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Garden
Q&A: Wage mildew battle before attacks begin
Some helpful hints
By Times Staff
Published July 16, 2005
Q. Could you provide some tips on mildew prevention for old-fashioned zinnias?
A. Prevention is crucial. Once mildew strikes, it is almost incurable.
Start by ensuring good air circulation. Space vulnerable varieties of zinnias, coreopsis, phlox and other mildew-prone plants well apart. If growth is dense, thin by removing some stems at the base.
Next, spray early and often with mildew preventive. Choose a commercial product that contains sulfur, or mix one tablespoon each of baking soda and lightweight horticultural oil in a gallon of water.
Treat everything, including the undersides of the leaves. Repeat every 10 days or so and after every rain.
If this sounds like too much work, consider mildew-resistant varieties. Choices are limited and resistant does not mean immune, but these plants are an easy solution.
Let there be more light
Q. We moved into a new home 21/2 years ago and planted a garden on the side, facing east. Although the garden gets some morning sun, nothing seems to flower here. We tried viburnum and astilbes. Is this a soil issue or not enough sun?
A. It may be a lack of light. Viburnum and astilbe will bloom if they have very light shade all day or at least a few hours of intense light. If there are trees to the south and east of where you have planted them, the plants may not be getting the full intensity of light that they need at the brightest period of their day.
Remove causes of slick bricks
Q. Thick green moss growing in our shaded brick walk gets very slippery when wet. We want to get rid of it, but chlorine bleach and commercial moss killers bleach the brick. Wire brushing removes it, but it comes right back as soon as there is a rainy period. What can we do?
A. The slipperiness and speedy return suggest that you have algae, not moss. The usual cause is inadequate drainage, often compounded by fertilizer runoff. It will return until you solve those underlying conditions. For short-term relief, try scrubbing with oxygen bleach, which is less likely to affect brick color.
Plants get special assignment
Q. What plants might be suitable for use around an air-conditioning unit?
A. In this case, the plants' needs are secondary to the air conditioner's. The unit must have good air flow to be able to dissipate the heat efficiently from its metal fins. Maintain an 18-inch space around all sides of the unit. This means not planting anything closer than 3 feet; avoid plants that widen too much as they mature.
If your unit is exposed to direct sunlight for most of the day, you can improve its efficiency by providing it with shade. This can be done with a small tree or large shrub placed on the northwest side of the unit, but plant it far enough away that its spreading branches won't interfere with air flow. The unit can be screened, as well.
[Last modified July 15, 2005, 09:10:05]
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