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Strange white coating on the flowers

ariadna.bakhmatovaariadna.bakhmatova Posts: 118
in Problem solving
Hello dear gardeners, 
My flowers on my terrace are now all covered in this strange white coating, any idea what it is and how to get rid of it? (I live in Milan, if that's of any importance). Thank you!


Posts

  • floraliesfloralies Posts: 2,718
    Maybe Powdery Mildew? Is it like this? 
    https://www.rhs.org.uk/disease/powdery-mildews
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I agree, it looks like powdery mildew. Often it's a sign that the plants are (or have been at some point) too dry at the roots.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • ariadna.bakhmatovaariadna.bakhmatova Posts: 118
    what would you recommend, how can i get rid of it?
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I'd go for the kill-or-cure approach and chop the violas right back, clear away any leaves etc off the top of the soil around them, and hope that they grow back clean. There's probably something you could spray with but I haven't tried that (I prefer not to use fungicides etc) so I don't know what would work.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • ShepsSheps Posts: 2,236
    Good call @JennyJ I once did the cutting right back on mine when they developed PM, it worked very well.
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Give them a really good, deep soak of water too. Do it slowly, making sure it’s absorbed as you pour. If the compost has dried out it can’t absorb water well and is likely to run straight out the bottom, straight past the roots. 
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    I you spray, a copper-based one id posssibly best fot quick action.  Surprisingly, copper id appoved by the Soil Assoction for "organic".
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
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