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How do you avoid powdery mildew?

I haven't had a problem with powdery mildew (yet)....[knocking on wood]. My biggest problem is the deer.

Surrounded by miles and miles of houses and roads, deer are not a problem for me. Hard to believe when we first bought this house cows and horses still grazed at the end of the street. Now all you can see in any direction are miles and miles of houses and roads. The wildlife pestering my little garden are squirrels and birds.

This morning I will be spraying for powdery mildew which has attacked my threeYamato Sanjaku cucumber plants. They are in an earthbox. In the earthbox next to them are three truly prolific Baby Cucina cucumber plants which are not infected. Directly across from them at the edge of my ground garden are two more earthboxes. One has three Sooyow Nishiki cucumber plants and the other has three Suyo Long cucumber plants. Off by itself is a 15-gallon pot are four sprawling Spacemaster plants. Along the patio are twelve Diva cucumber plants. Thus far, only the Yamato Sanjaku plants are infected. Go figure.

I'm going to try Daconil which is supposed to be a broad spectrum fungicide. Will let you know how it works out for me.

Thus far, the only difference between the plants is the Yamato Sanjakus get a bit less sun. Maybe the variety, the shade or both have something to do with the infection.

BTW, my Baby Cucino, Suyo Long, and Spacemasters have been producing for three weeks now. Baby Cucino seeds are expensive (ten seeds for nearly $5) but plants are so prolific and cukes so tasty the price is worth it. Suyo Long cukes will produce thick fruit to about two feet. I've been picking them early but now that the fridge is full have let them continue to grow on the vine. Last year I picked some which were well over two feet and still very tasty. Spacemasters produce thick, eight inch cukes. The skin does have a slightly bitter taste. The Yamato Sanjaku, Sooyow Nishiki, and Diva's are just now starting to produce fruit. First year to grow them.