[londongardener]

I have read that if you spray gooseberries with bicarbonate of soda and soapy water mix.  They do not get this disease.
Is this true and when and how do you do it ?  Also is really effective ?

[muntjac]

new one on me  

[richyrich7]

and me I've heard about using washing soda crystals to get rid of mildew.

[BAK]

I think that I have mentioned this before on another thread. Re richyrich7's comment we have used a washing soda and soft soap solution for years ... and it works. If you are interested the recipe is on our web site under garden recipes .. scroll down to "fungicide made with washing soda and soft soap"

http://www.sunningdaleallotments.org.uk

[WG.]

I think that I have mentioned this before on another thread. Re richyrich7's comment we have used a washing soda and soft soap solution for years ... and it works. If you are interested the recipe is on our web site under garden recipes .. scroll down to "fungicide made with washing soda and soft soap"

See http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?p=51897#51897

[Trillium]

Not all mildews are equal. The white powdery stuff actually develops because the plant went under some water deprivation long enough for the disease to develop, not because there's lack of air cirulation. Plus, some plants are naturally prone to the disease regardless of what you do. The soda and soap spray works to contain what has already developed, but recurring conditions of dryness will repeat the mildew. I permanently mulch all my plants very well and this helps control mildew outbreak in the first place. If the weather has been very dry for a long time, each plant gets a bucket of water once in the season.
As for prone plants, I had some tickseed flower plants already here that always became mildewy and spread the joy, so I pulled them all out and burned them. The problem quickly minimized.