All That Rot

The peas are getting ready to flower. I noticed a couple of the leaves had spots on them and a couple have wilted and fallen off. Closer inspection revealed what I expected, mildew again. So the less humid fall wasn't a complete answer to the mildew problem, but maybe it will at least help. I made an anti-mildew solution from a recipe I found on About.com and sprayed it on everything that was having a mildew problem. I also read that adding a little cornmeal to the soil can help with fungal problems so I'm going to try that next year in the soil for the fungus prone plants.

I have successfully rehabilitated the hybiscus plant I "rescued." It is just about to start blooming again. That will be a nice reward before it goes dormant for the winter. I'm not sure if I need to take it in. I don't think I will, I think I'll just keep it sheltered on the patio.

Notes to Self

But you can read them too. Some plans in no particular order.

1. Whitefly and aphid prevention: get and release ladybugs at the beginning of July, have insecticidal soap (try to make your own this time around) on hand for when they've all gone away to take care of whatever whiteflies manage to stick around. I have a feeling they will. There are other helpful bugs, small wasps I think, that you can encourage to come live by your plants, they just need homes. Small hollow bamboo sticks and holes drilled into a block of wood (or buy them on Etsy) are supposed to work. Don't forget to frequently check UNDER the leaves of all the plants througout the month of June. Don't forget that the whitefly infestation started on the peppermint. Also remember that the infestation got worse when the plants were wilted, so keep them watered.
2. Mildew prevention: get a recipe for a baking soda solution and spray that on the mildew-prone plants (nasturtiums and peas especially) as soon as it starts to get humid. Also, be sure to keep these plants dry, keep a close eye on them and immediately prune any leaves that become infected. You can't wait and see!
3. Chamomile: it was ugly (aside from the flowers) and messy and aphid prone. Follow the aphid prevention plan. Also, this time plant a bunch in one pot and keep it well pruned. Hopefully this will prevent the scraggly look and increase yield. If that doesn't help, switch to Roman chamomile the following year and try again.
4. Find out what the heck went wrong with the nasturtiums. Maybe I need to read something about them.

I will have a winter garden this year. I know that pansies are, by some miracle, winter hardy. I'm sure there are plenty other plants that are as well that would be suitable for a temporary winter garden. I need to figure out what those are, where to get them, and how best to arrange them. Ideally the only costs I should incur would be for the price of the plants. I'll use my existing pots once they are cleared of their annuals. The soil I have left over should be plenty for my purposes. A small space heater would be great too. This year I want the patio to be a place to go for fresh air during the winter instead of a graveyard for dead plants and stuff we aren't using.