Powdery mildew can come out of nowhere and wipe out your houseplants fast if you’re not careful! Fortunately, I’ve had several bouts with this annoying disease (in fact, I sadly just had to chop and prop my 4 year old Begonia Maculata to prevent the disease from spreading) so I can share tips on how to treat powdery mildew on plants in no time at all. Let’s break down the causes (and solutions!) for powdery mildew on plants.
Symptoms of Powdery Mildew
The first sign of powdery mildew is white patches on the soil or the undersides of plant leaves. Over time, these patches will become larger and more noticeable, and even spread to larger areas of the plants. The onset of the white patches is usually accompanied by leaf curling, yellowing leavings, dropping of new, healthy leaves (especially on begonias or jades).
Powdery mildew is a fungus and therefore highly contagious—it spreads through spores. If you suspect a powdery mildew infection on your houseplant. Immediately move the plant affected into quarantine until the problem has resolved.
Powdery Mildew Causes
Some of the most common causes of powdery mildew on indoor plants include:
- Poor Air Circulation: Lack of air circulation is often cited as one of the common causes. Keep a fan blowing to prevent powdery mildew.
- Low Light: Again, another symptom of winter time. Powdery mildew on house plants loves low light.
- High Humidity: Over watering and high humidity levels caused by over watering can lead to issues with powdery mildew.
- Cooler Temps: Powdery mildew usually plagues indoor plants come winter time thanks to cooler temperatures. Powdery mildew on plants loves temps lower than 70 degrees!
Some of the most commonly affected house plants include begonias and jades.
How to Treat Powdery Mildew on Indoor Plants
Now that you know what causes powdery mildew, you can learn how to get rid of it. Follow this step-by-step tutorial to get rid of powdery mildew on your house plants.
Remove the Infected Plant
The first step is to remove the infected plant(s) from the rest of your collection. Place it somewhere by itself so that the powdery mildew spores don’t spread to anything else during the treatment process.
Remove Any Infected Leaves, Branches, Etc.
Use a pair of scissors to trim and remove any leaves, branches, etc. covered in the white powdery substance. Remove EVERYTHING that has the powdery coating, or the problem will come back! Also, be sure to wash your scissors when you’re done so that the problem doesn’t spread.
Repot/Wash the Plant
Remove the infected plant from the soil and give it a good wash with 3 parts water and 1 part Dawn Dish Soap. The Dawn soap kills the fungicide and keeps it from returning. After you have washed the plant, use a fan to fully dry any remaining leaves. While it’s drying, use this opportunity to fully disinfect the pot it was in. Once everything is clean and dry, place the plant back in fresh soil.
