Hello Gardeners, I’m Amanda McNulty with Clemson Extension and Making It Grow. In our old house we use an attic fan in the summer. That cool air is a blessing but with it comes humidity and some of my shoes are mildewed by the time fall comes. Mildews are aesthetically and economically damaging to some ornamental and vegetables crops. Powderly mildew made it hard for us to grow the native Phlox paniculatas in hotter parts of the south and the indispensable summer herb, basil has been devastated by downy mildew.. Although fungicides can control some infestations, certain resistant strains now require expensive and restricted chemicals. Fortunately, plant breeders have given us powdery mildew resistant phlox choices and Rutgers University has announced four basil varieties with resistance to the devastating downy mildew strain that has wiped out whole fields of basil. Search educational websites devoted to downy and powdery mildew for other resistant selections.
Basil and Powdery Mildew
