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Sat, Jul 11, 09 at 19:32
| I have a Crepe Myrtle shrub that has a 'white dust' on a lot of the leaves/branches. Is this a form of mold or what? I need advise on how to get rid of it, please. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| You have a very common fungus of Crape Myrtles called Powdery Mildew. There are several things you can do to prevent it, but once its on the leaves you can't erase the visable damage already done. All you can do is prevent a new infection. Not all Crape Myrtles are subject to PM equally. Some varieties are more susceptible then others. Aside from digging yours up and pitching it for varieties that aren't as susceptible there are cultural practices that you can do to help avoid it. One is to make sure that air circulation is at a maximum. Dry roots also can contribute to PM. Make sure you Crape Myrtle has adequate moisture. If it's under a tree or the eaves of a house even though you think you've had enough rainfall, you may still have dry roots. Next you can spray with Ortho's Rose Pride (Triforene)according to directions on the bottle when conditions in spring are ripe for infection (60-80 degrees). When the heat of summer arrives PM will not be a problem. |
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| PM can be prevented by the careful pruning of excess scrubby branches that grow inward or cross each other. In other words, your pruning should open up the interior of the plant to sunlight penetration and air circulation. Spraying the leaves every day with plain water can also prevent a bad infestation. This is best done early on before the problem is severe. Neem oil is an excellent preventative AND curative organic solution to PM and I highly recommend it. Avoid excessive top pruning (shearing and/or topping) and fertilization, both of which can encourage the weak, succulent growth that can be susceptible to PM infections. |
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- Posted by RoseStar224 7b Raleigh (My Page) on Fri, Jul 20, 12 at 19:29
| My pink crepe myrtle has had many small,thin, yellow bees hovering over it for weeks. The bush has no buds and has not bloomed and the leaves are very dark almost blackish in color. The other pink crepe near it does not have bees on it, but also does not have buds and hasn't bloomed. However the three red and one white crepe myrtles nearby are all doing very well with a lot of new growth and have many lovely blooms and no bees on them. Blooming for weeks now. Can someone tell me what's wrong with the two pink crepe myrtles and why I have some many small thin bees hovering around them all of the time and why they aren't blooming? Thanks for any help. |
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