How to remove powdery mildew.
If you've ever noticed a small patch, or network of patches, of white powder on your salvia leaves, chances are you have powdery mildew. This is a non-lethal fungal infection by many organisms of the Eryisphales taxonomic order, but it should be treated quickly, as it's highly preventable (infact, I was trying to grow a culture and infect a plant for this article, but good plant hygiene in general totally prevented me from doing so!).
Luckily, this is a simple fungus, which is easily destroyed by a multitude of household chemicals! Some common remedies include (in order of efficacy, from best to worse):
- A topical swab of 3% hydrogen peroxide (the common solution found in stores, no need to dilute).
- A topical swab of 50% Isopropanol (Isopropyl alcohol) or "denatured ethanol rubbing alcohol". Most stores sell 70%, 91% or 99%, and will need to be diluted accordingly.
- You may add a teaspoon of regular household bleach (sodium hypochoride or hypochorite bleach, no "organic" bleaches please!) to a cup of water, and apply twice in 12 hours.
- A 3% solution of cleaning ammonia (although I don't recommend this since most ammonia products contain other harsh chemicals). This isn't as effective as the above remedies.
- A 3% solution of hydrochloric (Muriatic) acid (Careful mixing this!), sodium hydroxide (lye, also, be VERY careful!) or Sulfuric (battery) acid. These are even less effective as the above remedies
Whichever solution you choose, please clean the afflicted area with a swab and spray of distilled water, so the chemical can't damage the plant's tissues. This should be done approximately 20-30 seconds after the initial application of the fungicide.
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