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Another courgette problem

Orchid LadyOrchid Lady Posts: 5,800
in Problem solving

This time I have a problem with the leaves and don't know if it's something and nothing or whether to be concerned.

I have noticed white on the leaves tonight and having googled, I think it's powdery mildew?  Has anyone else suffered with this and what is the best ting to do, it says remove leaves, but that would be most of them image It's only affected the plants in the veg patch and not the ones in buckets.

Thanks.

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Posts

  • bekkie hughesbekkie hughes Posts: 5,294
    Dont worry about it OL, it wont hurt, all squash get it every year, especially after a bit of extreme weather, the others will most likely get it soon too. Just leep looking after them well and remove any dead stuff from under the plants, if one or two of the leaves get really bad, then remove, but its totally normal image

    When you water the veg patch, do you soak the roots, or spray from above? That could be the reason the ones in the buckets are a bit healthier at the moment image
  • Orchid LadyOrchid Lady Posts: 5,800

    Thanks both, no PF, it's definitely not pattern it's only appeared the last couple of days.  I water from the bottom in the buckets but put the sprinkler on the veg patch. Maslow the ones in buckets are probably more sheltered from weather conditions and don't get as much rain as they are behind the shed, whereas the veg patch is all open.  It's appeared since the rain a couple of days ago.

    Next year I'm only growing courgettes in buckets and not as many image

  • Orchid LadyOrchid Lady Posts: 5,800

    Ha ha....interbred cuettes image This year is a big learning curve really, so much to take in and I'm making lots of notes for next year image My cucumbers seemed to stop doing anything and one has gone very pale but the other two now have loads of babies again which is fab if they don't go yellow, fingers crossed.

  • Lupin 1Lupin 1 Posts: 8,916

    Mine always end up with powdery mildew looking leaves, usually later in the season but one looks like it now. Doesn't seem to affect the crop but they look grotty. I always water at the base but do think occasional splash from the hose contributes to the leaf damage.

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,131
    So do mine - now that I'm at home most days I'm making a real attempt this year to keep them nice and damp at the roots to see if we can avoid it, but yes, mine have that beautiful lacy silvery pattern on them ... and all our courgettes are yellow image

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • bekkie hughesbekkie hughes Posts: 5,294
    Pansyface, that always happens too, and you worry you wont get any fruit, but they always sort themselves out, give it time. Im sure they do it just to wind us up! image
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,131

    I think they're just trying to live down their reputation for being 'easy' image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • bekkie hughesbekkie hughes Posts: 5,294
    Its funny, because you know it will be fine, but every year its a worry! Why do we do this again????? ;p
  • Orchid LadyOrchid Lady Posts: 5,800

    They are meant to be yellow aren't the Dove?  I'm going yellow ones next year image

    I'll stop worrying then, thanks all.

  • UnknownUnknown

    Okay...new tricks time again, OL. image

    A dilute spray of milk has been known to be an effective treatment for mildew on courgettes (and marrows of course) but as the others have said, it doesn't harm the plants or damage the fruit.

    The dilution is 1 part milk to 2 - 3 parts water. The solution is then sprayed on the plant's leaves every 10-14 days.

    It works best as a preventative, rather than a cure, which makes it hard to determine whether it actually works since you don't know if your plants would have gotten it anyway.

    Personally, I couldn't be ar*sed. image

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