Dust on Plants

[aclum]

Our gardeners did a big yard clean-up in our raised bed garden area yesterday. It's been bone dry around here and between ripping up the old, torn landscape fabric, using the weed eater in places, and raking up around the beds they stirred up a huge amount of dirt and dust. All of the plants seem to have a fairly heavy coating of dust now and I'm a bit concerned how this might affect pollination of the flowers and, perhaps more importantly, how it might encourage spider mites. I recall reading that spider mites thrive in hot, dry, and dusty conditions. I'll probably put down new landscape fabric to help with the dust, but in the meantime I'm wondering how I can get rid of the dust on the plants.

Do you all think it would be OK to just spray the dust off with a gentle shower spray from the hose done in somewhat shady but warm conditions? Not sure what else to do, it hasn't really been windy enough here to have that blow off the dust.

Thanks!
Anne

[MrBig46]

I would try to blow it dry with a vacuum cleaner, which also has a reverse operation (for example, a vacuum cleaner on a leaf).
Vladimír

[kurt]

http://tomatoville.com/showthread.ph...e+leaf+disease

From the archives by carolyn137.
I would wash them off with gentle water spray.Then treat as directed for preventative measures.

[aclum]

Thanks for the responses. I did end up rinsing them off with a gentle shower from the hose and tried to shake off some of the water drops. The vacuum idea to blow off the water drops is a good one, Valdimir, if it's not too strong a force. But that's a bit much for me to manage. Not a super bright, hot day so hopefully they'll be OK.

BTW - while on the subject (sort of )..... another aspect to my dust aversion (besides possibly harming the plants), is that I've had an aspergillus fumigatus allergic lung infection that took quite a while to clear up and I don't want to go through that again! From the web:

"Aspergillus fumigatus, a saprotroph widespread in nature, is typically found in soil and decaying organic matter, such as compost heaps, where it plays an essential role in carbon and nitrogen recycling."

Obviously not everyone is affected, but I apparently have a susceptibility to it. A couple of doctors even told me I couldn't garden anymore, but eventually relented when I told them I had the soil covered in plastic mulch and the paths covered in landscape fabric. I do need to watch out for the dust, though!

Anyway, thanks again for your input.

Anne

[MrBig46]

Of course, I thought that blowing would be followed by washing with water. I'm glad you've solved it.
Vladimír

[aclum]

Kurt,

I forgot to thank you specifically for posting that link. Lots of good, interesting information and so nice to reread some of the posts from Carolyn (and others). I learn so much (or am reminded of things I'd forgotten) when I revisit some of the older threads.

Anne

[kurt]

I have used the search block here when ever a issue shows and the filters on this forum set up by the admins are the best.The info stored here surpasses all the others.

[Lasairfion]

Sprinklers might do the job. Or just wait for the daily rainfall/thunderstorm/hailstorm