I like to grow catnip for my cats. I bought 3 seedlings at a local nursery and transplanted them into a clean 3 gallon plastic
container, containing Premier pro-mix potting and seeding soil, and put it outside in the sun..
After about 2 months it was completely overgrown and began to develop a problem. The bottom leaves began to turn a blotchy white
color. I thought it might be a fungus because it was so overgrown and no air could get to the bottom leaves. I thinned out the lower
half of the plants, but the problem continued, and has all but destroyed all of the leaves.
In the meantime I planted some seeds that I had harvested from the plant and put them in a smaller pot. When they began growing I
made sure that they stayed thinned out and had no leaves touching the soil. The same thing is happening to these plants, too.
Any idea what the problem might be?

Some plants grow better clumped together. Perhaps theese are social plants.

"five of four" wrote in message
...
I like to grow catnip for my cats. I bought 3 seedlings at a local nursery
and transplanted them into a clean 3 gallon plastic
container, containing Premier pro-mix potting and seeding soil, and put it
outside in the sun..
After about 2 months it was completely overgrown and began to develop a
problem. The bottom leaves began to turn a blotchy white
color. I thought it might be a fungus because it was so overgrown and no
air could get to the bottom leaves. I thinned out the lower
half of the plants, but the problem continued, and has all but destroyed
all of the leaves.
In the meantime I planted some seeds that I had harvested from the plant
and put them in a smaller pot. When they began growing I
made sure that they stayed thinned out and had no leaves touching the
soil. The same thing is happening to these plants, too.
Any idea what the problem might be?

If so, it would appear that they have contracted a social disease.

"Frank Martin" wrote in message ...
Some plants grow better clumped together. Perhaps theese are social plants.

"five of four" wrote in message
...
I like to grow catnip for my cats. I bought 3 seedlings at a local nursery
and transplanted them into a clean 3 gallon plastic
container, containing Premier pro-mix potting and seeding soil, and put it
outside in the sun..
After about 2 months it was completely overgrown and began to develop a
problem. The bottom leaves began to turn a blotchy white
color. I thought it might be a fungus because it was so overgrown and no
air could get to the bottom leaves. I thinned out the lower
half of the plants, but the problem continued, and has all but destroyed
all of the leaves.
In the meantime I planted some seeds that I had harvested from the plant
and put them in a smaller pot. When they began growing I
made sure that they stayed thinned out and had no leaves touching the
soil. The same thing is happening to these plants, too.
Any idea what the problem might be?

In article ,
five of four wrote:
I like to grow catnip for my cats. I bought 3 seedlings at a local nursery
and transplanted them into a clean 3 gallon plastic
container, containing Premier pro-mix potting and seeding soil, and put it
outside in the sun..
After about 2 months it was completely overgrown and began to develop a
problem. The bottom leaves began to turn a blotchy white
color. I thought it might be a fungus because it was so overgrown and no
air could get to the bottom leaves. I thinned out the lower
half of the plants, but the problem continued, and has all but destroyed all
of the leaves.
In the meantime I planted some seeds that I had harvested from the plant and
put them in a smaller pot. When they began growing I
made sure that they stayed thinned out and had no leaves touching the soil.
The same thing is happening to these plants, too.
Any idea what the problem might be?

It may be powdery mildew. Unlike many fungal diseases, it doesn't
require much moisture or humidity to spread, and it can really take
over by late summer. I wouldn't recommend fungicides for something
your cats are going to eat. Since you have only a few pots to protect,
you might consider examining them carefully early in the summer and
trying to remove all leaves that show infection, since it will spread
rapidly from leaf to leaf in a plant. The spores are wind-borne so
sanitation may not be very effective.

IIRC, a few years ago some university lab (at Cornell?) came up with a
non-toxic preventive spray containing baking soda, vegetable oil and a
small amount of dish detergent in water. It isn't effective once the
leaves are infected, but it prevented most spores from germinating when
applied frequently. This might be practical for potted plants, but get
the correct recipe since it could damage leaves if it's too strong.

Thanks Beverly,
I'll check it out.

"Beverly Erlebacher" wrote in message . ..
In article ,
five of four wrote:
I like to grow catnip for my cats. I bought 3 seedlings at a local nursery
and transplanted them into a clean 3 gallon plastic
container, containing Premier pro-mix potting and seeding soil, and put it
outside in the sun..
After about 2 months it was completely overgrown and began to develop a
problem. The bottom leaves began to turn a blotchy white
color. I thought it might be a fungus because it was so overgrown and no
air could get to the bottom leaves. I thinned out the lower
half of the plants, but the problem continued, and has all but destroyed all
of the leaves.
In the meantime I planted some seeds that I had harvested from the plant and
put them in a smaller pot. When they began growing I
made sure that they stayed thinned out and had no leaves touching the soil.
The same thing is happening to these plants, too.
Any idea what the problem might be?

It may be powdery mildew. Unlike many fungal diseases, it doesn't
require much moisture or humidity to spread, and it can really take
over by late summer. I wouldn't recommend fungicides for something
your cats are going to eat. Since you have only a few pots to protect,
you might consider examining them carefully early in the summer and
trying to remove all leaves that show infection, since it will spread
rapidly from leaf to leaf in a plant. The spores are wind-borne so
sanitation may not be very effective.

IIRC, a few years ago some university lab (at Cornell?) came up with a
non-toxic preventive spray containing baking soda, vegetable oil and a
small amount of dish detergent in water. It isn't effective once the
leaves are infected, but it prevented most spores from germinating when
applied frequently. This might be practical for potted plants, but get
the correct recipe since it could damage leaves if it's too strong.

On 15 Sep 2003 14:38:04 GMT, (Beverly Erlebacher)
wrote:

In article ,
five of four wrote:
I like to grow catnip for my cats. I bought 3 seedlings at a local nursery
and transplanted them into a clean 3 gallon plastic
container, containing Premier pro-mix potting and seeding soil, and put it
outside in the sun..
After about 2 months it was completely overgrown and began to develop a
problem. The bottom leaves began to turn a blotchy white
color. I thought it might be a fungus because it was so overgrown and no
air could get to the bottom leaves. I thinned out the lower
half of the plants, but the problem continued, and has all but destroyed all
of the leaves.
In the meantime I planted some seeds that I had harvested from the plant and
put them in a smaller pot. When they began growing I
made sure that they stayed thinned out and had no leaves touching the soil.
The same thing is happening to these plants, too.
Any idea what the problem might be?

It may be powdery mildew. Unlike many fungal diseases, it doesn't
require much moisture or humidity to spread, and it can really take
over by late summer. I wouldn't recommend fungicides for something
your cats are going to eat. Since you have only a few pots to protect,
you might consider examining them carefully early in the summer and
trying to remove all leaves that show infection, since it will spread
rapidly from leaf to leaf in a plant. The spores are wind-borne so
sanitation may not be very effective.

IIRC, a few years ago some university lab (at Cornell?) came up with a
non-toxic preventive spray containing baking soda, vegetable oil and a
small amount of dish detergent in water. It isn't effective once the
leaves are infected, but it prevented most spores from germinating when
applied frequently. This might be practical for potted plants, but get
the correct recipe since it could damage leaves if it's too strong.

I have had luck with Eucalyptus Dr. Bronners diluted to about 10 to 1