THE TREE AND THE TALES
I distinctly remember those cold nights, when all of us used to huddle together, around our grandfather after dinner, with ears eager to listen to another interesting story that our old grandfather was so fond of telling. It used to go almost like a ritual every night.
And generally those stories used to involve few trees, jungle and many animals. I distinctly remember one story in particular. And I really miss those treats these days. (this generation is missing something, alas!).
The story was like this, that there were four friends; one deer, one crow, one mole and a tortoise who used to meet daily under a banyan tree each afternoon, and used to chat till evening.
Once, it so happened that the deer did not turn up for the rendezvous. The worried friends and sent the crow flying to look for him. Crow found him entangled in the nylon ropes of a hunter. It flew back and told them what he saw. Quickly, it was decided that the mole would fly on the back of the crow, and cut the strings with its sharp teeth. The crow flew with the mole on its back and mole cut the nylon strings and set their deer friend free of the net. And from there we learnt the famous proverb ‘A friend in need is a friend indeed’.
(As kids, later, we came to know that these tales are from a series called PANCHTANTRA, stories written by Vishnu Sharma).
So, where are those banyan trees, where the four friends that used to meet, and where are those old men, who could tell such stories and give us learnings so important in one’s life.
We must think of planting trees; creating gardens around us so that those four friends, the deer, the crow, the mole and the tortoise, can meet up again, and give some stories for grandpas to tell to their grand children of future generations.
Happy storytelling!
FOR DETAILS, CLICK HERE
“Iwagumi Aquascape”
Aqua-scaping Styles
(In the last edition of our e-magazine, we had introduced the subject of Vivarium. Seeing the tremendous response from the readers, here is another article on the related subject).
The Iwagumi layout is one of the most challenging aquascaping styles out there. Developed around 30 years ago by famous aquarist Takashi Amano, this type of aquascape represents not just a minimalist layout, it also reflects the Japanese culture, spirituality and love for beauty and simplicity.
Defining Features of the Iwagumi Style Aquascape
The Iwagumi term itself comes from the Japanese ‘rock formation’ and it refers therefore to a layout where stones play the leading role. Rocks provide the ‘bony’ structure of the aquascape and the traditional geography is a design made of three main stones, out of which one large headstone and two small others.
Iwagumi Aquascape – Aquascaping Styles.
The most difficult task when it comes to the Iwagumi aquascaping style is to obtain that harmony and unity through simplicity. The Iwagumi is not about just collecting a number of stones but about placing them in a fluent, natural and spacious way so that they are related both to each other and the rest of the scape.
The Iwagumi Layout – Basic Design Principles and Techniques
Not all Iwagumi aquascapes are of the Sanzon Iwagumi type, meaning a ‘three-pillared rock formation’. In fact, any number of rocks can be used, as long as it is an odd number (3, 5, 7 and so on) so as to avoid that sense of symmetry no one is striving for in aqua scaping.
Among the most popular stones used for this type of aquascape are Seiryu-seki, Maten and Shou, but there’s no actual limitation. The aim is to build a group of rocks that are similar in color and texture, yet different in shapes and contour.
Iwagumi Aquascape – Rock names and position
Regardless of their number, each stone in the Iwagumi layout has a name and a specific role:
Oyaishi – This is the primary stone. The largest and most beautiful of all stones, Oyaishi is always placed in the focal point of the aquarium, in accordance with the rule of thirds and it occupies 2/3 of its height, which is the perfect ratio for the human eye, according to The Golden Ratio theory. Oyaishi is also slightly tilted in the direction the water flows, in order to render a natural look, more similar to the river stones.
Fukuishi – The secondary stone, Fukuishi should resemble Oyaishi in color and texture and it is usually placed on its right or left, being the second largest rock in the Iwagumi aquarium. The main purpose of this stone is to balance out the primary stone and to create tension in the aquascape.
Soeishi – The third type of stone, usually placed next to the Oyaishi, along with the Fukuishi, accentuating the strength of the first one.
Suteishi – The fourth largest stone in the Iwagumi aquarium, Suteishi is also called ‘the sacrificial stone’, because it is not meant to stand out and it often gets covered by flora. Nevertheless, the role of the Suteishi is to compliment the entire rock formation by assisting all other stones in creating a sense of togetherness. In a Sanzon Iwagumi aquascape, the Suteishi is omitted.
Recommended Plants for the Iwagumi layout
When it comes to planting an Iwagumi style aquascape, there’s a limited number of plants you can use. This is because, of course, the focus should remain on the stones, which should not be overcome by plants, and aquarium open space, which should prevail.
The most popular plants are low laying carpet flora like Dwarf hairgrass (Eleocharis acicularis), Glossostigma elatinoides and Hemianthus callitrichoides ‘Cuba’.
Other suggested plants for the Iwagumi aquascape include: Pogostemon helferi, Riccia fluitans (submersed and tied to rocks), background plants like Vallisneria nana, Eleocharis vivipari and Rotala sp.
Recommended Fish
The Iwagumi tank is characterised by harmony and unity through simplicity so never forget that because it is important to maintain this feeling when you add fish to your aquarium.
The purpose of fish should be to enhance the aquascape’s sense of tranquillity through their fluid movement. Most commonly, schooling fish species like Cardinal tetras, Rummy nose tetras and Harlequin rasboras are used because of their calm and gentle behaviour. Avoid using shoaling fish because their behaviour tends to break harmony by acting individually, often splitting off from the group.
Complications and Pains of the Iwagumi.
Out of all aqua scaping styles, the Iwagumi aquascape looks the easier to accomplish because of the simplicity of its appearance, but the truth is it is the most difficult to obtain and even harder to maintain.
Limitation in the plant sector makes the growing process even more difficult for aquascapers. Plants used when aqua scaping the Iwagumi aquarium are heavy root feeders, making the choice of substrate delicate and the choice of water filtration as meticulous.
Not only does the Iwagumi ask for extensive amount of experience in what the choice of plants and hardscape is regarded, but the aquascape itself becomes prone to algae formation.
Algae can appear even in the early stages of your aquarium’s development so pay very much attention and take measures if you notice signs of it. One solution to this problem is breaking the lighting cycle for about an hour during midday.
(Compiled from Net)
Rama Tyagi
tyagirama1@gmail.com.
CELEBRATING UTTAR PRADESH DIVAS (24 JAN 2023)
HFS participated in a big way on the eve of celebrating UP Divas on 24 Jan 2023. The society put up a stall with the message of bringing the masses together with the nature as a way of living. The theme was URBAN GARDENING”, the most appropriate, and a great need in today’s time.
Towards this, seed balls and seeds were distributed free of cost amongst the visitors. This year being the International Year of Millets declared by WHO, special emphasis was given to educate the masses on the benefits of using millets in their daily life.
CHHAT PER BAAGWAANI
WITH THE STING, WE ARE ALIVE
We are in a biodiversity emergency. And one of the signs is the fast depletion of insects – many insect populations around the world is falling at an astonishing rate of 1-2 % a year.
And most of us are not even aware of the high stakes. And why the bugs and bees are important ? Here is the list:
- They recycle. More than 1.5 million species of insects have been named for recycling. Many species recycle plant material. Termites consume wood, breaking down the dead trees. Many feed on dead leaves, dead animals.
- They pollinate. Imagine all gardeners hand pollinating their plants. Beetles are known to pollinate over 80 % of the world’s plants.
- Controlling Pests. Many predatory insects feed on ‘bad bugs’. Ladybugs eat aphids. This helps in avoiding extensive use of pesticide spray, keeping the natural immunity of plants intact. (like having too much of antibiotics weaken our immune system).
- They sustain Life. Insects are the only food that many bird species, fish, and amphibians consume. With insects gone, the delicate food chain would be broken, wiping our many other species.
And why do we forget Honeybees, silkworms, etc. Besides, have a look at these marvelous insects.
- Bumble bee can be taught to play football.
Monarch butterfly can taste nectar through its feet. - Violin beetle is practically invisible from the side view. And the like.
A study carried out in 2018 finds out that the rate of extinction in insects is about 8 times more than that of the mammal species. The problem is that it is not just the numbers, but also the species.
How we can help?
Main reasons for their decline is use of chemicals in the earth and air, climate change and effects of ‘urbanisation’.
Go easy on insecticides/pesticides. In order to boost production, we are showering chemicals on the fields, killing the good insects, too. France has banned Neonicotinoid. Germany has banned bright lights after dusk.
Growing herbs, fruits, flowers etc which attract insects, can help.
Changing eating habits can help in a big way. For example, giving up beef or other meat varieties can help, in the sense that we may not have to devote so much of land to grow their fodder alone. Try to eat local produce.
Happy insecting!
Sushil Bhatia
SPOTLIGHT
Rama Tyagi participating in a panel discussion at INDIAN FLORICULTURE SUSTAINABILITY CONGRESS, held in Delhi NCR during 06, 07 & 08 Jan 2023.
IN THE PRINT MEDIA
Vasant Panchami, commonly referred to as Basant Panchami, is a Hindu festival that marks the beginning of spring season. As per the Hindu calendar, it is celebrated on the Panchami Tithi (fifth day) of the Magh month which corresponds to the January/February month as in the Gregorian calendar. The Festival involves worshipping the Goddess Sarasvati.
Hindus worship her for “divine knowledge, intelligence, consciousness, cosmic knowledge, creativity, education, enlightenment, music, the arts, eloquence and power” essential to achieve moksha. Devi being Sabda-Bṛahman symbolises these qualities. White symbolises Sattva Guna / knowledge. Thus, Vinapani is depicted wearing a white Sari.
The colour yellow has special significance on this occasion since it represents the peeli sarson and the ripening of crops. Young children are encouraged by their elders to write their initials in front of Maa Saraswati in order to receive her blessings. Maa Saraswati is worshipped as the Goddess of Knowledge, wisdom, music and learning.
In India, every single festival is celebrated for a specific reason and has great significance. This day is also connected to the well-known poet Kalidasa in Indian mythology. He and his stunning princess wife once got into a disagreement. He was so helpless that he wanted to commit suicide. He was ready to drown himself in a river when Goddess Saraswati appeared in front of the same waters and urged him to dive in. After diving into the river, he gained knowledge and came to be known as a great poet. This is also the reason that Goddess Saraswati is regarded as the goddess of knowledge and music.
People in India celebrate this festival by wearing yellow clothes, using yellow flowers to decorate their homes, eating and sharing sweets. Almost each household makes Meethe Chawal, or sweet rice, with various ingredients like milk, sugar, rice, dry fruits etc. Using saffron in the dish gives it a mystic yellow color.
The celebration is observed in various ways in different states. Flying kites, which stand for freedom and joy in people’s life, is a traditional part of the Basant Panchami celebration in Punjab. Jasmine garlands are made in Rajasthan as a form of respect for Maa Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom. The event is also observed throughout India, including in the states of Haryana and UP.
This celebration adds joy and happiness to people’s lives in a unique way with several colorful kites gracing the sky and mouthwatering desserts.
Wishing all of my readers a very happy and heartwarming Basant Panchami. ✨
Komal Saini
YOUR GARDEN WORK IN FEBRUARY
February is called Falgun or the month of Basant in the hindu calendar. Falgun approaches by dethroning the winters shroud of fog.
Falgun -the first month of spring is also considered to be the king of seasons.It brings along cheers in the atmosphere &, multifarious gifts for us. It’s also considered to be the most romantic month when nature wakes up in the form of new leaves on the trees and flower blossoms to feast our eyes.
The red & yellow colours give us the message of rebirth of freshness and vigorous youthfulness.
A wide variety of beautiful flowers like Bakul (mimusops elengi) palash(Butea monosperma) Gandha(sandalwood ) krishna chura (delonix regia -gulmohar ) spread the flame of spring’s colour.The sweet sound of cuckoo and fluttering of butterflies spellbound us.
Spring/Falgun stirs our mind and body with a rejuvenated spirit.Spring is celebrated all over the world in many ways.
“O Wind. If winters come, can spring be behind.”
P B Shelly again writes in yet another poem:
“And the spring arose on the garden fair /like the spirit of love felt everywhere.And each flower and herb on Earth’s dark breast Rose from the dreams of it’s wintry rest.”
February is the month to enjoy the blooms and the winter garden with flowering annuals and shrubs. All annuals should be in full bloom by the end of this month.
Planting of new trees including fruit , and climbers can be done now.
Cuttings of hibiscus, ficus, duranta, clerodendron, etc can be planted too. It is the best time for softwood cuttings to be raised as new plants. Flowering annuals in pots can be given liquid manure and regular caring will improve the quality of the flowers and plants.
Don’t forget to remove dead flowers from plants. Pots which are root bound and require repotting can be done now. Adeniums & cacti can be repotted now. (details in the previous issues).
What to plant now ?
It’s time for planting your spring and summer bulbs too.
Amaryllis: Take out your stored bulbs from the garage /store/basement now. Clean your pots properly and solarise them. Make potting mix for the bulbs and solarise it too so that weeds, bacteria, fungus & pests are killed, and potting mix is sterilized.
The preferred soil mix for amaryllis is high in organic matter such as two parts of loam soil to one part of perlite to one part of well-rotted manure. If manure is not available, another source of organic matter, such as peat, leaf mold, composted bark or wood or compost, may be used.
Five- to six-inch pots are suitable, but the best size depends on the size of the bulbs which vary considerably. A space of approximately 2 inches between the bulb and the edge of the pot is desirable. In potting, place the bulb so that only about half of it is below the soil, with the upper part (pointed end) left exposed. Press the soil firmly around the bulb and water thoroughly. Do not water again until the roots are well developed as overwatering can lead to bulb rots. Only when the roots have become well established will the plants need more frequent watering.
After the flower bulb has emerged, an application of a balanced fertilizer at intervals of 10 days is helpful. A liquid or dry fertilizer can be applied and either inorganic or organic types are satisfactory for this plant
Tuberoses: Soil Media: Normal Garden soil, sand, vermi-compost/ rotten cow dung manure in 40:30:30 ratio.
Sowing method: Place the bulb under soil, just leave d top nods over soil. Don’t cover d nods with soil, otherwise will take a long time to sprout.
Little water to just moist soil and keep in shade. Will sprout in 4-7 days. Keep the pot in the sun. Don’t over water. Try to keep soil just moist, not soggy. Water logging may rot bulbs. Plants need maximum sunlight to bloom flowers.
Fertilizer: After 1 month feed plants with any balanced liquid fertilizer like NPK 19:19:19 or 20:20:20 twice a month.
If you wish to organic only then provide 4-5 days rotten mustard oil cake mix with water (dilute with 5 times water) twice a month. For better results give foliar spray with Epsom salt ( 1/2 tsp in 1 litre water) twice a month.
Follow the process to get flowering in 55-60 days.
Pls Note: Plants need maximum sunlight.
Scadoxus multiflorus/Haemanthus (football lily): It is also known with many other names like blood lily, blood flowerets grows very well in Indian climate. Its blooms are big with red/pink spikes and yellow specks at the ends and lasts for about a week. The leaves are smooth and dark green in color, the plant grows to a height of 12 -18 inches.
Plant the bulbs in spring with equal parts of loam or sandy soil and manure. Keep spacing of up to 10 inches
Curcuma: Curcuma longa or turmeric is native to India. It bears beautiful flowers at the end of summer. It can be grown very well in balconies as it just requires 1 to 2 hrs of sunlight.
Ginger can also be planted now.
Crinum lilies, Gloriosa , Day lilies, pineapple lilies, Hosta lilies , costus etc.
Bulbs can be planted under the trees also and in clusters. They can be planted in beds and as borders also.
How to plant ?
Good potting mix containing compost + leaf mould +fungicide bone meal is sufficient.
Portulacas and purslane cuttings can be raised by the end of this month.
Coleus can be multiplied now.
Summer Flowers like Zinnia, cosmos, sunflowers, gomphrena, Vinca can be sowed indoors in trays or cups.
Vegetables like Cucumber, melon, bitter gourd , lady finger , lauki can be sowed too.
Time to plant water lilies is now. If you want to start a water garden. Do it now. Buy bulbs or tubers of lotus and water lilies. Lots of suppliers sell online if you are unable to get locally.
Winter vegetables must have been harvested or producing well. Regular spray of clean water will be beneficial.
Watch for pests as pests become too active in spring. Identify and treat accordingly.
Aphids, slugs, beetles, bugs: Put pheromones traps in your garden.
Chrysanthemums can be divided and potted in 3-in pots for next winter. When established pots can be kept in sunny positions.
Empty pots or beds can be made ready for summer vegetables.
If soil was infected or had any deficiency. Take action now and treat accordingly. Soil can be disinfected by solarising or treating with trichoderma .You can spray formaldehyde on soil too. Rest for 2 weeks then do the plantations in the soil.
Always remember 3 points
- Buy good seeds from reputable sources
- Treat the seeds before sowing with fungicide for 10 minutes.
- Crop rotation means do not plant the same thing at the sameplace.
Happy Gardening!!
Rama Tyagi
tyagirama1@gmail.com.
Amaryllis – Hippeastrum
The Name Amaryllis Has Roots in Greek Mythology. The story goes that amaryllis flowers sprung up from the blood of the nymph Amaryllis, who was madly in love with the handsome shepherd Alteo. That beautiful flower helped her win his heart.
Perhaps that’s why amaryllis today represents beauty and love, as well as determination, strength and success. You might also see amaryllis referred to as Hippeastrum, which is the genus name for these plants.
There Are More Colours Than Just Red and White
Some of the most common varieties you’ll see have bright red flowers like ‘Red Lion’ or red-and-white blooms like ‘Samba’. But among the hundreds of amaryllis varieties that exist, you can find plants that bloom in shades of pink, orange, yellow, green, purple, and multi-colors.
Some are double-flowered, meaning they have more petals than usual so they look extra full. Some amaryllis flowers have frilly petals or skinny petals, too.
The Size of the Bulb Matters.
As bulbs go, amaryllis are quite hefty. Some can get as large as softballs, but you may also see smaller ones closer to the size of a tennis ball. And no wonder they are so big—these bulbs usually produce two flower stalks and each can have between 2-5 individual blooms. When selecting bulbs, always try to get the largest ones you can find because they will produce the most flowers for you. And if you’ve ever wondered why these bulbs are on the pricey side, consider that it takes 3-5 years for them to grow large enough to market. Plus most of them are shipped from Holland or South America.
Amaryllis Can Re bloom Every Year.
It might seem like a one-and-done plant after the flowers fade, but you can keep these bulbs going year after year with a little TLC. Once your bulb has finished blooming, cut the flower stalks down to about one inch above the bulb. Treat it like a houseplant, keeping it watered and letting it get sunlight during the spring and summer. Around mid-August, stop watering to let the plant go dormant. Once the leaves have dried up, cut them off and store the bulb in a cool, dark place for eight weeks. About 6-8 weeks before you want to see beautiful blooms again, move your bulb into a warm, bright spot and start watering again. In a couple of weeks, you should see some new growth happening. Once the flower stalks appear, add a stake to keep them from falling over.
There is a new style called waxed Amaryllis.
Waxed amaryllis bulbs don’t need soil either because the wax holds in all the moisture and nutrients they need to bloom. Just put them down in a warm, brightly lit spot and they will do their job. You can even hang them upside down for a fun way to display them. Although there are not as many colours available as regular amaryllis bulbs, the waxed versions still will produce gorgeous flowers you can enjoy through the holidays and sometimes even the wax is decorative, too. They also would make a unique gift for that impossible-to-shop-for person on your list.
In fall, bring the bulb indoors, cut off the foliage just above the bulb, and store it dry in a cool (55°F) dark place such as a basement for 8-10 weeks. In spring, pot and water the bulb but keep the potting soil nearly dry until new growth emerges.
These bulbs will grow and bloom abundantly in water only. Place 2-4″ of pebbles in a container. Trim off any brown, dried roots but leave any white, fleshy roots. Set the bulb, roots down, on top of the pebbles and add the remaining stones around the bulb leaving the top third exposed.
Adding aquarium charcoal to the stones helps prevent odours. Add water to about 1″ below the base of the bulb. If the base sits in water, the bulb will rot.
Set the container in a sunny spot in a room that stays above 15°C. The warmer the temperature (20-25°C day and night is ideal), the faster the bulb will sprout and grow.
Check the water level daily and add water as needed to keep the level just below the base of the bulb. In 2-8 weeks, a shoot will emerge from the top of the bulb.
Prior to that, you may see thick white roots in the stones.
Rotate the container frequently to prevent stalks from leaning toward the light. Amaryllis grown in water may not perform well in subsequent years.
Rama Tyagi
MASTERS AT WORK
(A WORKSHOP ON TERRARIUM AND WABIKUSA)
When it comes to any art relating to plants, our members are very good at doing it, and of course, led by our legendary RAMA TYAGI. She is known as walking encyclopedia on plants not just like that.
A workshop was held by Rama Tyagi for creating Wabi-Kusa and terrarium.
Extending from Japanese, ‘wabi’ describes imperfect beauty, flawed and embraced because of it. ‘Kusa’ translates to grass, and for those familiar with bonsai, it is reminiscent of the word ‘kusamono’, the bonsai-type displays that emulate the landscape rather than the miniaturised tree.
To create a closed-plants terrarium, you can use plants like Fitonia, Money-plant, Ivy, Begonia, Sygnoniums, etc.
POWDERY MILDEW
CAUSES AND PREVENTION
Powdery mildew is the most common and recognizable group of fungal diseases for plants. It affects not only vegetables but many different flowers, too. There are many different types of powdery mildew but they each affect plants in the same fashion.
You can spot powdery mildew by its iconic patches of fuzzy greyish-white, powdery-like appearance. You can usually notice it on the top of leaves and foliage but it can also affect the undersides as well.
Powdery mildew first appears as little fuzzy white patches that can be removed if rubbed. In fact, powdery mildew doesn’t just grow on the plant’s foliage. You can also see it on the stems, buds, flowers, and even the fruit of affected plants. Powdery mildew is often associated with cucurbits like squash, pumpkins, melons, and cucumbers. However, certain varieties of the fungi can also affect tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, beans, and peas.
About Powdery Mildew Disease
Powdery mildew thrives in temperatures of 60 to 80º Fahrenheit (15-27º Celsius). You usually see it affecting gardens and plants during the spring and fall months. As the weather starts to warm up in the spring, the fungi start to release tiny spores.
Unlike most fungi, these spores thrive in warm, dry climates. High humidity during the night allows the spores to spread more easily. You are also more apt to have a powdery mildew issue if you grow plants in shady locations.
The fungi spores easily get carried by the wind, rainwater, birds, and animals. Once they land on host plants, the infection begins – and it’s often hard to eradicate.
The disease isn’t always deadly to the plants thankfully. However, a severe case will cause foliage to dry up and eventually fall off. This can be devastating for plants that rely on their foliage for photosynthesis to produce fruit and vegetables. In addition, a powdery mildew infection puts undue stress on plants, especially on new, tender foliage.
Once you start to see the spots on the plant’s foliage, it is often difficult to prevent it from spreading further and causing more destruction. That’s why taking steps to avoid powdery mildew is key to having healthy and damage-free plants.
How To Avoid Powdery Mildew In The Spring
The best way to combat powdery mildew is to not let it invade your garden in the first place. Take the following steps to ensure you have the best chance of having a healthy and productive garden this spring – and beyond.
Properly Clean Up Last Year’s Garden
Powdery mildew fungus is able to survive winters when it is left on host plant debris from your fall garden. As the weather warms up the following spring, the fungi once again release their spores. The unfortunate process begins all over again.
To help ensure that your spring garden isn’t affected by last year’s fungi diseases, you need to properly clean out your garden in the fall. That involves completely removing and either burning or disposing of plant material that was affected by powdery mildew.
Do not leave the decaying and dead plant material to overwinter in your garden. A few minutes of extra work in the fall will help avoid a whole host of issues and diseases in the spring beyond just powdery mildew.
Don’t add the affected materials to your home compost piles either. They just can’t heat up enough to completely kill the fungi.
Be sure to clear out your garden in the fall and dispose of any plant materials that were affected by powdery mildew.
Purchase Resistant Seeds
No plants are completely immune to powdery mildew. However, you can choose varieties that were created to be resistant to fungi. This is one of the easiest ways to help avoid powdery mildew in the spring – before you even plant your garden.
Using resistant seeds or plants is critical if your growing location doesn’t receive full sun or if you have struggled with powdery mildew issues in the past. Thankfully, most major seed companies sell resistant seed and plant varieties.
Choose Your Planting Location Carefully
For plants that are often the biggest targets for powdery mildew, be sure to plant them in locations that receive full sun. This means the area needs to get at least 8 hours of sun each day during the spring and summer months.
Aim for the early morning sun if you have the option. The early warmth of the sun allows the morning dew to quickly dry out and helps avoid the spores from spreading as easily. Again, while the fungi thrive in dry environments, high relative humidity also increases your chances.
Prune And Thin Properly
Another way to help avoid powdery mildew in the spring is to keep proper spacing in mind when planting. If you do plant extra seeds, be sure to thin them so that plants have the appropriate spacing once they mature. Refer to your seed packet or other proper spacing guidelines when planting.
A garden overrun with plants that need to be thinned out.
Improper thinning and pruning in the spring will leave you with a situation just right for powdery mildew (and a whole host of other issues)! Pruning back overgrown plants also will help to allow better air circulation around plants. This helps to prevent higher humidity levels around plants and their foliage. In addition, pruning will allow the sunlight to reach more parts of the plant’s foliage.
Pruning is especially important for vining plants that can get really overgrown and out of hand quickly. If you can’t see all of the leaves of a squash plant, then the chances are higher that they can contract powdery mildew.
Proper Watering
Although you have no control over mother nature and the rain, you do have control over when and how you water your garden plants.
Whenever possible, avoid watering your plants at night. This is not only important to avoid powdery mildew in the spring, but all growing season long. Increasing the moisture level during the cooler nighttime hours will increase the relative humidity – creating the perfect atmosphere for spores to take hold.
In addition, overly wet soil and foliage during the night can cause all sorts of other issues besides powdery mildew. Instead, water early in the morning to allow the sun’s rays to dry out plants naturally.
Avoid powdery mildew in the spring
If possible, avoid watering young, susceptible plants overhead and towards the end of the day. Also, try to avoid watering overhead if possible. If you do have powdery mildew spores on your plants, they can easily transfer to healthy plants from water droplets. Water at the base of the plants whenever possible.
Adding Mulch
Adding mulch around your plants has a whole arsenal of benefits such as soil temperature regulations, snuffing out weeds, and helping to retain moisture.
Another added benefit of using mulch is that it helps prevent plant matter from touching possibly infected soil. If the soil around your plants has powdery mildew spores, then they can easily transfer to healthy plant tissue by touching or water transfer. Using mulch helps to keep the plants not only cleaner but healthier as well.
What To Do If You See Powdery Mildew
Even if you have tried all of the above advice, it might not be enough to avoid powdery mildew altogether in the spring. If that is the case and you start to see the tell-tale signs of the circular, powdery white spots, there are some steps you can take to help prevent its spread.
First, carefully remove any affected parts of the plant. Dispose of those items away from your garden and compost pile. Do not leave the plant tissue in your garden – otherwise, it will just continue to spread.
Prevention
Neem oil – Neem oil can not only help with powdery mildew but a whole host of other issues as well.
Use neem oil to spray down plants and help slow down or prevent the spread. Neem oil is not harmful to plants and can help with mild powdery mildew issues (in addition to several pest and insect issues as well). Create an organic spray using warm water, neem oil, and a few drops of dish soap.
This basic recipe .
Ingredients
- 4 level teaspoons or 1-1/3 tablespoons of baking soda
- 1 teaspoon of mild soap (should be biodegradable with no phosphates)
- 1 gallon of water
Directions
Mix all ingredients thoroughly and keep agitated. Then spray on the plants. Spray all leaves thoroughly, until the solution begins to run off. Spray the top and bottom of affected leaves, and spray all on the small new leaves, even if they don’t appear to have the fungus yet.
Gardeners might be infamous for passing along myths and legends.
Before you start breaking out the fungicides, consider whether or not you might be able to control the issue just by adjusting your watering schedule. Powdery mildew can spring up during exceptionally dry conditions, especially when you have hot, dry days and cool nights. If you are growing plants that are susceptible to drought stress, make sure that they are getting regular water during summer hot streaks.
Air circulation is one of the biggest factors in many fungal infections, and you might be able to control powdery mildew and other fungal issues by spacing plants farther apart and pruning selectively to increase air flow through the affected area.
And if you’ve had problems with powdery mildew in the past, one of the best things you can do is be sure to select plants that are resistant to powdery mildew in the future. Some varieties are less susceptible to the fungus, and they are advertised as being resistant in seed catalogues and garden centres.
Lastly, avoid fertilising plants during an outbreak of powdery mildew. New, tender growth is much more susceptible than older foliage so avoid encouraging new plant growth during infections.
Hopefully, with these tips and tricks, you will be enjoying a healthy and productive, powdery mildew-free garden this spring.
Happy Gardening.
Rama Tyagi
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