Cool and humid weather causes a lot of anxiety among summer residents, as it provokes the occurrence of various fungal and viral diseases of cucumbers. Many are concerned about such a bacterial disease as powdery mildew, which is why it is important to know under what conditions it develops, what signs it has and how to deal with it.
What is powdery mildew?
Powdery mildew is a bacterial disease of cucumbers that causes premature drying of plants. Leaves, stems, fruits can be affected. The disease is characterized by the fact that it spreads very quickly, which is why it is important to carry out prevention in a timely manner and treat already affected plants.
Powdery mildew on cucumbers in a greenhouse often appears on plants that grow near doors, near poorly glazed frames, where it is quite damp and cool. In the open field, such a disease often occurs with significant temperature fluctuations.
Powdery mildew conditions
Oftenpowdery mildew is formed on cucumbers in the greenhouse, since there are the most suitable conditions for the occurrence of various diseases and the spread of bacteria. Especially if there have been cases of infection before. Often, even after complex treatment of plants and prevention, bacteria remain in the soil and form again in the spring on plants.
In the open field, the disease occurs with frequent changes from dry days to wet and cool. Excessive application of nitrogen fertilizers to the soil can provoke the rapid spread of bacteria.
Signs of Powdery Mildew
Signs of powdery mildew on cucumbers are quite pronounced, and they allow you to accurately distinguish it from many other diseases. One of the very first and most obvious signs is the formation of a whitish coating on the leaves, covered with drops of water. In addition, white bloom can affect many other parts of the plant located near the soil, and then gradually the infection spreads over the entire surface of the plant.
During a closer inspection, severe lesions and sores can be seen. Affected leaves cease to function normally. The plant begins to get very sick, dries up and gradually dies, as the fungus takes away all the required useful components from it.
Bacteria-affected fruits become covered with cracks, where pathogenic microorganisms penetrate, provoking the process of decay.
Powdery mildew control methods
Manythey are interested in how to deal with powdery mildew on cucumbers and what methods, as well as drugs, are best used. It is very important to prevent the spread of the disease at the very beginning. At the initial stage of the formation of the fungus, plants can be saved. There are various methods of dealing with this type of fungal infection, in particular, such as:
- prevention;
- use of folk remedies;
- treatment with chemicals.
When choosing treatment methods, the period of infection is of great importance. At the initial stage, prevention is required. With a slight lesion of the plant, folk methods are used, and with extensive damage, chemical preparations are used. If the fruits are already beginning to ripen, then the use of chemicals is unacceptable.
Use of chemicals
When the very first signs of a fungal infection of a plant appear, it is important to know how to deal with powdery mildew on cucumbers. It is worth remembering that measures to eliminate bacteria must be taken immediately, otherwise it will be very difficult to destroy the harmful fungus. Before carrying out therapeutic measures, it is necessary to stop fertilizing, and it is also important to thin out the plantings, remove dry plants, cut off the affected flower stalks.
Fungicide preparations help quite well to fight this type of bacteria, in particular, such as:
- Fundazol;
- Topaz mix;
- Tilt spray liquid.
The Fitosporin preparation from powdery mildew on cucumbers has proven itself well. To treat plants with this agent, dilute 6-10 g of the drug in 10 liters of water. Among its shortcomings, one can single out the fact that it does not tolerate sunlight very well. However, it belongs to biofungicides, therefore it is safe for people and animals.
When wondering how to treat cucumbers from powdery mildew, you can use the Baktofit tool. This is a very good biofungicide that can be used to spray plants and water them under the root. To prepare the product, you need to take 20 ml of the drug and dissolve it in 10 liters of water. The only drawback of such a product is that it is washed off by precipitation or water during irrigation.
When using Topaz, you need to take 3 g of the product and dissolve it in 10 liters of water. It is worth remembering that this fungicide is forbidden to be used throughout the entire fruiting period, in addition, precautions must be taken when working with this agent.
A good result shows the tool "HOM". To use it, you need to dilute 40 g of powder in 10 liters of water. Spray the resulting solution on the beds with cucumbers. This amount of solution is enough to process 10 square meters. meters of garden area.
The frequency of treatments with these and other drugs is 1 time every 2 weeks. Chemical preparations prevent the formation of spores of the pathogen, and high air temperature enhances their effect. The protective effect of chemicals isliterally a few minutes after spraying and stored for 2 weeks after treatment. Despite the fact that treatment with biofungicides is allowed during the fruiting period, however, vegetables can be consumed after treatment no earlier than 2-3 days later.
It is worth remembering that some products can be dangerous to humans, so it is important to follow certain safety measures. It is very important to know how to deal with powdery mildew on cucumbers correctly, as this fungus develops resistance to chemicals over time, so they need to be changed periodically during processing.
Application of folk methods
Folk remedies for powdery mildew on cucumbers help prevent the spread of the disease at the very beginning of its occurrence. A good result can be obtained by using tools such as:
- soda solution;
- blue vitriol;
- horsetail decoction;
- mullein solution;
- soap solution.
You can use folk remedies both for the treatment of infected plants, and as a preventive measure. When carrying out prevention, it is necessary to spray the plants after each rain.
Using baking soda
Baking soda helps with powdery mildew on cucumbers, it has been widely used for many years, it is quite simple to prepare such a solution. To prepare the product, you need to take liquid soap and baking soda in equal proportions, 1 tsp each, and then pour all this into 5 liters of boiling water. Allmix well, refrigerate. Spray cucumbers with this solution once every 10 days. The total number of treatments largely depends on the degree of plant damage. It is best to use not ordinary soap, but tar soap, as it helps to more effectively remove fungal infection.
Using copper sulfate
Folk remedies for powdery mildew on cucumbers involve the use of copper sulfate. You need to take 5 g of copper sulfate, mix it with 50 g of soap and pour 5 liters of water. Such a remedy helps prevent the development of spores and treats an existing disease.
Mullein and whey solution
When choosing means to combat powdery mildew on cucumbers, you can use a solution of mullein. To prepare it, you need to dissolve 1 kg of fertilizer in 10 liters of water, and add another liter of water just before use.
Whey helps to cope well with the fungus. To do this, you need to dilute it with water and carry out root processing of cucumbers with this solution. After that, a film of lactic bacteria forms on the leaves, preventing the reproduction of the fungus.
Decoctions of plants
It helps to cope with the fungus decoction of horsetail. To do this, you need to take 100 g of a fresh or dried plant, pour 100 g of water for a day, then boil for 1-2 hours, strain, cool, dilute it with water in a ratio of 1:5 and spray cucumbers. You can store such a decoction for a week.
A good helper against fungusconsidered an infusion of weeds. To do this, half a bucket of grass should be filled with water and insisted for several days in a warm place.
You can also use nettle decoction, which helps to quickly and effectively deal with bacterial spores.
Using garlic
When wondering how to treat cucumbers from powdery mildew, you can use an infusion of garlic. To do this, insist a medium-sized head of garlic in water for a week at room temperature. Strain the resulting infusion, dilute 10 liters of water and spray on the plants with a spray bottle.
Other powdery mildew treatments
Pollination of leaves with sulfur helps to cope with bacterial damage. To do this, carefully crushed sulfur should be poured into gauze and pollinated in warm sunny weather. After processing, the cucumbers in the garden should be covered with a film for 2 hours. When processing in the greenhouse, you need to close all windows and doors.
A good result can be obtained by spraying cucumbers from powdery mildew with a solution of potassium permanganate. To prepare it, you need to dilute 1.5 g of potassium permanganate in 10 liters of water.
Spraying with colloidal sulfur, which must be diluted at the rate of 40 g per 10 liters of water, is also considered an effective remedy. Processing with such a tool is best done in cloudy weather.
Prophylaxis
You need to know not only how to deal with powdery mildew on cucumbers, but also how to prevent its occurrenceon plants. Among the main preventive measures, it is necessary to highlight the following:
- planting powdery mildew resistant cucumber varieties;
- pre-sowing seed treatment;
- watering with warm settled water;
- careful application of nitrogen supplements;
- careful collection and destruction of plant residues.
These reliable preventive measures will prevent powdery mildew infestation in the future. In addition, you need to provide the plants with a sufficient supply of fresh air, which is why you need to thin out seedlings in a timely manner, as well as remove old leaves that come into contact with the soil.
Water cucumbers only after the topsoil has completely dried. Watering and spraying should be done in the morning so that the plants have time to dry completely before evening.
