In article , "Ralph D."
wrote:

Hello again.

We have lots of Monarda in large beds spread around a large garden. I have
never had trouble with the fungus, or whatever it is, that I have heard
about, until this year.

I am in the area of PA that is seeing rain *every* day since it was snow
every day and what was our most lush garden ever is now starting to turn
brown with this fungus looking stuff. It started on the Monarda, but is now
starting to spread to the coneflowers, shastas, rudbeckia, comfortplant and
more... and at an alarming rate.

The nursery has suggested something called Comdaconil (sp?) that I have
never used. I'm not that concerned about using chemicals, if that's what it
takes to stop this now (at this rate I may only have 2 or 3 days to act),
but I am concerned about it's effect on bees... will it harm them?

I have a large vegetable garden on the other side of the property that is
just now getting around to producing (as it took so long to get soil dry
enough to work) and cannot afford to lose the bees. If it is not harmful to
the bees... can I use it directly in the veggies, as I'm getting a bad
fungus situation over there, too.

In all my years of gardening, I've never dealt with this kid of persistent
rain. It is not like it is way above our usual amounts... it's just that it
is every day... the ground stays saturated constantly and I'm using boards
to walk on when I get in there (as little as possible) as this much water is
already bound to turn our heavy soil to concrete. The result is that
everything in both gardens is getting sick, and I'm almost surely going to
have to resort to chemical help.

I presume you have powdery mildew, which often does start on beebalms and
will spread to whatever nearby is susceptible.No fungicide works
particularly well for powdery mildew. Powdery mildew spoors are not highly
competitive with other microorganisms, and the trick is to improve the
population of benificial microorganisms around the plants. Fungicides have
exactly the opposite effect. Fungicide kills beneficial fungus and other
microorgaisms, without which perennials are further stressed, and stressed
monarda in particular attracts powdery mildew.

The thing to do is cut back the beebalms since nothing will "restore" the
appearance of infected leaves. As it grows back, periodically spray the
leaves and area with milk dilutedwith four or five parts water. This feeds
benificial microorganisms that out-compete mildew and even feed on mildew,
and it changes the pH conditions so that mildew cannot flare up again. Use
the milk-spray on everything infected, and when cutting back infected
plants, carefully discard (not by composting) infected leaves by burning
or wrapping in plastic and putting in trash. Keep the areas of infection
"airy" and thinned until the problem is under control.

All past recommendations for controlling powdery mildew were swept away
first by Brazillian studies, then by confirming studies Cornell and the
University of University of Adelaide. The milk treatment is not only an
"organic" method which assists rather than kills beneficial
microorganisms, the effectiveness is VASTLY greater than sulfer,
horticultural oil, or fungicides. Garden product vendors can't just sell
you a bottle of milk, however, and are unfortunately too much invested
sell you a harmful and ineffective chemicals, and are not apt ever to put
up signs & advice that says "Don't waste your money on the harmful
ineffectual chemicals we are selling," & won't want you to know how often
the organic method is also the more effective method.

If you're experiencng some other kind of fungus, however, dilute milk is
not effective on anything other than powdery mildew.

-paghat the ratgirl

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/