Vespula pennsylvanica / maculiforna / germanica / vulgaris / squamosa and DolichovespulaThe dog days of summer…fresh water melon, ice cream, p
12.06.2023 - 00:55 / gardenerspath.com / Helga George
How to Prevent and Control Powdery Mildew on Apple TreesWhile powdery mildews don’t kill their hosts, they sure do a number on them. And that is particularly true for powdery mildew of apples and crabapples, caused by Podosphaera leucotricha.
This pathogen attacks both cultivated and wild apples and crabapples. And it occurs in the all regions of the world that produce apples!
Powdery mildews get their name from the white spores that are produced by the mycelia (fungal threads). The disease on apples attacks virtually every stage of the plant – buds, blossoms, new shoots, leaves, and fruit.
The disease can be severe enough that no fruit form.
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While fungicides are the standard treatments, there are some cultural practices that can help control this disease as well.
Unlike most fungal infections, apple powdery mildew spores do not require moisture to germinate. Therefore, this infection is known as the “dry weather disease.”
Read on as we walk you through the steps you take to diagnose and treat powdery mildew infection on your apple or crabapple tree.
Symptoms of Primary InfectionsIf your tree is infected, the first thing you will notice is a delay of up to four days in the opening of the infected buds in the spring. These buds are covered with spores.
Next, the leaves and blossoms become covered with the fungal spores as they emerge from their buds. The spores look like a light gray or white powder, and the infected leaves curl upward.
Both sides of the leaves and tree shoots will be covered with this powder.
The flowers develop abnormally, are usually greenish-white, and don’t produce fruit.
An Infection That Won’tVespula pennsylvanica / maculiforna / germanica / vulgaris / squamosa and DolichovespulaThe dog days of summer…fresh water melon, ice cream, p
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