Pakistan Gardening Forum

I like coleus and I have dozens of them. They were doing very well till recently fungus hit them. with fungus ants also attacked them. Two very healthy coleus plants have already been damaged completely due to this problem. Pictures with fungus and ants shown below. How to get rid of it?

jdashraf wrote:I like coleus and I have dozens of them. They were doing very well till recently fungus hit them. with fungus ants also attacked them. Two very healthy coleus plants have already been damaged completely due to this problem. Pictures with fungus and ants shown below. How to get rid of it?

Those white spots are among the meanest enemies of plants called "mealy bugs". You have to spray a gentle pesticide. Use a very dilute concentration. Keep in mind that coleus is an extremely delicate plant like your balsams. If you really want to be gentle on Coleus, boil couple of garlics (whole), in water. Add few drops of soap and spray.

Mealy bug's surface is hydrophobic, which means that it repels water or water simply slips off it's surface (or pesticide etc). That's why soap is suggested so that it can wet the nasty creature.

M Farooq wrote: Those white spots are among the meanest enemies of plants called "mealy bugs". You have to spray a gentle pesticide. Use a very dilute concentration. Keep in mind that coleus is an extremely delicate plant like your balsams. If you really want to be gentle on Coleus, boil couple of garlics (whole), in water. Add few drops of soap and spray.

Mealy bug's surface is hydrophobic, which means that it repels water or water simply slips off it's surface (or pesticide etc). That's why soap is suggested so that it can wet the nasty creature.

Fraooq Sb, I have seen mealy bugs on my mango plant. This white thing on coleus plant is different, it doesn't seem to be bug or insect. Its just white powder type of thing which when touched falls down as powder not as bug. Isn't it look like fungus?

If its not a bug...then only two thing left that have some what similar looks are Powdrey Mildew & Wolly Aphids. Co relate on Web

jdashraf wrote:

M Farooq wrote: Mealy bug's surface is hydrophobic, which means that it repels water or water simply slips off it's surface (or pesticide etc). That's why soap is suggested so that it can wet the nasty creature.

Fraooq Sb, I have seen mealy bugs on my mango plant. This white thing on coleus plant is different, it doesn't seem to be bug or insect. Its just white powder type of thing which when touched falls down as powder not as bug. Isn't it look like fungus?

So it is a powder? Could it be downy mildew which is causing the plant to die so rapidly. It is another headache. The best way is to get rid of this Coleus before it spread diseases on the rest.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powdery_mildew

If you are willing to experiment, there is a trick mentioned in Wikipedia

"Milk has long been popular with home gardeners and small-scale organic growers as a treatment for powdery mildew. Milk is diluted with water (typically 1:10) and sprayed on susceptible plants at the first sign of infection, or as a preventative measure, with repeated weekly application often controlling or eliminating the disease. Studies have shown milk's effectiveness as comparable to some conventional fungicides,[11] and better than benomyl and fenarimol at higher concentrations.[12] Milk has proven effective in treating powdery mildew of summer squash,[12] pumpkins,[11] grapes,[13] and roses.[13] The exact mechanism of action is unknown, but one known effect is that ferroglobulin, a protein in whey, produces oxygen radicals when exposed to sunlight, and contact with these radicals is damaging to the fungus."

Are you willing to try?

Regards,

M Farooq wrote:
So it is a powder? Could it be downy mildew which is causing the plant to die so rapidly. It is another headache. The best way is to get rid of this Coleus before it spread diseases on the rest.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powdery_mildew

If you are willing to experiment, there is a trick mentioned in Wikipedia

"Milk has long been popular with home gardeners and small-scale organic growers as a treatment for powdery mildew. Milk is diluted with water (typically 1:10) and sprayed on susceptible plants at the first sign of infection, or as a preventative measure, with repeated weekly application often controlling or eliminating the disease. Studies have shown milk's effectiveness as comparable to some conventional fungicides,[11] and better than benomyl and fenarimol at higher concentrations.[12] Milk has proven effective in treating powdery mildew of summer squash,[12] pumpkins,[11] grapes,[13] and roses.[13] The exact mechanism of action is unknown, but one known effect is that ferroglobulin, a protein in whey, produces oxygen radicals when exposed to sunlight, and contact with these radicals is damaging to the fungus."

Are you willing to try?

Regards,

I ll give it a try and share the results.

Jd Sb, did you try milk solution,as suggested & promised? What was the result?

Javed sb i think you sprinkle your coleus thus making the foliage wet.this causes powdery mildew.avoid this practice.Coleus is very normally attacked by mildew in warmer areas.thats why if planted in open they along zinnias end up because of powdery mildew.

munir wrote:Jd Sb, did you try milk solution,as suggested & promised? What was the result?

Yes sir, I tried it and it helped on few plants whereas it didn't on others ..

UMARKHANMARDAN wrote:Javed sb i think you sprinkle your coleus thus making the foliage wet.this causes powdery mildew.avoid this practice.Coleus is very normally attacked by mildew in warmer areas.thats why if planted in open they along zinnias end up because of powdery mildew.

Yes I agree and I figured it out too as one of the reasons for its damage. my servant some times showers them from top, despite clear instructions not to do it ...