Diseases of hosts and their treatment

Pests: identification and destruction

Sansevieria can infect various pests. The most common are:

• spider mite;
• thrips;
• mealybug;
• shield.

Sansevieria not only decorates the interior of a living room or office, but also cleans the air well. On our site you will find articles on how to propagate "mother-in-law's tongue", as well as recommendations for plant care.

Spider mite

Spider mites appear as whitish spots on the leaves. The leaves turn yellow and fall off due to the fact that the pest feeds on sansevieria juices. The ideal conditions for the existence of a spider mite are rooms with dry air and insufficient watering.

To avoid this, it is necessary to regularly ventilate the room and do not forget to water the plant with water.

If the infection is at the initial stage, the treatment of the flower is reduced to wiping its leaves with a cloth previously soaked in an infusion of citrus peel. In more severe cases, the plant is treated:

• insectoacaricides;
• acaricides.

Preparations need to be centered, as re-treatment is less effective. The interval between treatments is 5-7 days.

Thrips

Thrips infestation can be detected by carefully examining the lower parts of the leaves. It is there that thrips larvae colonies live. On the outside of the leaf, you can see the appearance of light spots. The leaf changes its usual color to a grayish brown with a silvery sheen.

Flower treatment consists in treatment with insecticidal preparations.

For example, if you use Actellik, then after treating the plant with Actelik's solution, in a proportion of 1 ampoule per 1 liter of water, sansevieria should be wrapped in a bag for one day to increase the effect.

Mealybug

Mealybug infestation is very easy to detect; it leaves cotton-like lumps on the leaves, which are the waste products of the pest.

The insect is localized at the base of the leaf rosette, feeds on the juice of sansevieria. The affected parts of the plant can change shape and color.

To carry out the treatment, you need to remove the pest by hand and rinse the leaves with a cloth soaked in soapy water. In case of a more serious lesion, the plant is treated with insecticidal preparations once a week until it disappears completely.

Shield

The scabbard is manifested by the laying of eggs, which can be found on the back of the leaf. The insect eats the shoots of the flower and drinks juice from it. Treatment is performed by removing the scabbard with a swab soaked in soapy water. Then sansevieria is treated with insecticidal preparations.

Important! The scabbards have a shell, which makes it difficult to get rid of the pest, so the treatment must be carried out several times a week until it disappears completely.

When using insecticidal preparations, you should adhere to the conditions specified in the instructions, and not overdo it, because their excessive use can harm not only the plant, but also the person.

All diseases of sansevieria can be dealt with. Of course, it is better to prevent any of them in advance than to urgently hospitalize the plant in the future, to carry out treatment and rescue. In any case, every florist must know by heart the symptoms of various diseases and the methods used to restore the health of the flower.

Disease prevention and proper care

Diseases of asters contribute to the death of the plant. To prevent this from happening, the following preventive measures are taken:

• healthy planting material and seeds are used for plant breeding;
• growing varieties that are able to resist viruses;
• provide flowers with proper care;
• constantly identify and destroy insects that are a threat to the plant;
• discard and destroy bushes that have symptoms of a viral infection;
• weed control.

Note! Asters need to be constantly monitored and taken care of. This is the only way to timely identify their slightest ailments and take appropriate measures in order to save plants.

Prevention of aster diseases protects flowers from infection by viruses and fungi

How to properly care for asters is briefly written below:

• For the favorable growth of asters, the air temperature should not fall below 18-20 ° C degrees Celsius.
• Asters love lighted, sunny places. Flowers will not grow in the shade and will die.
• Asters are watered as the soil dries up. Waterlogging of the soil must not be allowed. Otherwise, the root system of the plant will start to rot.
• Asters do not need additional spraying. They receive all the moisture for growth and development from watering. Plants are sprayed only with special solutions and mixtures when they treat a flower from damage by diseases and pests.
• The optimum air humidity for the favorable growth of asters should be at least 60% and not more than 70%. Dry air has a detrimental effect on the decorative appearance of the plant.
• The soil in which flowers grow needs regular oxygen supply. How to make the soil saturated with it? This is done by conventional loosening, avoiding damage to the plant roots.
• Asters love fertilizing in the form of mineral fertilizers. Nitrogenous ones should not be used, as they reduce the number of inflorescences, while increasing the formation of deciduous mass.

Asters can die from viruses or pests. To prevent this, you need to regularly inspect the plants. If even the slightest symptoms of disease or damage are found, urgent measures must be taken to save the flowers.

What are the types of parasites and how to deal with them?

Various insects can not only destroy flowers on their own, but also carry on themselves serious diseases from other plants, so it is also important not to postpone pest control. Some insects are most common in irises.

Bean aphid

This individual lives on leaves, shoots and buds. She loves to feast on the juice of flower crops, as a result of which the shape of the shoots changes, the leaves curl, their color is lost. The insect itself looks like a brown or black-green beetle.

To prevent the appearance of aphids, you need to carefully weed the flowers, as well as feed the plants with fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium. Having noticed single individuals, you can remove them mechanically. If the flower was attacked by whole hordes of insects, then you need to treat the specimens with special infusions or decoctions of insecticides. And also drugs "Arrivo", "Karate", "Commander", "Confidor", "Iskra" are suitable for fighting this pest.

Onion mite

This insect looks like a bug with a brown, almost round body, its size is no more than 1 mm. He prefers to eat bulbous plants. The reason for the appearance of a tick may lie in improper storage of the planting material. If during storage the pest hit the bulbs, then it is quite likely that it will also be introduced to the flower bed. And he also loves to settle on samples that other insects have chosen before him.

And also a carrot planted nearby will help protect the culture from these beetles - it will scare away the tick

It is important to dry thoroughly for a week before storing the harvested bulbs. Prevents the appearance of a tick and processing of the storage site of planting material with sulfur bombs "Climate" or FAS within two days

Onion nematode

Onion nematode looks like a white worm up to 1.5 mm long.He prefers to settle in seeds and bulbs, multiplies under the influence of high soil moisture. He can live in drought for several years. These caterpillars suck the sap out of the plant. As soon as the flower dies, the specimen buries itself in the ground and starts looking for a fresh specimen.

To prevent the attack of these worms, it is important to correctly observe the crop rotation, and also not to plant flowers in the same flower beds for several years. In the fight against the pest, the neighboring planting of carrots will again help

And it is also recommended to treat the storage with sulfur checkers before planting irises, dry the planting material well and warm it up at a temperature of + 34– + 37 degrees for seven days. Recommended storage humidity is not higher than 70%.

Iris fly

One of the main enemies of the presented culture. It looks like an ordinary gray-black fly. Adults and larvae crawl into the buds and feast on their petals. Chemical preparations, which are used immediately after the appearance of the peduncle, will help to get rid of this pest. In addition, the cultivation of the land under the plants will not be a superfluous measure.

There are also folk ways to get rid of a fly. For example, you can treat damaged crops with wood ash, tobacco dust, mustard, a solution of bitter herbs, soapy water and alcohol before the flowering arrows emerge.

Thrips

These small creatures with narrow wings and long fringes along the edges like to settle in the axils of the leaves. Their food is cell sap. The faster thrips multiply, the sooner the leaves become covered with brown stains, and then completely dry out. The spots are also formed on the roots. You can fight thrips with a 10% karbofos emulsion. 90 g of the product is diluted in 10 liters of water and the flowers are treated once a week.

Scoops

This caterpillar penetrates the stem and gnaws out its contents.

To avoid the invasion of these pests, it is important to regularly loosen the soil and avoid overgrowing with weeds. Bordeaux liquid helps to get rid of the insect

It is allowed to process the plant with the agent only before the beginning of flowering. If the gardener missed the specified time, then you can replace the mixture with Lobel's hellebore.

Preventive measures

Of course, it is impossible to protect the garden from diseases and pests, but you can try to minimize losses:

1. Treat the soil with ash from deciduous trees once a week.
2. Loosen the soil.
3. Dig deeply before planting every year.
4. Provide oxygen to plants.
5. Water in moderation.
6. Remove affected plants in a timely manner.

Basil has a number of properties beneficial to the human body and it is not surprising that many are trying to grow it. In order to promptly correct emerging problems or avoid them altogether, it is advisable to know the peculiarities of growing and caring for this crop. From our materials you will find out why seeds do not germinate or an adult plant grows poorly, whether it is necessary to pinch, how to feed and how to divide the seedlings.

In the article, we tried to collect the most important and useful materials about diseases and pests of basil, as well as methods of prevention and treatment. We hope that the reader has found the necessary information and that his basil will grow healthy and tasty!

Why are gladioli not blooming? Possible reasons

On flower forums, they often ask questions like “I have not bloomed eight gladiolus bulbs this year. Why?" It is impossible to answer in such cases without asking clarifying questions. See how many possible reasons. Choose which one best suits your situation.

Wrong choice of planting material:

• Loose, old or too small bulbs can “miss” flowering;
• Purchase of planting material that is not adapted to the existing climatic conditions.Many Dutch bulbs bloom beautifully in the first year after purchase, and then two or three years are "skipped" for recovery and adaptation to new conditions;

Wrong choice of landing site:

• Crop rotation is not observed, bulbs are planted in the same place for several years in a row. In this case, already in the third year, the bulbs tend to get sick, bloom worse or not bloom at all;
• In the shade, all varieties bloom later, gladioli of middle and late flowering periods do not have time to form a peduncle at all.
• Planting in unventilated areas of the garden increases the risk of developing fungal diseases, which also affect flowering;

Unfavorable weather conditions:

• A rainy "unlucky" year in combination with the composition of the soil not optimal for gladioli;
• In too hot and dry summers, a lack of moisture can affect flowering. In this weather, abundant watering is desirable at least once a week. With persistent heat, nightly watering may be required, the purpose of which is not only moistening, but also cooling the soil;

Incorrect fit:

• If you plant "mixed" adult and juvenile bulbs (second year of life), then the former will oppress the latter. Gladiolus bulbs are best planted individually. It is advisable to plant old bulbs with a wide bottom in a separate flower bed;
• Planting bulbs too deep. Correct, not interfering with flowering, to a depth of 4 bulb diameters on light soils and 3 diameters on heavy soils;

Wrong agricultural technique:

• Lack of nutrients. For example, on light soils, it is advisable to give not only root, but also foliar (by leaves) top dressing, they are better absorbed;
• Good aeration of the soil will not interfere with gladioli: after watering, it is advisable to loosen the soil. Without this, weakened bulbs may not bloom;
• Mulching will help preserve soil moisture. You can also plant gladioli on ridges covered with black foil;
• Incorrect cutting of flowers. When cutting for normal ripening of the bulb, it is advisable to leave at least four leaves on the plant. Otherwise, there is no outflow of nutrients, a weak replacement corm is formed.
• Blooming babies too early. "Children" who have reached a diameter of 1.5 cm and more can bloom. Another thing is that it is not worth giving such a baby to bloom, as this delays her development and next year it is unlikely that it will be possible to get a good full bloom. In blooming babies, it is recommended to pluck out the peduncle.

The presence of pests:

• If the bulbs are gnawed by wireworms (the larvae of the click beetle), you will not have to wait for them to bloom.
• Currently, thrips, which were brought with imported planting material, have become a disaster for gladioli. They especially harm the corms during the period of winter dormancy, significantly weakening them. This can also be the reason that gladioli do not bloom.

The causative agents of diseases can be divided into groups:

Viruses. Viral diseases spread in any region and cannot be completely cured.

Mushrooms. Fungal infections often affect plantings of gladioli on acidic soils.

Bacteria. Plants are infected with spores or through the root system. Some gladiolus diseases develop on weeds, which are often the main vectors. In addition, the causes of gladioli diseases can easily be:

unfavorable climatic conditions;

failure to comply with the requirements of agricultural technology;

illiterate choice of variety.

Before you start growing and breeding gladioli, stock up on useful information about possible problems. The article will list the main pests, as well as diseases of gladioli and their treatment, a photo of each problem.

Why do gladioli leaves turn yellow?

Gladiolus leaves can turn yellow no matter how diligently the flower is looked after. The reason for this is infectious and fungal diseases, as well as numerous pests.

The following diseases are distinguished, as a result of which the leaves of gladioli turn yellow and dry:

• dry rot (fusarium);
• black rot (sclerotinosis);
• gray rot (botrytosis);
• hard rot (septoria);
• mosaic.

Fusarium

Fusarium (also dry rot) is a disease caused by a fungus. It reproduces in soil, where it can live for 3 to 5 years. An outbreak of fusarium is most often provoked by high humidity of the soil and air, as well as excessive enrichment of the soil with nitrogen or thickening of plants.

Fusarium is dangerous because it does not immediately manifest itself. The action of the fungus becomes noticeable only when the leaves are already beginning to dry and fall off, and the gladiolus did not dissolve the buds in due time. If you dig up the plant, it turns out that its bulbs have begun to turn black and covered with brown spots.

What to do if gladioli turn yellow due to fusarium infection? Unfortunately, it will no longer be possible to help the plant. All that can be done is to dig the ailing flower out of the ground as soon as possible, along with a clod of earth, to prevent the spread of the disease to neighboring bushes. It is recommended to disinfect the planting site with a mixture of Tiazon and sand.

Black rot

Black rot (or sclerotinosis) is another fungal disease, the causative agent of which has been living in the earth for more than 10 years. It develops in moist, acidic soil with humus.

Black rot on gladioli

Attention! When damaged by black rot, the stems of the plant become covered with dark spots, and the roots rot, after which the leaves of gladioli turn yellow and even before flowering they die. In case of defeat by black rot, it is necessary:

In case of defeat by black rot, it is necessary:

• add lime to the soil (only if the soil is acidic);
• spray the flower with Bordeaux solution;
• exclude fertilization with humus.

Gray rot

Gray rot (or botrythiasis) is one of the most common reasons why gladioli dry. The spores of the fungus are carried by the wind, so the disease spreads very quickly.

The first signs of the disease are the appearance of tiny spots on the leaves, after which the fungus spreads to the stems and petals, causing the process of decay. The result is rotting of the bulb and the death of the flower.

Hard and dry rot

If gray mold is found, it is necessary to immediately get rid of the affected plants.

Solid rot

Hard rot (also septoria) is a fungus that prefers an acidic environment. It is carried by insects and appears as brown spots on the leaves. In the course of the disease, the bulb hardens, as a result of which the gladiolus dries up without blooming.

On a note. At the first sign of infection, diseased flowers must be disposed of.

Mosaic

Mosaic is a virus carried by insects. The presence of the disease is evidenced by the appearance of spots on the leaves and buds of gladiolus. Mosaic leaves quickly turn yellow and the bulbs dry out.

It is impossible to save a sick plant, therefore, in order to prevent the mosaic from spreading to neighboring bushes, the affected flower is destroyed.

Description of signs of pests of gladioli and control of them

Among the most common pests of this type of flowers, the following are especially dangerous:

Gladiolus thrips

A small insect (1-1.5 mm) is almost black in color. Its light-colored larvae feed on plant juices. These insects infect bulbs in storage facilities in which the air temperature exceeds 10 degrees. In hot weather, they multiply in huge numbers. When the ambient temperature drops, pests move to the lower parts of the gladiolus.

The bulb acquires a “burned” (rough) surface, silvery specks form on the tissues of the plant, and the buds twist. At first, the bulbs are covered with a sticky bloom and brighten, and by spring they become dark and wrinkled. A sign of thrips' vital activity are yellow strokes (tearing of gladiolus tissues during the laying of insect eggs) and dark dots (waste products).From damage, the flowers fade, lose their color and die off.

How to fight

If the number of pests is very high, we cut the stems of the plant early. We burn all the affected gladioli, and dig up the soil. We disinfect the corms by immersing them for 5 minutes in water (50 degrees) and spraying with a 0.4% solution of karbofos. We dry the processed planting material and store it by sprinkling it with chalk. We periodically review it and remove the affected corms. If thrips are identified, we place the planting material in paper bags. We put 15 pieces in a large bag with 1 kg of gladioli bulbs. naphthalene tablets and leave them there for 1.5 months. We ventilate the disinfected bulbs and store until spring, like the rest of the planting material.

Before planting, all bulbs of plants with suspected pest infestation are discarded and destroyed. We pickle the corms with 0.2% foundation with 0.2% karbofos. In the process of growing flowers, we process them with 0.2% karbofos every decade. We plant these flowers in the same place only after 4-5 years. To prevent the appearance of thrips on flower beds with gladioli, we plant tagetes or calendula.

Onion mite

Diseased plants noticeably lag behind in development. The stems and leaves of flowers turn yellow and wither. Most often, the onion mite attacks the bulbs unpeeled from old roots and scales. This insect, 1 mm in size, of a pale yellow color, lives on the remains of vegetation, and penetrates into the bulb through its bottom. During storage of the planting material of gladioli, brownish dust appears on it. Affected bulbs rot and dry out, turning into rotten remains. When planting material infected with pests is planted in the soil, it and other bulbous flowers are also infected.

Ways to fight

In the process of development of gladioli, we discard specimens with yellow leaves, and the rest are sprayed with 10% karbofos. After digging out the flowers, we destroy all the remnants of the vegetation. For 3-4 years we do not place gladioli on the plots of land affected by ticks. We send for storage the corms thoroughly cleaned of scales and roots. We immerse them for 5 minutes. into water (50 degrees), and then we disinfect in a 0.5% solution of karbofos.

Why did the violet leaves become lethargic and soft?

The wilting of violet leaves is a nonspecific symptom and can be associated with both improper care and an infectious disease.

To make a diagnosis, you need to carefully examine the plant and try to understand where the mistake was made.

These reasons are universal and are suitable for most cases of leaf lethargy, whether it be:

• Violet leaves wither during flowering;
• Either the upper leaves wither;
• Or leaves wither in winter.

All of these ailments have similar causes, which we will discuss below. But it must be remembered that most often the lower leaves of the violet wither.

The result of the wrong content

Not all beginners know why violet leaves wither: what to do with it? In the first place in the list of mistakes in caring for violets is lighting. This plant does not like the scorching sun:

• For cultivation, north or east windows are suitable;

• If the window is directed to the south, then it is better to place the violet in the corner or in the back of the room. Direct sunlight causes burns and wilting of violet leaves.

Low light and a short winter day also contribute to the wilting of the leaves, so backlighting is necessary during this period.

It must be remembered that the main reason for the wilting of the leaves is inadequate care of the plant.

Temperature conditions

The withering of Saintpaulia leaves is facilitated by:

• Cultivation at low temperatures;
• Sudden changes in temperature;
• Excessive airing of the room in the winter.

Attention! The optimum temperature for keeping violets is + 20-25 ℃.

In conditions of low temperatures, it is necessary to sharply reduce the number of watering, since a moist earthen clod contributes to hypothermia of the roots.

Excess or lack of soil moisture

The watering regime is very important for the good growth of the violet, the plant should not be overdried or too flooded:

• In winter, the violet is watered once a week. Excess moisture is fraught with root rot and leaf wilting;
• Stagnation of water in the sump is not allowed, after 30 minutes. after watering, the excess liquid is drained;
• Watering is recommended only after the top layer of the substrate is completely dry.

In apartments with central heating in winter, it is necessary to maintain an air humidity of about 50%. Due to poor humidity, the leaves become soft.

Pot size

• Too large a container contributes to waterlogging of the earth, decay of roots and wilting of leaves;
• In a small pot, the root system is injured due to lack of space;

• The diameter of the pot should be three times less than the diameter of the rosette.

It is recommended to plant violets in pots with a diameter of 7-10 cm made of plastic or other material that does not dry out the soil.

Top dressing

Leaves often wither due to lack of nutrients, especially in the spring of intense growth of violets

But it is also important not to allow excessive feeding, which can lead to:

• Burn the roots;
• And the wilting of the plant.

Important! The concentration of nutrients, which is indicated in the instructions, is reduced by 2 times.

Soil composition

Sometimes the cause of wilting is not the optimal composition or acidity of the soil:

• The soil should be loose, structured, with optimal acidity in the range of 6.3-6.7;
• Sometimes the soil for violets is not suitable for its general composition, so it is better to buy a ready-made mixture in the store.

Since the composition of the soil depletes over time, its acidity changes, violets need to be transplanted into fresh soil annually.