So, in my answer to the powdery mildew question I spoke about a product that was just recently introduced to local gardeners. It is a spray made completely of all-natural soybean oil and rosemary oil. In fact, the oils are food grade, which, I suspect, is part of the reason that it works so well. My rose friends have been using this soybean/rosemary oil this spring and are ecstatic about the results. They swear that they can spray it on an infected rose and by the next morning the leaves appear to be free of mildew.
Why did this simple advice about a new product cause such a commotion? When I checked my e-mails the next day, I had dozens of questions. Phone calls were coming into local nurseries and garden centers at an alarming rate asking about the product. By 10 a.m., my receptionist was already overwhelmed by the calls and asked me what it was I had suggested. I brought her a bottle to set at her desk and the rest of the weekend she headed off the barrage of inquiries.
It seems that in last week's column I never mentioned the name of the product. Remember, I'm a gardener not a writer, as I am certain you have determined if you have read this much. This new certified-organic fungicide is called Fungus Pharm. No, that's not a misspelling.
Fungus Pharm is an all natural, 100% organic spray to be used on powdery mildew, rust, black spot and other fungal diseases on roses and other plants.
In fact, it is so different from any other fungicide that it does not even need to be registered with the state of California as a pesticide — something I have never seen happen before. It is the first and only fungicide to be certified organic by the USDA.
