What is the best way to treat this?
powdery mildew
Is the powdery mildew just on the blossoms? In the photo, the leaves look so nice and glossy and healthy. I would start by just removing spent and affected blossoms.
Yes it is on just the flowers. I keep doing this and it still comes back.
another
http://www.optimara.com/doctoroptimara/diagnosis/powderymildew.html
Good general article on the subject. Can you keep your night time temps a little warmer?
Oh did not know it was just on the flowers. This can meen most likly you have Thrips Sorry.
I don't think so, Allison. That looks like powdery mildew to me, and not like the spilled pollen that can indicate thrips. I've had plants get PM on just one or two leaves or on the blooms, and I've had others that got covered with it... Warmer night temperatures do seem to help, but I think somebody posted recently that a fan to keep the air moving will help even more, that with a fan running their AVs did not get PM in cooler weather.
There is Powdery mildew on the leaves in those pictures, too. Just get the air warm and moving, it will go away quickly. I get it bad and fast if I let it get cold in their room thesedays without the fan. Note that the spores are everywhere in the air, always there, but only become a menace if given the right environment. At least it isn't a deadly thing, albeit horribly unappealing.
So I should have warmer nights and better air circulation right? Thanks all. I think I'll start with a fan for circulation. They are in the house so wouldn't you think it is warm enough?
Thanks for everyones help!
Dawn
Dawn, our house gets a little chilly at night as far as my AVs are concerned... I compensate a little for the temperature swings by running my lights in the wee hours of the night during winter. The florescents don't generate a lot of heat, but they do give off some.
Thanks Critter.
That's the style; let us know how it works.
Dawn, if it is powdery mildew the warmth and circulation should check it. I had a problem last winter with one plant on the back of the shelf. I moved it to a different location and kept the spent blooms cut. As soon as the spring came I moved it back to the stand and all is well.
Nan, that is what is happening with these. I do not have this problem in the warm months. It seems to only be during the fall and winter. I'm afraid to move them to another place for lack of sun.
Some plants get mildew easier than others. I have Annabell and Isabell from the Optimara Southern Bell Series. Both get mildew; but only the blossom stocks are involved. The leaves stay fine. This winter I am going to debud both plants and not let them bloom until spring. This might check the problem and give the plants time to develop a nice full leave pattern.
That reminds me... Nanna, if you have space in your leaf tray, would you please put down a leaf of 'Isabell' for me this winter? I forgot to get one from you on Saturday... *hugs*
Sure thing.
Thank you!!
As well as using a fan, I mix 1/2t. Lysol with 1 c. of water and spray my plants on a weekly basis. They love their little shower and the mildew seldom appears.
Nancy B
You just buy the Lysol brand lysol right ?
Right! For some areas of the country, Lysol comes in a brown bottle. In Wis., it comes in a clear one.
Nancy B
Thanks Nancy!