all sorts of stuff, but nothing solved the problem. Perhaps someone else knows a cure.
Probably powdery mildew. This is a good time of year for it. You could spray using a fungicide. You have to read the label to make sure it will do powdery mildew. If you can get them through these cool evenings the problem should go away. Lowes has Bayer Advanced Disease Control for Roses, Flowers and Shrubs. I'm using it this year and it seems to work at both treating existing and preventing disease.
shebear, the Bayer Advanced Disease Control for Roses, Flowers and Shrubs is great stuff. Thanks for reminding me to buy some. No matter what I used on the pincushions, they just finally died. I may have had a fungus in the soil as well. Heidibent, try this product shebear suggests and see it it works.
Already use it and it's in the bed I planted these mildew nightmares. They were SPd tonight. I have 8 new roses that arrived today from ARE and it's not worth the risk. Got some campanula, callirhoe and veronica to replace them. Thanks htop
I have also planted several scabiosa/black knight from seeds and they germinate very well. However then die off. Maybe I should try the spray on them.
Wow, sorry to hear about your mold/fungus! I've had these plants for about 3 years now and have never had any mildew etc. on them. They've been the best things all year. Most of mine get afternoon sun but one other gets morning sun. You should put some cornmeal in the bed in case you've got a fungus. :(
koncreteblond, your scabiosa are beautiful as are your other plants. Thanks for sharing the photo and the suggestion to use cornmeal. I have tried putting cornmeal (the kind from a landscape soil supplier, not the kind I use to make jalapeno cornbread) in the bed, but it didn't help. The ones I planted became leggy and just plain ugly. I was very disapponted because the blooms are so beautiful. I had bought them at Home Depot, I believe, and several of the other plants didn't make it either that year. I have tried to grow them before and the same thing happened.
Isn't that strange? some plants even grow differently in the same yard. I have improved topsoil, but underneath that they are growing in clay, so maybe that is what they like. It's on the high end of alkaline scale, like 7 something. (don't wanna dig out the soil test..lol) Maybe they don't like "real" dirt? Do you have real dirt or clay? I guess I feel blessed that mine are doing so well because they really are the stars in my bed right now. I have 4 big purple ones and one that is pink in my front bed and they are FULL and so bright. I know you've got something tho that I will envy. lol
Thanks for the information. I have pretty deep improved soil in the bed with clay and rock beneath. I even tried growing them in pots with good potting soil as shown here with no luck. These looked shabby and developed a fungus after a while and I destroyed them.
http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/26688/
Geez, I guess you just aren't meant to grow these. Maybe it's the humidity down there. Not that it's NOT humid here tho! lol Wow, I just realized that it has not been humid here! What a blessing! I absolutely hate the humidity and the wind. It feels like I got all wet and then rolled around in the dirt. And I look so pretty like that!