Chicken bald back

[Ain't Nobody Here]

All my winter pansies have white patches on their leaves (mildew, presumably?). I've sprayed them but a quick Google makes depressing reading - it seems to be untreatable .

 

Is that right, is there nothing I can do? I have loads of plants and almost all are affected .

[Eggasperated]

Oh dear . I haven't got any advice I'm afraid but would be interested to know whether you grew them from seed or bought them in?

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Bought them from Van Meuwen. They didn't actually cost me anything as I had a £10 voucher but it's still disappointing .

[Eggasperated]

Well you've still paid for them really, and that's not the point. Have you tried contacting them in case they can help? It could be a problem with their stock.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

True, it could be. I might let them know.

 

After one spray last w/e, they are mostly looking a lot better and some are even flowering. There are still some powdery leaves but I've sprayed again and will pick the affected leaves off again. Fingers crossed there will be enough that recover.

[sjp]

Ain't "Ooops, word censored!"ody Here did they arrive with mildew or did it come on after the arrived I only ask as I've got a tray of Pansies siting in the sorting office waiting for me to collect tomorrow and I've not had Autumn plug plants of Van Meuwen before

[Ain't Nobody Here]

No, they seemed fine on arrival (but were tiny little plug plants so hard to tell!). Some are flowering now (bit of sunshine today obviously helped) but there are some that look a bit sad.

[Eggasperated]

Don't know whether you saw this on the RHS website:

 

"There is also a risk that commercially raised plants may have been treated with fungicides, which suppress the symptoms but do not kill the pathogen, resulting in the disease breaking out after purchase when the effect of these fungicides eventually wears off."

 

The RHS suggest that fungicides don't actually kill off Pansy mildews.

 

I've bought some from Hopetoun Garden Centre, I shall keep a close eye on them.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

That's interesting. I read that RHS advice but also found another site which said treating it might work - so I'm giving it a go rather than giving up!

[sjp]

I've potted my pansies up this afternoon no sign of mildew just a few yellow leaves. I just wish they wouldn't use these plug strips as I can't separate the double plants from the root plug like I could with the old style plug trays and as about 75% of the plugs were double planted that would have been a good amount of my boarders filled for free. the packaging was interesting through identical to another certain large seed company

[Valkyrie]

Botritis? Possibly they overwatered before sending to you. Nice warm conditions in the post van and ping up comes the mildew! Soapy washing up water is good for mildew treatment - will get rid of pests too.