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Powdery Mildew...on Salvia Mainacht??

NollieNollie Posts: 7,006
in Plants
And these started off so well, but are now looking sickly. As planting out time is now here I’m wondering whether I should, or whether to put them into quarantine and nurse them back, somehow. The leaves started fading and browning (have picked a lot of brown dead leaves off already) and now they have a white powdery residue on them. Is this PM or something else? They were potted on into a gritty compost, grown on in the diffuse light of my poly, had plenty of air circulation and weren’t over-watered, but did arrive with a lot of moss and green jelly-like algae around the crowns. 

@Pete.8 I know you grow and love these, is this just the way the foliage looks?

Any advice folks?


Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.

Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 10,239
    edited May 2019
    Hi Nollie - apart from the 1st pic, they look ok to me.

    Mine did suffer in the drought last year, but recovered well when we got rain in Sept.
    Here's how mine are looking on this dull, chilly May Bank holiday-


    PS - mine did have bad PM last year, but quickly shrugged it off when it cooled down and we got some rain last year.
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • LynLyn Posts: 21,864
    I grow a lot of salvia from seeds and often see that bloom,  I find they just grow out of it and I can cut if the bottom leaves when they grow up a bit. 
    I think yours would be ok if you can split them up, they grow into quite big plants. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,006
    Oh Ok, thats reassuring, thanks @Pete.8 and @Lyn. I have a lot of salvias but hadn’t seen that before... a lot of the leaves seem to be curling and distorting (some of the others are starting to look more like Pic 1). I was planning on planting them in front of roses, would the PM spread to those or other plants? Would that be ok do you think? I could slot them into a herb bed instead, which is currently looking a bit sparse, if that would be better. Sorry for all the questions!
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 10,239
    The spores of PM are everywhere. When there a weakness in a plant, PM can infect the plant.
    I don't think that PM on your salvias will transfer to the roses as such, but if conditions are good for PM your roses may become infected regardless of where you plant your salvias
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • LynLyn Posts: 21,864
    I think they just need planting out Nollie.
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • edhelkaedhelka Posts: 2,307
    Is it possible that your growhouse is a bit too humid for them, even with good air circulation?
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 10,239
    Lyn said:
    I think they just need planting out Nollie.
    I agree
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,006
    OK folks you have convinced me, they are going out! Having never had PM in my garden I am probably being a tad over cautious, but they are going in the herb bed away from the roses, just in case...

    I’m pretty sure the spores came with these plants - new nursery supplier, who also supplied my Penstemon Raven which still aren’t exactly thriving, 2 of the latter are now confirmed as definitely dead sticks with rotted crowns. All other plants from my usual nursery are healthy and bombing away...

    Hi Edelka, no I don’t think it got too humid in there, doors and windows opened daily plus plenty of natural flow (holes) in the poly plastic!

    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • LynLyn Posts: 21,864
    edited May 2019
    Just cut the grey leaves off, they’ll soon grow some more. 
    Edit to add.... don’t put the leaves in the compost bin just in case, best in the dustbin. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,006
    Great thanks Lyn, will tidy them up and dispose of leaves in bin. Thank goodness for you, Pete and the rest of the forum folks. The first article I read said dispose of all infected plants immediately! I can see the look of horror on your face as you read that  :D
    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
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