Karen Delahaut, Walt Stevenson
Revised:  10/24/2011
Item number:  A3805

Powdery mildew is a foliar disease that occurs late in the season on cucumbers, gourds, muskmelons, pumpkins, and squash. It is less common on watermelon. On susceptible crops, this disease is often severe enough to significantly reduce yields by reducing the number and size of fruit. The quality of the fruit can also be indirectly affected by powdery mildew due to increased risk of sunscald, incomplete ripening, poor flavor of crops such as melon, and reduced storage life of pumpkins and winter squash.

Find out how to spot, prevent, and control powdery mildew in your garden by reading this helpful fact sheet.