The plant needs help. pests and diseases of pelargonium

The most basic ailments

Most often, geraniums are prone to various ailments due to poor care. The most common diseases of pelargonium are as follows:

• Etiolation. With a lack of light, the trunk of the plant stretches and deforms, and the leaves become smaller and lose their former color. To cure a flower, it must be placed on the sunny side, and in winter it must be provided with artificial lighting.

• Eden. Occurs when the soil is waterlogged. Geraniums absorb water, but do not have time to evaporate excess. For treatment, it is recommended to dry the soil and reduce the number of watering. For the prevention of edema, the plant should be provided with card drainage and the room should be regularly ventilated.
• Chlorosis. When the color of the leaves changes and their growth slows down, the plant becomes infected with chlorosis. Chlorosis occurs when there is a lack of iron. Similar symptoms can be observed with a lack of manganese. Sick plants need to be provided with a full-fledged complex of mineral fertilizers. To prevent further spread of the disease, it is helpful to transplant the plants into fresh soil.
• An excess of nutrients. An excess of nitrogen leads to yellowing of the leaves, and an excess of phosphorus leads to their drying. For treatment, you need to limit the content of these substances in the soil. Plant transplantation, as well as the addition of stimulants to the soil: epin or zircon, helps to prevent the development of the disease.
• Over-saturation of the soil with a solution of a fungicide or herbicide. In the garden, gardeners use herbicides to control weeds, and fungicides to treat rot. Under the influence of these drugs, the plant can lose its foliage. In this case, it is imperative to transplant the affected plant into fresh fertilized soil.

WARNING: Bacterial burn cannot be treated. To save pelargonium from death, you need to pinch off all infected parts from a healthy shoot and burn them

Geranium is very sensitive to waterlogged or not sterilized soil. When such unfavorable conditions arise, fungi, viruses and bacteria begin to parasitize on it.

When infected, the diseased flower is isolated, for healthy plants, prophylaxis is carried out, which includes the following stages:

1. moderate watering;
2. in cool air indoors, plants are provided with dry air;
3. sterilize the soil;
4. carry out pest control;
5. quarantine them.

In detail about why geraniums develop leaf diseases, we talked in this article.

Geranium can be affected by the following fungal infections:

• Gray rot. The disease affects the peduncles, leaves and stems of the plant. To cure a flower, it is necessary to remove all rotten parts of the plants and stop watering and feeding it for a while. Then carry out treatment with Fundazol or Vitaros solutions.

• Phytophtosis. For treatment, it is necessary to ensure the dryness of the soil or renew the soil, along with this geranium is processed with Ridomil, Previkur or Profit Gold.
• Ring spot on foliage (read about what geranium spots on leaves signalize in our material). It is necessary to remove diseased parts and treat the flower with fungicides.
• Powdery mildew. The fungus appears as a flour-like coating on geranium leaves. At the first signs of the disease, the plant is dusted with sulfur.
• Blackleg. Waterlogging or non-drainage soil content contributes to the darkening and rotting of the stem. Infected cuttings must be pinched off, and the top cut off and rooted.
• Rust.A light green spot with reddish dots forms on the leaves. At the first signs of the disease, it is necessary to remove the infected leaves and increase the air circulation in the room, you can treat it with a fungicide.
• Root rot. The disease affects the root system of the plant. It turns yellow and withers (you can find out why geranium leaves turn yellow, how to feed and water it here). If the root is slightly affected by rot, it is removed from the pot and washed well. The plant is treated with Hom, Oxyhom, Fundazol or Previkur.

Causes of curling plant leaves

Each culture may have its own reason for the appearance of this ailment, but at the same time there are a number of common ones that are characteristic of all plants.

Violation of the watering regime

Leaves often curl when moisture stagnates in the soil. This is especially true for drought-resistant crops. In hygrophilous plants, the leaves wither, on the contrary, on dry soil. And some capricious crops do not like drought or high humidity.

So, if the leaves of tomatoes curl along the central vein, forming a "boat", then the plants do not have enough moisture. But too much watering can aggravate the situation. Therefore, the soil must be moistened gradually, and after watering, be sure to loosen and mulch with dry grass.

What to do?

Restore the correct watering regime and loosen the soil around the plants regularly. Consider the preferences of each culture. During a drought, it is recommended to shade the plants.

To relieve stress, spray the plant leaves with urea (at the rate of 2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water), and after 1-2 days - with a pink solution of potassium permanganate.

Unsuitable fertilizers

If throughout the season you feed with the same fertilizers, the plants may lack elements that are not in the composition of the preparation. Therefore, you need to alternate fertilizers and apply both organic and mineral fertilizers.

Most often, leaves curl up when they lack molybdenum, manganese, magnesium, potassium, sulfur, nitrogen, copper, boron, or zinc.

However, the leaves can curl up into a tube and due to an overdose of potassium, zinc, nitrogen and other elements, therefore, when applying fertilizers, you must strictly follow the instructions and not exceed the norm.

What to do?

Use a specific fertilizer for your particular crop and read the instructions carefully. Spray the plants with any anti-stress agent (for example, Epin-Extra or Zircon).

Diseases and pests

Twisting of leaves can be provoked by pests that live in the soil: wireworms, May beetle larvae, mowers (proboscis) and other insects. They damage the root system and this negatively affects the condition of the leaves. And many plant species suffer from spider mites and aphids: the leaves first curl, turn yellow, and then dry up and fall off.

Caterpillars of butterflies (scoops, whiteflies) gnaw the plants, as a result of which the green organism is depleted, the leaves curl and dry out.

Bacteria, viruses and fungi can also cause leaf curling in plants. For example, in tomatoes, bacterial cancer is manifested by twisting of the lower leaves. After a while, they turn brown, dry out and fall off. Also, folding of leaves can be a symptom of fusarium wilting, viruses of tobacco or cucumber mosaic, verticillosis, powdery mildew.

Signs of powdery mildew on an apple tree

What to do?

Insects can be treated with insecticides. Treat the plants with Fitoverm from the spider mite (according to the instructions). In the fight against butterflies, glue traps help. It is also useful to attract birds to the site.

Remove diseased plants so that pathogenic organisms do not migrate to healthy specimens. Then treat the planting with any fungicide (for example, copper oxychloride solution - 40 g of the drug per 1 liter of water).

How to care for geraniums to bloom?

The reasons why geranium does not bloom may be different:

1. When the plant is not fed with potassium fertilizer, there is no flowering.
2. When geraniums are planted in a large pot, the root system begins to develop, but does not begin to bloom. In this case, plant the flower in a small pot first. As soon as it grows, transplant into a large one.
3. Watering the plant has a great effect on flowering. During this period, it should be abundant.
4. In the spring, pruning is required so that a couple of shoots remain. You should not put geraniums in sunken and strongly sunlit places. Find a neutral spot.

Why does balsam wither and dry?

Withering and drying of a plant is a common result of improper care. At the same time, both deficiency and excess of moisture in the air and soil mixture can cause such a problem. To restore the appearance of a plant affected by drought, it is enough to resume the previous irrigation regime. But it is also impossible to allow waterlogging of the soil, so as not to destroy the roots.

Another reason for the wilting of balsam is often a lack of nutrients. In this case, you can give strength to the plant by feeding with humic fertilizers. And also flower growers argue that in some cases iodine will help to eliminate the painful appearance of a flower. To do this, no more than 1 time a month, use a solution of 2 drops of iodine and 2 liters of water

With this solution (about 50 ml per plant), carefully spill the earth against the walls of the pot so as not to burn the root system.

What to do if the indoor flower is sick?

The choice of measures to combat yellowing and drying leaves depends on the causes of the problem.

If the reason is a violation of the temperature regime, then it is important to remember the following. The most suitable temperature for geraniums during the growing season is + 20-25 degrees

In winter, this figure should decrease to +10 degrees.
When the leaves dry out due to improper watering, this process should be carefully monitored. If it is very hot in summer and the ground quickly becomes crusty, then the plant is watered 1-2 times a day. But this is with provided there is a good drainage "cushion" at the bottom of the pot. If the soil remains moist, then watering is not necessary so often. Do not spray the flower with a spray bottle. This can cause yellowing of the foliage.
In winter, the frequency and abundance of watering are reduced. During this period, it is important to prevent overflow or stagnation of water. There is no specific irrigation schedule for geraniums - it is necessary to constantly monitor the level of soil moisture.
To check the moisture level, you can stick a wooden skewer into the ground to a depth of 12 cm.Then you need to carefully pull it out and inspect it. If the stick remains dry, then it's time to water.

If the plant has been living in the same pot for a long time, then perhaps it has become cramped for him. It is necessary to relocate the geranium to a more spacious "apartment" - the dried leaves will disappear.
Leaves often dry out due to illiterate feeding. Fertilizers should be applied only during the growing season (spring and summer). Complex fertilizers should contain a minimum amount of nitrogen and a maximum amount of phosphorus and potassium.
If the reason for the wilting of the leaves lies in the defeat of diseases or pests, then fungicides, soap solution and insecticides of complex action will come to the rescue. Treatment is accompanied not only by processing, but also by the removal of affected leaves and flowers.

Balsam diseases and their treatment

Inadequate home care for the "wet vanka" provokes the development of plant diseases. The consequences of inadequate attention to the flower are as follows:

• falling foliage and inflorescences - observed with hypothermia, irregular or excessive watering;
• the formation of weak inflorescences - takes place when the plant does not receive nutrients, poor lighting;
• the subtlety and fragility of the stems - is the problem of low lighting in the room;
• prolonged absence of flowering - makes itself felt if the balsam grows in a spacious pot;
• rot of the root system of the plant - observed with abundant watering of the flower, non-observance of the temperature regime.

The above diseases are easily eliminated by adjusting the breeding conditions. However, even favorable growing conditions cannot insure balsam from the development of fungal and viral diseases, the fight against which is much more difficult compared to correcting mistakes in plant care.

The list of those includes:

• mosaic;
• gray rot;
• bronze foliage;
• powdery mildew.

Mosaic

The reason for the development of the mosaic is the viruses of spotted oppression of the nightshade family of plants.

This disease is characterized by:

• deformation of the foliage of the "light";
• the appearance of a yellow spot on it;
• wilting of the stem;
• stopping growth.

Various insects carry viruses. Today, no other alternative to the treatment of mosaic is known, how to protect indoor plants from pests that can develop their colonies in living quarters. It is appropriate to deal with them with insecticides for indoor plants.

Gray rot

The development of gray rot is provoked by fungal infections.

The symptoms of this disease are as follows:

• brown spots on foliage;
• white bloom formed on the leaves;
• lethargy of the stems.

Gray rot is especially active when the needs of the plant are violated. The treatment of this disease consists in treating the flower with antifungal drugs - fungicides and observing all the rules for caring for balsam.

Since the fungus infects the soil in which the balsam grows, it is recommended to transplant the flower into clean soil.

In this case, special attention should be paid to disinfecting the planting container.

Bronze of foliage (bacteriosis)

You should immediately pay attention to the fact that this disease cannot be treated. It is caused by viruses, characterized by such features of the course as:

It is caused by viruses, characterized by such features of the course as:

• wilting of foliage;
• lethargy shoots;
• deformation of the shape of the leaves;
• the appearance of holes of various diameters on the foliage.

Foliage infected with balsams with bronze leaves are not transplanted, treated with any means, but disposed of immediately, since bacteriosis can infect other healthy indoor plants.

Prevention of bacteriosis consists in regularly airing the rooms where flowers grow, providing balsam with optimal temperature and humidity for full development.

Powdery mildew

All indoor plants suffer from this disease, and balsam is no exception to the rule. Powdery mildew is caused by fungi that develop favorably in the soil.

The disease is characterized by the following features:

• wilting of foliage;
• the appearance of a white-brown bloom on the leaves;
• rolling leaves.

Copper sulfate and soap solutions, solutions with soda ash, fertilizing balsam with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers help to defeat powdery mildew. These are, perhaps, all diseases that can affect the "touchy" flower

Their timely elimination is very important, because their development is the main answer to the question "why does the balsam not bloom and die?"

Why do the leaves of indoor flowers and seedlings curl?

Household plants that stand on the windowsill, as well as the seedlings grown there, often experience thermal shock. The reason lies in the large temperature difference in the room and near the window: in winter the glass is cold, and in summer it is very hot by the sun's rays.

In addition, dry air is often the cause of leaf deformation.

What to do?

Move the plant as far away from the window pane as possible so that leaves do not touch it. If the flowers and seedlings look droopy, spray them with a solution of Zircon or Epin-Extra.

To increase the air humidity, cover the batteries with a wet towel during the heating season, sprinkle plant leaves daily with clean and settled water at room temperature. If there is enough room on the windowsill, place a container of cold water between the flowerpots.

You will find even more information on this topic in our other articles.

Pests

In addition to diseases, indoor geraniums are also susceptible to attacks by harmful insects.

• Whitefly. It is a small white butterfly that damages the plant. The adult and its larvae consume the plant sap, damaging it. The leaves become colorless, perform poorly, and the plant gradually disappears.
• Aphid. These green flies are even more problematic than whiteflies, as they can destroy leaves and spread quickly. Spray the entire plant with a special spray, especially under the leaves. If possible, it is best to isolate the plant to stop the spread of aphids. Or spray absolutely all the flowers in the house to protect them.
• Sciarids. These are black flies that can be seen on the soil surface. Their larvae damage the roots. They can thrive in peat composts, but are usually not active enough to kill plants. Their life cycle lasts for about two months a year. And along with the flies, troubles disappear. If there is no time to wait, any insects are successfully destroyed with insecticides.
• Caterpillars. It is impossible to say exactly which caterpillar can attack geraniums, because they come from a variety of insects. They feed on leaves, gnawing holes in them. Control measures are the same insecticides.

Whitefly
Aphid
Sciaris
Caterpillar

Diseases, their photos and treatment

Absolutely all diseases of this plant can be classified into two categories: infectious and non-infectious. The former are the result of the defeat of geraniums by a fungus, viruses or bacteria, which is accompanied by rot, yellowing of the leaves. Precisely because such diseases are easily transmitted from one flower to another, for safety and successful treatment, it is necessary to isolate the infected plant.

The second, non-infectious, are not too dangerous, because they are caused by violations in the rules for caring for geraniums: improper watering, insufficient lighting, etc.

And pests are not very fond of geraniums, so it is very rarely attacked by them. It is possible that they do not like the specific smell of essential oil contained in large quantities in the leaves of the flower. Pests such as scale insects, spider mites attack King Geranium less often than whiteflies, aphids, mealy or root bugs.

The foliage turns yellow and falls off

In this case, the problem is too warm air or frequent drafts that geraniums cannot tolerate, and to solve the problem, you can take a pot with a plant out of the ventilated room for a while.

And with the subsequent appearance of white fluffy lumps on the leaves, it is safe to say that the flower is worried about the mealybug, and then it must be isolated from other plants and treated with insecticidal preparations, in particular insectoacaricides.

Also, yellowing of the leaves can be a symptom of root rot due to excess nitrogen in the substrate - this will help correct transplanting into a new, properly prepared soil.

The appearance of blackheads

This is due to improper watering: either excessive moisture of the soil, then its drying. As a rule, this happens most often if the substrate is flooded with a large amount of water after a long drought.

Therefore, in order to grow geraniums, it is important to monitor the irrigation regime and strictly observe it.

Leaves are pale at the edges

The only reason is a lack of nitrogen in the substrate, and in order to fix this, you need to feed the plant with fertilizer with a low nitrogen content or simply transplant it into new soil.

Withering, darkening of the stem and rotting at the very base

This means that the plant suffers from Black Leg disease, which is one of the consequences of root decay. Nothing can be done with a whole geranium, but if the disease has not yet reached the whole flower, then you can cut off the whole upper part and use it as a cutting to re-plant.

Why does not bud formation occur under indoor conditions?

In most cases, geranium does not bloom due to the poor conditions in which it is located (how to achieve lush flowering?). These may be high temperatures for her or a lack of nutrients in the substrate. For the correct growing season of geraniums, you need to adjust the temperature regime and choose the right fertilizers.

Wither and fall

Occurs due to insufficient watering and subsequent drying of the substrate. In this case, it is also necessary to follow the watering schedule and strictly adhere to it.

What to do if water bubbles appear?

This happens due to improper watering: after a long period of "drought", the soil is flooded. It is necessary to establish an irrigation regime - the delicate roots of geranium are very sensitive to both excess moisture and its lack in the substrate.

Stopping flower growth

In most cases, this is due to the tightness that geraniums experience in a pot. It is enough to transplant it to make her feel comfortable again. Just in case, it is worth examining the reverse side of the leaves for the presence of pests (whitefly or aphids), and if they are found, spray the plant with any chemical preparation to kill insects. Perhaps there is a lack of nitrogen in the substrate or its acidity is increased, then a transplant must be performed.

The appearance of gray-brown spots

This indicates the disease of the plant with gray rot - a rather dangerous disease, which can only be eliminated by cutting off the upper part of the stem (if it is still healthy), this cutting can be planted as a cutting and get a young healthy geranium.

Hole formation

This happens because of the caterpillars that live on the plant. Treatment of geraniums with an insecticidal preparation (best of all - with anthelmintics) will also help.

Twisting buds, shoots

The plant was attacked by a whitefly, and to get rid of it, like other pests, isolating the plant and spraying it with a special preparation (any acaricides) will help.

Insect pests

• Spider mite. It settles on the back of the leaves, gradually enveloping the plant with cobwebs from all sides. Tiny puncture punctures appear on the leaves - necrotic foci remaining from tick bites. At the same time, the plant dries: merging, the dots form large dry areas, the decorative effect of the species is lost, the leaf blades fall off, curling unnaturally.

  It is carried in with newly acquired plants or a gust of wind through an open window. You can use gentle methods of exposure (biological acaricides Vertimek, Fitoverm, Akarin; plant chamomile, marigolds, which ticks do not tolerate, side by side with gloxinia) or treat with chemical acaricides (Omite, Neoron).

  Individuals of this species move very quickly, so the affected plant should be immediately transferred to the quarantine zone.

• Cyclamen mite. Colonies of cyclamen mites appear as dust patches on the underside of leaves. Gloxinia loses its buds, its stem is twisted. These insects are easy to bring on street clothes or an umbrella. They can be quickly destroyed with the acarine acaricide by treating the plant 3 times with an interval of 7 days.
• Thrips. They feed on plant juice and nectar, multiply rapidly and are able to quickly destroy more than one plant. Insects are washed off in the shower, and leaves and flowers are sprayed with Intavir or Aktar.
• Shield. The scale insects, having chosen the plant, cover it with a sticky film and, fixing themselves in one place, draw the juice.The plant is washed with soapy water, shaking off insects with a cotton swab, then any insecticidal solution is used.
• Whitefly. These butterflies reproduce very quickly, laying many larvae on the leaves. It is imperative to remove the top layer of soil in the pot, cut off the heavily affected leaves, which remain covered with an insecticide.
• Mealybug. These tiny white caterpillar-like insects cover the stems and infect the root system, but are easily destroyed by green soap, tobacco, or garlic infusions. With a large number of individuals, Mospilan, Fito, Aktara help.

Diseases and their treatment

Caring for marigolds is simple, but if the recommendations for planting density and the amount of moisture are violated, the flowers are affected by fungal infections.

Blackleg

The most common problem with Tagetes seedlings is the appearance of dark, rotting spots at the bottom of the stem. This is a fungal infection called blackleg.

Diseased plants are destroyed. Healthy seedlings are transplanted into another soil, pre-treated with a fungicide.

To prevent disease, plant seeds and soil are treated with a fungicide, a chemical that destroys fungi, before planting.

Root rot

Root problems are reflected in the appearance of the plant. It withers, turns yellow, then dies. There is no cure. Observance of agricultural techniques - planting flowers in loose soil, moderate watering allows to prevent damage to root rot. You can not feed the seedlings with fresh manure. In this season and next year, do not plant plants in the infected area.

Viral diseases

Signs of viral infection of marigolds are manifested in the form of deformation of leaves and buds, the absence of seeds, and yellowing of the stems. Black spots and bronze-colored patterns appear on the leaves. The disease can begin at any stage of development.

Important! Plants with these symptoms are uprooted and destroyed.