Usually the care of horned violets is minimal. These perennials do not require much attention and thrive without any time-consuming effort. But every now and then an infestation of powdery mildew can occur.
How do I recognize and prevent powdery mildew on horned violets?
You can recognize powdery mildew on horned violets by a whitish coating on leaves and flowers. You can prevent the infestation by placing the plants in an airy location, not watering them too much, ensuring good water drainage, not over-fertilizing and maintaining a planting distance of at least 10 cm.
Identifying and preventing powdery mildew on horned violets
You can recognize powdery mildew by a whitish coating on the leaves and flowers. These are the fungal spores. It doesn't take long for the stems and buds to become affected. If you don't act, you risk the plant 'infecting' surrounding plants.
Prevention makes sense when it comes to powdery mildew:
- plant in an airy location
- don’t water too much
- Make sure water drains well
- do not over-fertilize
- Maintain a planting distance of at least 10 cm, preferably 20 cm
Tips & Tricks
It is only worth fighting mildew for valuable varieties. You can do this using a garlic, onion or horsetail decoction. Spray the plant with it and at the same time cut off parts of the plant that are already infected.