Maybe what I need is a insect friendly recipe for powedery mildew? I'm
loosing my squash and pumpkin plants because it's so bad.

I had that on my zinnias when I lived in South Carolina. I sprayed
them with a half-and-half mixture of water and 2% milk, no kidding. It
worked very well - I sprayed again after each heavy rain, and presto.

Hope that helps.