Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that affects many kinds of plants. There are various species of powdery mildew, but it can generally be identified by its spots of powdery white that show up on plants’ leaves. This mildew can spread and may be found on buds, shoots, stems, and even on vegetables and fruits themselves. Eventually parts of the plant may turn yellow and dry out, potentially harming or even killing your plants. Although many plants are infected during times of high humidity, powdery mildew does not need humid or wet conditions to survive.

So what does powdery mildew do to your plants? Other than affecting appearance, powdery mildew can also weaken plants by taking away nutrients. This is what can cause plants to dry out and possibly die. Although not all plants infected with powdery mildew will suffer considerably, others might be seriously damaged. It is a good idea to prevent and treat this disease.

If your plants have powdery mildew, start treating them by removing infected leaves and parts of the plant if you can and throw them away. This helps prevent spreading. Light cases of powdery mildew may be stopped by spraying water on infected leaves. If you don’t mind using fungicides, there are several options that you can use on plants to get rid of the problem. Often, planting in full sun will help prevent powdery mildew from developing in the first place. There are also plants that are disease resistant that have a better chance of evading powdery mildew problems.

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