I use Neem oil for this and blackspot, but to me they are about both the
same: once they get to growing in your bark mulch, they never go away.

That means (from my point of view) it isn't like fighting aphids or spider
mites: one good shot and they are gone.

Rather, one good shot and the stuff on the leaves starts dying back. Then,
one good rain and spores are bounced up and around all over the place and
the cycle begins again.

So I got a small, easy to use hand-pump sprayer from Wal-Mart and I mix half
a gallon at a time and spray every weekend for 3-4 weeks. Neem's kinda
smelly but so are the commercial mixtures. I think any organic solution will
be similar, baking soda or otherwise: spray it every weekend and get you a
cheap sprayer so it really isn't much work.

Might be like aphids and oil: it isn't the Neem that kills aphids, it is the
oil drowning them, so about any oil is as good as any other oil. That
article posted mentioned mixing with horticultural oil -- probably vegetable
oil from your kitchen will work just as good at smothering the spores and
helping to hold the baking soda to the leaves for a bit more time.

hth,
John
in Houston

"Chris" wrote in message
news

"Dewitt" wrote in message
...


I'm still ****ed off at the gardener who chose NOT to put in a mold
resistant variety.


Unless you are prepared to deal with it every year, consider replacing
it with a powdery mildew resistant variety.

deg

I wish this was an option - this tree was one of the most expensive trees
I
bought from my garden designer. Like I said, I'm still very ticked off
that
my "professional" didn't choose one of the many resistant varieties.

Thank you to the many suggestions. I'll try the bicarbonate solution
next.
The tree is still getting worse as days pass.
Chris