Powdery Mildew in Seattle?

[AlkiGardener]

Hi All - I am curious to hear back from other Seattle-area tomato gardeners about powdery mildew. I have grown tomatoes in containers for years (about 35 plants - 20 heirloom varieties.) and never had any serious foliar diseases. This year I got hit with powdery mildew big time, largely because I didn't recognize it right away. Did anyone else from the NW have unusual problems with PM this year? I used some organic treatments which contained it, but never did away with it. I wonder if I brought it in with some leaf mulch I collected. Any similar experiences?

[Lseattle]

I am new to the forum and I also live in the Seattle area. I got hit with lots of powdery mildew too this last summer. It hit my squash hard and then my tomatoes at the end of summer. I tried baking soda but never could get rid of it. I mulch the garden every year with leaves from my oak tree.

[AlkiGardener]

Thanks for replying. Was this a first for you as well? I'm just wondering if it was something about the weather this yeAr - or something I did in soil preparation. Probably impossible to know, but I'd sure to avoid it this year! I also used a baking soda mixture that helped but never did away with it. Awful.

[PhilaGardener]

Next year you might try milk spray - here is one of several threads on it: http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=33580

[RayR]

Originally Posted by AlkiGardener

Thanks for replying. Was this a first for you as well? I'm just wondering if it was something about the weather this yeAr - or something I did in soil preparation. Probably impossible to know, but I'd sure to avoid it this year! I also used a baking soda mixture that helped but never did away with it. Awful.

I have no experience with Powdery Mildew on Tomato but I do have it every year on squash, a different species of Powdery Mildew fungus that doesn't infect tomato plants.
You might want to read through some of the other threads on Powdery Mildew.

You might want to try Potassium Bicarbonate instead of Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbonate), it is more effect as a fungicide against Powdery Mildew.
It has worked well as a preventative/control for me last season. Neem Oil and Organocide 3 in 1 work well too.
Whatever you use, you'll have to reapply every 5-7days since Powdery Mildew has a habit of coming back. You also have to make sure you spray the entire plant surface. stems, leaves and all to stop any spores from germinating.

[AlkiGardener]

Thanks RayR - did not know about the Potassium Carbonate. And will read up on milk sprays. The trick is to catch it early, I guess. I didn't realize the problem until it had spread through every plant. Then it's hard to control without daily spraying...

Does anyone know if it over winters in soil or mulch?

[saltmarsh]

I've used Horsetail tea for years. Works very well and has other benefits. Claud

http://tomatoville.com/showpost.php?...6&postcount=13

[noinwi]

I got so used to not being hit by it in Wisconsin until the very end of the season that it took me by surprise this year in the middle of the summer when we got a sudden cool-down from our hot weather. It took out my cukes and I slowed it down on my zukes with milk spray. I didn't notice any on my toms but I had other things going on there. We're in a wetland and have lots of horsetail so maybe I'll try that next season.

[Gardeneer]

I am also from Seattle area.I have PM on squash all the time but not on tomatoes. But late last season I got MOLD, when it got cold and rained a lot more.

Gardeneer

[Rairdog]

From what I've read and experienced it hits bad during cooler high humidity years. Last year it didn't break 80 during prime time. On years it hits 85-90 it's not as much problem.

[AlkiGardener]

Thanks Gardeneer: I am tempted to completely replace all my soil from this year to avoid any spores present, but with 40-50 plants, that's an expensive proposition. At least this year I know what to look for…