Without additional details, it is difficult to say what may be wrong with your peonies. The American Peony Society has information on different diseases that can affect peony plants. What you describe sounds somewhat like peony leaf blotch or measles, as shown in Iowa State University's Plant Pathology webpage on peony diseases. Here is an excerpt:
"Peony leaf blotch is also known as measles or stem spot. Warm, humid weather provides optimal conditions for infection by the causal fungus, Cladosporium paeoniae.
The leaf spots are glossy and purplish-brown on the upper sides of leaves. On the lower sides, spots are chestnut-brown. Infection is generally more pronounced at the margins of outer leaves. Leaves may become slightly distorted as they continue growing.
Fungal infections on young stems first appear as elongated, reddish-brown streaks. As plant growth continues, infected tissue near the crown may darken and become depressed. Stems on the upper portion of the plant may show individual, raised spots. To manage peony leaf blotch, cut the stems at ground level in the fall or early spring. Rake the area before new shoots appear. Fungicides are available to help control the disease, but must be used in combination with other management practices. Also, providing good air circulation and avoiding wetting the leaves when watering can help reduce disease severity."

There are other possibilities, including peony blight, also known as Botrytis blight. The Royal Horticultural Society discusses this problem:
"Peonies collapse at soil level and the stem bases are covered in grey mould. In a severe attack the leaves are also affected and the plant may be killed or so badly weakened it fails to sprout again next spring. Infections also occur frequently behind the flower buds just before they open.
This is a disease that affects both herbaceous and tree peonies. It is caused by a fungus (Botrytis paeoniae) related to grey mould (Botrytis cinerea), which may also attack peonies in a similar way.
Wilt is encouraged by high humidity which builds up around dense clumps of peonies. Increase the circulation of air by thinning out overcrowded shoots. Also avoid over-feeding, especially with nitrogen-rich fertilisers, which encourages lush, disease-prone growth.
Cut out all infected stems well below soil level, as soon as you notice them. Don't put infected material in the compost bin but burn it or put it in the dustbin, preferably in a sealed bag. If whole plants are badly affected lift and destroy them in their entirety along with the soil surrounding the roots. This total destruction is essential as the fungus can produce black resting bodies (sclerotia), which survive for long periods in the soil ready to re-infect new peonies.
There are no fungicides available to amateur gardeners at present."

I recommend taking plant samples to your local county extension agent for diagnosis.

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Date 2008-01-10
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The main thing you will need to do is destroy all the foliage affected by the mildew. The mildew can survive the winter on infected foliage, and then spread to new foliage.

Powdery mildew thrives where plants are crowded and there isn't enough air circulation, so give your plants space, a sunny site, and try watering in the morning, and watering from beneath the plants (not over the leaves) so they are able to dry off during the course of the day. As you indicated, too little water can also be a problem.

Here are two websites with additional information:
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7493.html
http://plant-disease.ippc.orst.edu/plant_index.cfm
On the second site, search for dahlia. Then click on powdery mildew.

I did not come across any information specifically saying that powdery mildew will affect bulbs or tubers. I spoke to an experienced dahlia and begonia grower here who said that it should be all right to store and replant your tubers, as long as you thoroughly get rid of all the diseased foliage aboveground.

Colorado State University Cooperative Extension has some information about powdery mildew, including preventative measures and a recipe for making your own baking soda fungicide.

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Date 2008-01-10
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The information I was able to find about thyme oil as a treatment for Taphrina came from an application to the U.S. Patents Office, so I cannot speak for its efficacy. I did find a reference to thyme oil as an organic-acceptable insecticide, and I also found an instance of thyme oil being used on Botrytis.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service offers research on the use of plant essential oils in postharvest disease control,too.My impression is that the efficacy of these plant-based oils is still being studied and evaluated.

I also found information on managing peach leaf curl (Taphrina deformans) from the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service which suggests using lime sulfur, acceptable by U.S. organic standards, though European standards may differ. Below is a more substantial excerpt:

The City of Seattle's Integrated Pest Management Solutions pages for landscpaing professionals also suggests methods of prevention and control. Damage may be reduced by sheltering the tree from winter and early spring wet. If only a few leaves are affected, they may be removed by hand. Peach leaf curl does not usually kill the tree, though fruit yield will be reduced. This resource also mentions using copper fungicides and lime sulfur when the tree is dormant.

The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station has a factsheet on disease control for home peach orchards, including preventive steps to take.

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Date 2008-04-30
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According to The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control (edited by Barbara Ellis; Rodale Press, 1996), there are several steps to dealing with black spot on your roses. First, avoid wetting the leaves, and do not handle the plants when foliage is wet. Prune the plants to make sure there is good air circulation. Make sure the roses are in sun, and are not shaded by large shrubs or trees. Avoid using high-nitrogen fertilizers, and only fertilize based on a soil test's indications. If you expect an appearance of black spot (based on past experience), spray plants weekly with sulfur or fungicidal soap. Once you see symptoms, it is hard to control black spot. Remove and dispose of any affected parts of the plant (don't compost). Make a solution of 1 teaspoon baking soda in a quart of water, and spray the infected plants well.

University of California, Davis's Integrated Pest Management website says the following about black spot (Diplocarpon rosae):

The fungus requires free water to reproduce and grow, so leaves should not be allowed to remain wet for more than 7 hours. (When hosing off aphids, do it in the morning so leaves have a chance to dry by midday.) Provide good air circulation around bushes. Remove fallen leaves and other infested material and prune out infected stems during the dormant season. (...) Miniature roses are more susceptible than other types, although a few varieties are reliably resistant to all strains of black spot.(...) A combination of sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate plus horticultural oil (as discussed above under "Powdery mildew") or neem oil has also been shown to be effective in reducing black spot.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden has information on natural disease control, including the following:

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is non-toxic, readily available, and very inexpensive. It can be effective against powdery mildew and somewhat useful against black spot. If you repeatedly spray leaves with bicarbonate, though, it will eventually reach the soil below, where it can accumulate and lead to slower plant growth. Bicarbonate can form insoluble particles with calcium and magnesium ions when it concentrates in the soil, making these important nutrients unavailable to plants. High levels can also prevent plants from absorbing iron and can lead to chlorosis.

Bicarbonate is most likely to build to damaging levels in drought-stressed areas where there is little rain to flush it away. It is also likely to build up when applied in a small area, and when used in conjunction with drip-type irrigation. Garden situations are so complex that it is hard to predict the point at which you will see adverse effects. Stop applying bicarbonate sprays, however, at the first sign of plant damage or lower quality blooms.

About the practice of using banana peels to control black spot on roses, I found the following item on Gardening Folklore from Ohio State University Extension, which suggests the peels might be a good fertilizer, but does not say they will control the fungal problem.
Excerpt:

Placing several banana peels in the planting hole was popular among rose growers in the 18th century, but they had no idea why the peels seemed to yield healthier roses. Today, we know that banana peels contained many useful nutrients, including calcium, magnesium, sulfur, phosphates and sodium. The peels rot quickly which means these nutrients are readily available to the plant.

Some sources recommend using compost tea or milk sprays on black spot-affected leaves, but Washington State University Horticulture Professor Linda Chalker-Scott debunks these methods as ineffective. She also states in an article in Master Gardener magazine (Spring 2009) that baking soda sprays may only be of limited efficacy in combatting black spot. Studies have shown that it works better when combined with horticultural oil.

To sum up, I would pay attention to the cultural practices (not wetting the leaves, etc.). You can try a baking soda spray (always test on a small area of the plant first), but it may not have lasting power as a treatment. Prof. Chalker-Scott mentions that coarse organic mulch (such as wood chips) reduces incidence of black spot, so you may want to adopt this mulching practice.

Season All Season
Date 2008-05-03
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