About Long Island Gardener Expertise Growing Tulips? Dahlias? Daffodils? Gladiolus? It doesn't get easier than bulbs and tubers. Once in a while, something goes wrong: The dreaded Narcissus Bulb Fly, which resembles a honeybee. Mosaic virus, which can ignite a field of tulips in a single season. Nematodes, lurking underground. Here on the North Shore of Long Island, the garden is full of surprises. If you live in the Northeast/Atlantic Coast, I can help you pick the right bulb for every season, indoors and out, and help you fertilize, bloom and harvest for home or work. How: I have degrees in related fields, but my best understanding is all learned from trial and error. For most of my 53 years I have been gardening somewhere. No matter what the problem, I've learned the best answers are always Organic -- Earth friendly, less expensive, healthier for people and pets, easier and cleaner than toxic liquids and powders that big chemical companies sell so smoothly.
Experience Besides degrees in related fields, and a few favorite horticultural societies, I work as a docent at our local botanical gardens -- but it's the years of work in the garden that's the real test.
Question my 3 year old sahlias have a powdery mildew on the leaves, they are producing flowers but the plants look bad. Since we have had such a drought I have watered them lightly this year but I have been using water collected from my window AC unit, could this be the probelm and how do I cure my dahlias, normally I have not dug them in the winter, could this help?
Answer Believe it or not, Powdery Mildew happens to be on of those problems that needs no help from us to take over every leaf on every Lilac, Rose and Dahlia you grow.
The old Baking Soda spray trick will work BEFORE an outbreak. It alters the leaf surface pH. This alone is all you need to stop Mildew in their tracks.
But once they're here, you do have a bigger problem.
The latest technique for counter-attack: Compost Tea spray, specially designed for Fungal dominance.
Seems those Mildew spores aren't so tough. A few friendly spores will put them out of business by competing for space on the same leaf .... WITHOUT causing a disease.
Weird, huh? Very new science. I'm fascinated by this.
It is the height of the Mildew season, and the end of Dahlia season. So go ahead and let this Mildew run its course for this year. Next year, at Summer's end, start spraying w/ Baking Soda all over those leaves, and re-spray every week.
If you MUST make Fungally dominated Compost Tea, please tell me and I give you the whole recipe. This is the pound of cure you would use, since you have missed the 'ounce of prevention' window. Just let me know. Thanks for writing,
