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Questions and Answers:Q. I’ve got mildew completely covering my crepe myrtle. Is there anything I can do to save it? A. Crepe myrtles planted in the shade are prone to powdery mildew as well as some varieties. If it shows up late in the season, it probably won’t damage the plant. If it shows up early in the season every year, you might want to move the plant into a sunnier location during the winter or replace it with a mildew resistant variety. Powdery mildew is caused by warm dry nights, not humidity like many folks might think. However, there are plenty of other kinds mildew problems that show up when the humidity and temperatures increase. Home remedies for powdery mildew are 2 tablespoons of baking soda per gallon of water. Let solution sit on plant for 30 minutes then rinse off with water hose. This solution will work on black spot on roses as well as other mildew problems on plants. You can also use whole milk as milk contains a natural fungicide. Neem oil is also effective. If you are looking for a chemical solution, the best is Spectracide Immunex, readily available in most garden centers. Pink blooming varieties of crepe myrtles that are resistant to powdery mildew are Biloxi, Comanche, Hopi, Miami, Osage, Pecos, Sioux, Tuscarora, and Tuskegee. White cultivars include Acoma and Natchez. Lavender cultivars available are Apalachee, Lipan, Muskogee, Wichita, Yuma, and Zuni. If you can’t remember all of these when you are shopping, remember that the mildew resistant cultivars all seem to have the name of American Indian tribes. Q. My cucumber plants are getting chewed up by something and I think they might be ruined. Is there anything that shows up this time of year that I should be aware of? A. The fall armyworm is the biggest enemy of cucumber plants this time of year. They can wipe out an entire trellis of cucumber vines in several hours. They can also march across a lawn damaging everything in their path. Try to catch them early and if you see damage on any ornamentals or vegetable plants spray with a solution of Bt or for longer protection use spinosad. Both of these products are approved for organic gardening and are very effective against the fall armyworm and any other damaging worms. Q. What is the temperature that compost must reach before it kills weed seeds and disease pathogens? A. The temperature of compost should reach at least 160 degrees before it is turned. That will kill most everything that can cause problems. Turn your mulch pile once the desired temperature is reached and it’s ready when it looks like good soil and no longer heats up. You can buy a compost thermometer from Planet Natural at www.planetnatural.com or 800-289-6656. Q. My yard has so much sand in it I feel like I’m trying to grow plants at the beach. Other than bringing in truckloads of new dirt, what can I do to improve it? A. There is no soil that cannot be improved no matter how bad it might be. Our sandy soils have the perfect Ph and drainage which is a good start. You must add lots of compost, mulch and organic fertilizer in order to feed the microbes, earthworms and other things that make healthy soil. Avoid chemicals such as weed killers and non-organic fertilizers. They will kill the soil and hurt your efforts. On the bright side, most weeds are sure easy to pull out of our sand and it doesn‘t bake to a hard crust in the summer and prevent seeds from germinating. Click Here to Ask Me a Gardening Question
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