What is making your plant unattractive? We’re gradually getting into the hot, moist part of summer. Although we’ve had a good bit of rain this first part of the season and our grass and plants are thriving, it will soon be the season of brown grass, high humidity and parched plants. In addition to the humid atmosphere, the air is very calm with little to no breezes blowing through our gardens. When this happens, a few things can occur, especially if our plants are crowded with not much room for air to naturally circulate. The most common problem, although it rarely causes any long-term damage to most plants, is powdery mildew. You may already have noticed the dusty-looking, gray powdery substance on plants such as lilac and roses. The disease is caused by a fungus, which usually begins as a small, circular white spot. The dusty substance can be removed if you rub your fingers over the leaves. As the spots increase in size, they will cover the leaf and will eventually kill it.