Re: Watering vines

I tried growing AG this past year for the first time and had severe problems
with powdery mildew.  My primary gardening interest is Dahlias.  I show them
in competition.  They also had powdery mildew worse then I have ever seen in
the past.  I asked other dahlia growers in my area if they had problems and
they said that they saw less powdery mildew than in the past.  This was the
first year in my new house and I thought that maybe it has something to do
with being on acreage now.  One of the growers asked if I have a gravel
driveway, which I do.  He has found that at his farm, plants closer to his
gravel road have a much worse problem with powdery mildew than those further
away from the gravel.  His theory is that maybe dust can somehow stimulate
the growth of powdery mildew.  Maybe someday I will be able to afford to
blacktop the road.  This season I am going to start spraying for powdery
mildew in early to mid August.  I will spray both the AG and dahlias.  The
dust did not seems to stimulate black spot on tomatoes.  Usually it is real
bad in our area but I didn't see it this year until October.

Eric Toedtli
Vancouver, Wa (a suburb of Portland, Or.,  NOT Canada)

----- Original Message -----
From: "Rebecca (Rebkin) Steward" <rebkin@pcmagic.net>
To: <pumpkins@hort.net>
Sent: Friday, March 21, 2003 9:54 PM
Subject: Re: Watering vines


Hi all-
On the subject of powdery mildew, I've had this problem in my patch every
year and not just the pumpkins, everything seems to have it by summers end.
Zucchini, bean plants, even my sunflowers and giant zinnias all in the same
area. I am starting  to think that the problem is A) too much shade & B) the
problem is in my soil -I've yet to investigate testing for this in soil..??
any answers?? Another question I have , is powdery mildew a virus or a
bacteria??  Any how, I addressed this issue at the recent growers' meeting
in Elk Grove and one So. Calif. grower, treated powdery mildew by spraying
the plants w/ plain baking soda and water, applied in a hose-end sprayer.
Ratio of soda to water?? "about a cup or so, mixed w/ the water", he said it
helped get rid of the stuff and something about this sure made his plants
healthier than usual....so, I will give it a try this year-- But I always
use the soaker method to water after plants are up and especially after
flowers appear. I only over-head water seed beds until germination
occurs,(Pumpkins are started inside in peat pots)  then in goes the soakers.
I hope to hear more solutions or discussions on this problem w/ the powdery
mildew--I'll try just about anything.  Thanks to all for your sharing of
experience.
Rebecca Steward
Martinez, CA
----- Original Message -----
From: "Beth Rado" <rado1000@hotmail.com>
To: <pumpkins@hort.net>
Sent: Friday, March 21, 2003 4:55 PM
Subject: Re: Watering vines


> >...and get rid of powdery mildew.  Well, it may help, but I found it
>will
> >not eliminate mildew- ....  You'll get it regardless of watering
> > >technique.
>
> I have a note on my pumpkin calendar to spray for powdery mildew no later
> than August 5.  It usually starts here between August 5th & 10th, and is
> thriving by the 15th.  Last year I used Daconil on July 29, and saw zero
> powdery mildew for three weeks - well past the time it usually gets bad.
> For a variety of reasons, I didn't spray again, but I believe if I had
> sprayed regularly the p.m. could be prevented.  (Isn't that what Pumkinguy
> always said??)
>
> You have to remember to shake the Daconil way more than most products
> (thanks, Dale!) and most importantly, spray BEFORE you see the mildew.
Once
> it starts, you will never get ahead of it.
>
> Beth
>
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