what is this crap that looks like soap scum on my plants?

__________________
load bongs, not guns!!!!

Does it look like this?

Introduction:
Powdery mildew is a common fungal disease that can seriously damage indoor and outdoor crops. Powdery mildew can rapidly infect crops in both vegetative and flowering stages, coating leaves, stems and buds in fungus.

Powdery mildew typically thrives in cool, damp, shaded and poorly ventilated areas. Airborne spores brought into the grow room land on leaf surfaces and will germinate given favorable conditions. High night humidity levels often trigger the growth of mildew spores. Powdery mildew can attack indoor crops year round.

Powdery mildew is almost impossible to stop in late flowering, so early detection and control is essential. Perpetual harvest, dense scrog/sog systems, and damp basement grows are particularly vulnerable to powdery mildew. Note: strains vary in their susceptibility.

This FAQ focuses on indoor prevention and treatment options. Please read Bongaloid’s Powdery Mildew FAQ for more information.

Identification, Symptoms and damage:
Early signs of powdery mildew include white powder/fuzzy patches on leaves (usually low in the canopy) and a fuzzy white coating on lower stems. Note: powdery mildew can be wiped off the leaves for a quick visual check.

yea. but not nearly that much. can I just wipe it off?

__________________
load bongs, not guns!!!!

I have found that after Guttation occurs you are often left with some white residue that looks like hard water spots. Not sure if this really applies, pictures would make it much easier to diagnose your specific problem.


Guttation is the appearance of drops of xylem sap on the tips or edges of leaves of some vascular plants, such as grasses.

At night, transpiration usually does not occur because most plants have their stomata closed. When there is a high soil moisture level, water will enter plant roots, because the water potential of the roots is lower than in the soil solution. The water will accumulate in the plant creating a slight root pressure. The root pressure forces some water to exude through special leaf tip or edge structures, hydathodes, forming drops. Root pressure provides the impetus for this flow, rather than transpirational pull.
Guttation fluid may contain a variety of organic compounds, mainly sugars, and mineral nutrients, and potassium.[1] On drying, a white crust remains on the leaf surface.

If high levels of nitrogen appear in the fluid, then that is a sign of fertilizer burn. Excess nitrogen must be leached from the soil by addition of large quantities of water. This may result in water pollution, but is the best way to restore soil fertility.[2]
Guttation is not to be confused with dew, which condenses from the atmosphere onto the plant surface.

Wikipedia:
Guttation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

__________________
"It picked up some dandy-lion pollen or something from your yard and popped out a bastard seed. " --Anonymous
Current Grow(s):DP White WidowFucking Incredible

Powdery mildew occurs on many different flowers, woody ornamentals and trees including roses, snapdragons, African violets, kalanchöe, English ivy, zinnias, photinia, oak, lilac, and begonias. Several different genera of fungi cause powdery mildew. Although usually one genus specifically attacks one or two different plants, some species of powdery mildew (such as Erysiphe cichoracearum) attack a wide range of plants. All the powdery mildew fungi are obligate parasites, requiring live tissue to grow and reproduce. In greenhouses, the fungus survives by spreading from the diseased plants to the new plants of that same crop. If that crop is not grown for several weeks, the fungus dies out and diseased plants must be brought into the greenhouse to establish the fungus again. Outdoors, fungal structures form on leaves and twigs that allow the fungus to survive winter conditions.

Symptoms:

White powdery fungus grows on the upper leaf surface of the lower leaves and flower parts.
Leaves may be twisted, distorted, then wilt and die.
On some plants such as kalanchoe, infected leaves have dry, corky, scab-like spots and fungal growth is not obvious.

Conditions favoring powdery mildew:

High relative humidity at night
Low relative humidity during day
70-80 F (22-27 C) temperatures (These conditions prevail in spring and fall)
The spores are carried by air currents and germinate on the leaf surface. Liquid water on leaves inhibits spore germination. The fungus grows on the leaf surface but sends fine threads (haustoria) into the cells to obtain nutrients. From the time a spore germinates to the time new spores form may require only 48 hr. High humidity favors spore formation while low humidity favors spore dispersal.

Some powdery mildew are inhibited by free moisture on leaves while others are favored by wetness on leaf surfaces.

Managing powdery mildew in greenhouses:

When conditions are favorable for 3-6 consecutive days, heat and ventilate in late afternoon to reduce night humidity.
Antitranspirant materials such as Vapor Gard* or Wilt Pruf* applied to coat the leaf can prevent infection. In the landscape, application remains effective up to 30 days. Treat plants such as lilac on June 15, July 15, and August 15 (*Trade name).
Apply a fungicide on a regular schedule until conditions change. Be certain the crop is on the label.

Don't use any fungicide that's not approved for use on something that is consumed by humans. Many of the fungicides that treat powdery mildew are only approved for use on ornamentals.

r u jackin it around ur plants???lol jk

oh dear

__________________
speaks louder than words.
Problems on the forum? Contact me here!

I wasn't till i saw your avitar.

If ur jackin it around your plants and your blowing a "powdery" white substance, I think you need more nitrogen and water. Should this be posted in the Plant Problems section?

Im having this exact same problem. The white substance. Im growin some killer weed outside and this happened to my plant im guessin from watering it at night. Im new to this. Its only one plant but it has it pretty badly. What do I do???