What can I do about powdery mildew? Last year here in Lansing Michigan, I lost about 80% of my harvest to PM. This year I want to pre-condition my plot in any way I can. Is sulfur a good choice? Will it kill PM? Will it contaminate my grow when it arrives? How about spraying with chlorine solution. It’s mid March and I can get at the earth now, before it is covered in growth of native vegetation along the fence rows and adjacent areas so it seems like a good time to sterilize the growing area. Once established, baking soda does not help or hydrogen peroxide or pruning or Banish or anything else I have tried.
Is PM a topical infestation only or systemic? Is it from cutting clones with non sterile tools or airborne in a non sterile environment.
People have been using cannabis long before their were clean grow rooms so their must have been using contaminated product. What are the health hazards of smoking PM contaminated bud?
I am having a hard time getting any information about this problem. If you have any resources please let me know. This is Larry Shea
I did not realize that my handle would be, “growersnetwork” when I opened this account. I am a newbie in Lansing and I grow outdoors in my back yard. Last year was my first and I had some really great plants. I used the Flora-Gro, Bloom and Micro and my plants were amazing till about August when the problem started to show.
Welcome to the network Larry! The real growers will surely come soon to help you out. In the meantime, if you want to change your avatar’s name, I believe @chrisj can help you with that…
Hi and welcome Larry. I think it would be a good idea to change your nic on here. Click here to change your username. Shout if you need further help.
Check this link for more info about powdery mildew.
Because you have had issues in the past I would really consider disinfecting your whole setup, fans, walls, floorboards, else it will continue repeating itself. Once you have disinfected, do it again. Maybe its your environment, Michingan has high humidity?
Some things to consider for future:
Look for strains that are less prone to powdery mildew in future.
Improve your airflow.
Look at water feeding on the soil only and not by spraying the leaves.
Dusting sulpher might be a good option for you now.
Smoking PM, I have done it, not the end of the world, but could cause lung infection problems down the line.
Is PM a topical infestation only or systemic? Is it from cutting clones with non sterile tools or airborne in a non sterile environment.
Its systemic and caused via airborne fungi. If your tools or hands are contaminted it will spread alot faster.
Well I am on the march to defeat PM in my lifetime. I will have to hurry since I am 75 this year so not a whole lot of harvests left. My plot is my outer back yard and measures 60 by 110 and has always been mowed closely. I have raked and cleared any leaves and debris along the fences and weed waked the growth along the fence rows. Everything will be disposed of on the burn pile. I have applied the first application of
I have secured some “Amnesia Haze” and my further research has revealed the cause of the mildew that resides in the center core of the large buds is the moisture that can not dry out after a rain or overnight dew. The moisture saturates the bud and the bud stays wet. Wet buds are a great place for mold to grow. Peel the bud open like separating the kernels of corn on a cob and down at the center stem of the bud, the mold is growing unobserved and hidden.
The cure, keep the rain off of the buds. In order to give the plants all the time it needs to mature the plant will be subject to many rain events and preventing moisture entering the buds is nearly impossible. with a normal outdoor grow, especially in more humid areas. The normal humidity here in the forests of central lower Michigan is always about 60% or higher. A great climate for mold.
I have decided to erect a rain shelter over my plants this year to keep my buds dry. It has a clear “Farm Plastic” cover over the hoop trusses I have constructed. I am looking to get large plants again this year so the top of the trusses is 12 foot high. I will publish the video on YouTube to show the construction and publish it when done.
Sounds like you’ve done your homework and alot of work to get your grow area ready @oldcaron66. Hope you post some pics here too with your progress on your grow this year. Good luck my friend!
