"Well hey neighbor, whatcha doin?"

Just sitting here trying to figure out this month's Newsletter but I just keep drawing a blank. I have been so busy Wilson that now I'm really stressing to get it done in time. I just wish I could figure out what to talk about this month you know?

"Well, I know you have been putting in a lot of hours and figured that this might happen so....."







.....I thought I would take the liberty of writing one for you just in case you needed it. And it seems you do. I know it may not be up to your standards but at least it may get you through."

 

Pretty Monarch Butterflies but can you tell which ones are the boy Monarchs and which ones are the cute little girls?




Here, take a closer look and see if you can tell the major differences.

Girl Monarch

and...

Boy Monarch

So, did you figure it out?
If not then read on or read on just for the fun of it!




Aside from the "underlying" differences which we can not discuss in this "G" rated Newsletter, there are two major distinguishing differences that are easily noticeable once you know what you are looking for.

Girl Monarch

Boy Monarch

The girl Monarch has much thicker veins in its wings than the boy Monarch plus the boy has a little something extra. Notice the two spots on his wings. From these two spots the boy releases what is called "Love Dust" which he sprinkles over the female upon courtship. Hmmm....May need to get a few bags of that!

So, now You know the major differences and can impress your all your easily impressed friends.

YUK!!!

Powdery Mildew is a disease which almost any plant can get.
Some plants are just more likely to get it such as roses and lilacs and honeysuckle and many perennials such as peonies and monarda. Grapes and vegetables such as pumpkins and cucumbers are also more susceptible and the list goes on and on and on.

However, even though it makes your plants look like someone got over spray of white milk paint on them the good news is that it is not usually fatal to the plant. However, if it becomes severe enough or goes untreated for several seasons it could then very likely weaken the plant and make it susceptible to other things that will kill it. Or in heavy infestations such as in the first photo above it can actually block the process of photosynthesis which in turn could kill the plant.                               

The other good news is that there are many different types of Powdery Mildew and if it shows up on your lilac it won't spread to other plants nearby. Different types attack different plants and they don't jump from one plant to the other just because it's there.

So what causes Powdery Mildew and how do I stop it? Well, I was just about to tell you. Geez! Anxious aren't we?

Powdery Mildew is a fungus and fungi (plural for fungus) produce spores which overwinter in dead and decaying plant material. Stuff you should have cleaned up before winter set in. In the spring these spores get splashed around by all the spring rains and or get carried by insects that walk in the area or are blown by the wind and end up on the plant that they like as a host.
Now that spore may sit there for a while and wait for just the right time to activate itself and attack your plant. That special time occurs when there is a lot of dampness or high humidity such as we have seen here in July.

If your plants get Powdery Mildew the only thing you can do is to stop the spread of it is by applying a fungicide. There is nothing you can do to get rid of the white or grey looking leaves other than pruning out those uglys. It will remain on those leaves already infected but the new growth will be ok if treated. Most of your ornamentals can be sprayed with a copper based fungicide such as Daconil every 7-10 days or Neem oil. However be sure to check the label before applying anything to be sure it won't harm your specific plant and especially check before applying anything to your vegetables....YUK!

So, keep your garden and landscape areas clean and free of debris.
Don't plant things so close together that there is poor air circulation.
Don't fertilize infected plants. It will only make things worse as the fungi like the young succulent growth the best. And last, if one of your plants does get it, prune if desired and apply a fungicide on a regular basis.

Oh....and of course we have Daconil for sale here at the Nursery.

This is NOT a Yawn.....

This IS my desperate cry for H-E-L-P!!!!

Here I am just relaxing, enjoying the good life

Before and After

812-689-5595