Question
Hi, I seem to have a general problem with fungus. I have a semi-shade garden that gets various types of fungus throughout the summer. The lilacs have powdery mildew. The roses have back spot. The impatiens have yellowing leaves with black spots and there are a few alien-looking mushroom things growing in places. I spot spray with fungicides and pick and rake diseased leaves. I've removed a lot of old mulch and replaced it. Can you give me some advice? I need a life!

Answer
When you spray the plants completely spray all the foliage with a fungicide. Completely cover the foliage, including the upper and lower leaf surfaces, with the spray. This will take care of the powdery mildew and spots on the roses and impatiens. The mushrooms growing in the mulch is normal--these are decay fungi and are breaking down the mulch. These fungi will not effect the plants so there is no need to treat them. They are considered as good fungi. Here is a list of fungicides that work on powdery mildew and leaf spots. I would spray every ten days or so until you do not see any new signs of the powdery mildew or new spots.

Fungicides for control of powdery mildew:
   Banner MAXX? Immunex?
   Benomyl? Benlate
   Folpet? Phaltan
   Bayleton? Strike?Triadimefon
   Funginex? Triforine
   Triact? Rose Defense? Neem oil
   Pipron?
   Phyton 27? copper sulfate
   Rubigan AS?
   Cooke's?wettable, Safer?Garden Fungicide, Microthiol Special?Sulfur