How to treat home flowers. How to treat indoor plants for diseases: effective drugs

Certainly, houseplants less likely to suffer from diseases and pests than their garden relatives, as they are usually under more close attention. But if they are nevertheless damaged by insects or exposed to infection, it is much more difficult to treat them, because “green pets” are more pampered and capricious, they react worse to outside interference and, especially, to the use of chemicals. Wrong location (very dark, too sunny, too cold, too warm, low humidity) improper care(too much water, lack of moisture, wrong fertilizer, unsuitable substrate) can cause poor plant health. Unskilled care also contributes to the damage of indoor flowers by pests and diseases, the plants refuse to bloom, wither, and, in the end, die. Enemies, as they say, you need to know in person. Therefore, check out the photos and names of diseases and pests of indoor plants, learn about the causes of damage and how to get rid of these insects and infections.

Diseases of indoor flowers: photos, causes and methods of struggle

In this section of the article, you will learn how to deal with some indoor plant diseases and see what the symptoms of the defeat look like.

Brown edges of leaves

Causes: excess or lack of water, excess soil that has lost its suitability, dry air. Control measures: optimize care, increase air humidity.

twisted leaves

Causes: low humidity air, dry land. Root damage can also cause this plant disease. Control measures: optimize care, if necessary.

pale leaves(chlorosis)

In plants that prefer acidic soil, such as azalea and spurge. The leaf veins are still green. Causes: hard water, iron deficiency. Control measures: soften the water, add an iron preparation to the water.

Light spots on the leaves

Causes: temperature fluctuations, too cold or too warm water. Humidification in the sun (for example, in the uzambar violet). Control measures: change location, optimize care, water from below.

powdery mildew

Symptoms: powdery coating from white to dirty brown on both sides of the leaves. Causes: fungus spores. As you can see in the photo, you can fight this disease of indoor plants with the help of fungicides:

Control measures: for prevention, spray with infusion of horsetail. Remove diseased leaves.

gray mold

Symptoms: gray-brown coating on leaves, petioles or flowers. Causes: unsuitable for spraying or cold water too high humidity. Control measures: remove diseased parts of the plant, reduce air humidity, put in a brighter place.

Bacteria and viruses

Bacterial soft rot occurs in alpine violet and room calla. Symptoms: rot at the base of the stem. As shown in the photo, with this disease of indoor flowers, if there is no proper treatment, the rot spreads throughout the plant:

Control measures: No.

mosaic virus

First of all, it affects orchids, gloxinia, hippeastrum. Symptoms: light green and dark green spots. Control measures: No. Reset of the kidneys is most often caused by a violation of the water balance. Either the plant has experienced a lack of moisture, or as a result of excessive moisture, the roots are so damaged that they cannot absorb and transport a sufficient amount of moisture. Some plants, such as stephanotis or camellia, shed their buds even when the location changes dramatically. Premature shedding of flowers is also a consequence of a change in place of growth and is especially evident when the plant is not hardened enough. Inactive flowering may be due to genetic factors (some varieties bloom less than others) or a lack of phosphorus, a violation of the dormant period, or improper wintering. Cracked pedicels are considered the result of irregular watering. This can lead to tension in the tissues and rupture of the shoots. Rotting flowers or buds indicate gray mold infestation. These photos show the symptoms of some indoor plant diseases:

Pests of indoor plants: photos, causes and control measures

by the most favorable time for pests of indoor flowers is considered the end heating period. Lack of light and dry air in a heated room put plants at risk of pest damage. During this period, spider mites and aphids appear especially often on plants. Summer and autumn are the season for whiteflies. The best prevention is care that meets the needs of plants. Choose the most suitable places location. In addition, you should devote more time to observing plants. First of all, pay attention to the underside of the leaves. In this case, it is often possible to detect a disease or pests in initial stage defeat. Sick plants should be isolated to avoid spreading the infection to other specimens.

Spider mites

Symptoms: cobwebs under and between leaves. Causes: too dry air. Control measures: increase air humidity warm shower, add predatory mites. Also, special preparations are used to combat these pests of indoor flowers.

soft-bodied mites

Symptoms: twisted leaves, cessation of growth. Causes: infection promoted by heat and high humidity air. Control measures: reduce temperature and humidity. Parts of indoor plants affected by this pest must be removed and destroyed.

thrips

Symptoms: silvery strokes on the leaves. Look at the photo - when indoor flowers are affected by this pest, brownish traces of the introduction of sucking insects appear on the underside of the leaves:

Causes: dry air. Control measures: warm shower. Traps for insects, predatory mites, insecticides.

whiteflies

Symptoms: small white flies on the underside of the leaves. Causes: infection from other plants. Control measures: lower the temperature, since the tropical insect does not tolerate coolness. Also, traps, riders and insecticides are used to combat this pest of indoor plants.

Symptoms: sticky leaves, leaf deformation. Causes: draft, open windows spring, too dry air. Control measures: warm shower, golden eyes, predatory gall midges, ichneumons, insecticides.

Shchitovki

Symptoms: brown shields under which insects sit. Pay attention to the photo - indoor plants affected by these pests shed their leaves:

Causes: too dry and warm air. Pest control measures: put indoor plants in a cooler and brighter place. Remove shields. To get rid of these indoor plant pests as quickly as possible, you need to use insecticides. For hard-leaved home crops, use white mineral oil or leaf shine spray.

Felt and mealybugs

Symptoms: cotton-like formations, especially in the axils and on the underside of the leaves. Bad growth. Causes: too dry air. Control measures with these insect pests of indoor plants are the same as in the fight against scale insects.

Nematodes

Symptoms: glassy or brown spots limited by leaf veins. Dropping leaves. Causes: infection promoted by moisture on the leaves. Control measures: remove diseased leaves and destroy. Keep the leaves dry. Here you can see photos of the main diseases and pests of indoor plants:

Changes that occur with the leaves of plants indicate the presence of pests, diseases or care errors. A healthy leaf is strong, with flawless edges and a tip. Pay attention to metamorphoses and take action. Leaves are the life nerve of a plant and are therefore the best indicator of the presence of pests and diseases. Sometimes buds and flowers are also damaged. The main causes of such damage should be known. The pale colors of the flowers indicate an excess of sunlight. Deformed or broken flowers indicate the presence of pests, such as aphids.

How to get rid of indoor plant pests: flower protection methods

There are several ways to deal with houseplant pests. Some of the most effective are mechanical protection, biotechnical methods and the use of chemicals. How to get rid of pests on indoor plants using mechanical protection:

• Carry out the removal of the affected parts of the plant.
• Carry out pest removal, including washing them in the shower.
• Immerse the above-ground parts of the affected plant in warm water with a small amount detergent. The pot must first be placed in plastic bag and tie it at the top.

Biological methods of control are the use of beneficial insects, For example:

• Riders against whiteflies,
• Predatory mites against spider mites and fringe-winged,
• Predatory gall midges, golden eyes or riders against aphids.

Beneficial insects are the most effective tool when hit a large number of plants, and the air is not too warm and dry. The ideal is considered to be a temperature of about 20 ° C, and at 27 ° C and above, success is in question. Biotechnical control methods use the natural reactions of pests to physical or chemical stimuli:

• The yellow plates are glue-covered insect traps that attract with their bright color mining flies, whiteflies, sciarids and other flying pests.
• In the “plant bath”, due to the very high humidity of the air, spider mites are destroyed. To do this, water the plant well and place it in a transparent plastic bag. Beware, rot! Plants with soft leaves do not tolerate such treatment.
• Oil-based products, such as white oil, clog the airways of insects. Sprays for leaf shine work in a similar way.

Do not take pesticides right away. In many cases, the same effect can be obtained using completely harmless means. Chemicals should only be used as a last resort. If you have to use chemicals, then you must follow the following rules:

• Follow the directions for use and dosage on the package.
• Follow recommended spray intervals to eliminate new generations of pests.
• Do not use sprays that are harmful to the environment.
• Treat plants only outdoors.
• Wear gloves and do not inhale sprays.
• Store plant protection products in the closed original packaging, out of the reach of children and pets.
• Do not store chemical residues, their effectiveness is quickly lost. Do not dispose of chemicals with normal household waste, but take them to special waste collection points.

They suffer from parasites less than street ones. However, diseases of indoor flowers are not uncommon. Not enough good care, poor environmental conditions, infection with parasites contributes to the development of indoor plant diseases.

The most common plant pests

Initially, many aphids do not fly into the room, but only 2-3. They leave over time on the leaves and flowers of their children. It is during this period that it is not difficult to get rid of them. They can simply be removed. If this is not done, then in a week or two it will become very much.

Diseases of domestic plants are well treated using synthetic pyrethroids (carat, decis). The advantage of these drugs is low toxicity. However, the formation of immunity in pests to drugs of this group often takes place. Therefore, they need to be changed.

But, most importantly, when dealing with aphids, it is to prevent its penetration into the room.

It is one of the most dangerous pests.

You can fight it with the help of a decoction of tubers of cyclamen, vertimek, maurica.

You need to repeat the treatment several times with breaks of three days. This is done in order to destroy the newly hatched mites from the eggs.

1. Tripe (greenhouse), vesicle

It is an insect with a size of 1 mm. They gather and live in groups. The insect lays its larvae in the leaves and occupies both sides of them. After 8-10 days they come out. Young individuals feed on the juice of the plant, piercing the leaves. The edges acquire it Brown color and traces of multiple proboscis bites. Then with reverse side appear brown spots. As a result, the leaves are deformed and dry, and the flowers, if they grow, are deformed. Tripe harms almost any color.

1. Whitefly (greenhouse)

It is an insect with a size of 1 mm. It has a yellow body, a pair of wings, and pale yellowish larvae. It causes not only diseases of indoor flowers, but also harms greenhouse plants. Piercing a leaf or stem, she feeds on its juice. As a result, the damaged part of the plant becomes discolored and eventually falls off. The fungus settles on the secretions left by the insects. This leads to disruption of normal photosynthesis. The plant weakens and dries up.

1. Shchitovki

Many larvae are laid. They not only feed on its juice, but also leave their feces on the leaf. As a result, it becomes covered with a sticky content that blocks the entrance to the stomata on the leaf. Photosynthesis stops. The plant dies.

1. Podura, or many-tailed

The size of this insect is 1 mm. They thrive in moist soil. different parts pot. They do not harm plants, but they talk about excessive waterlogging of the soil, which is harmful to the plant.

1. Flat red tick

This small, half-millimeter-sized mite prefers cacti, citrus fruits. It is not easy to notice him. Its existence can be assumed if whitish and yellowish spots appeared on the flowers and leaves. The plant dries, withers, withers.

1. Mealybug

1. Nematodes

Small worms with a proboscis and a filamentous body. By damaging the roots of domestic plants, they form pineal outgrowths in which they live and reproduce. They feed on the plant in which they live.

1. Ascochitosis

This disease of indoor plants has manifestations in the form of spots. The shape and size of which can vary greatly. Over time, the leaves turn yellow, dry and fall off.

1. White rot

It causes blanching and drying of leaves and flowers. Black nodules of formation appear on their surface. The areas of the plant that are underground are covered with a white elephant-like mass.

1. Gray rot(mold).

Since pests spread very quickly at home, all crops should be inspected periodically in order to detect the problem in time. Diseases of indoor flowers require immediate treatment, as in confined space the disease spreads rapidly and can affect all crops in the house. Diseases can be caused by viruses, fungi and bacteria, and if pests have appeared, they can always be manually removed and measures taken to prevent the spread of insects. Preventive actions include isolation of the affected plant and monthly treatment of all flowerpots with special solutions.

From the article you will find out which diseases and pests are most often found on indoor flowers and learn how to recognize them by their characteristic symptoms. In addition, we will provide useful information on the effective treatment of diseases and the most popular methods of pest control.

Types of diseases of indoor plants

Flower indoor crops are susceptible various diseases. For example, a white velvety coating may appear on leaves or buds. This is a disease called powdery mildew, which is caused by a special genus of fungi. The development of the disease is promoted by stagnant water, a sharp drop in temperature and irregular watering. The affected leaves must be removed, the temperature and watering regime should be adjusted, and the culture itself should be treated with a fungicide (three times with an interval of 10 days).

The most common illnesses include(picture 1):

• Mycosis (gray rot) causes the formation of mold, after which the leaves simply rot. The disease appears when elevated level humidity, too dense content and insufficient ventilation. It is possible to fight mycosis with fungicides only if the lesions are small. But most often the flowerpot is simply thrown away.
• If the leaves are covered with black soot, quickly forming a crust, this means that the culture is damaged by niello. Plaque does not harm directly, but spoils it appearance and interfere with photosynthesis. Fighting plaque with fungicides is pointless. The only remedy to eliminate it is to rub the leaves regularly or wash them in the shower. You can use a weak alcohol solution or beer.
• late blight also cause fungi. The stems and leaves are covered with purple-brown spots, wither and gradually die. Too intense watering or a dense substrate can provoke the disease. It is useless to fight late blight, and the affected specimen is simply thrown away along with the substrate. In order to prevent the onset of the disease, flowerpots should be planted only in a specially prepared soil mixture, and in winter the room should be regularly ventilated.

Sometimes nearby leaves begin to wilt and turn brown. This process is caused by a special fungal disease, which is almost useless to fight. The affected flower should be thrown away as soon as possible so that the fungus does not spread to neighboring crops.

Figure 1. Common indoor plant diseases: 1 - powdery mildew, 2 - gray rot, 3 - black soot, 4 - late blight

Another sign of the disease are cinnamon or black spots on the leaves. It can be scab, cercosporosis or anthracnose. As it should be, regular fungicide spraying helps, but if the leaf tissues begin to die off, all damaged parts will have to be removed. by the most effective means counts Bordeaux mixture, which can be used not only for therapeutic, but also for preventive purposes.

Viral

Some crops infect viruses. The leaves begin to discolor or deform. effective method there is no struggle, so the diseased flower must be destroyed so that it does not infect other crops.

The most common indoor flower viral diseases include(picture 2):

• Mosaic- the leaves are covered with spots of various colors and shapes, which form a fancy pattern. At the same time, the mosaic does not cause serious harm, but it can ruin the appearance.
• Jaundice- dangerous viral disease, since the affected culture quickly begins to wither, wither, stops growing and dies. Treatment for jaundice has not yet been developed, so it is better to destroy the infected flower immediately.

Figure 2. Signs of a viral infection

There are also varieties that are generally not susceptible to diseases. These include aspidistra, caladium, cyperus and many others. Examples of such crops are shown in Figure 3.

From the video you will learn how to properly deal with the most common diseases of indoor plants.

Bacterial

Bacterial diseases also pose a danger to home crops, as they not only slow down the growth of the plant, but also spoil its appearance. There are several types of diseases in this group.

Figure 3. Examples of disease-resistant crops: 1 - aspidistra, 2 - caladium, 3 - cyperus

The most common bacterial diseases considered(picture 4):

1. Rot especially often affects varieties with fleshy leaves and stems. Provoking factors may be high humidity and excessive use of nitrogenous fertilizers.
2. Withering first affects the stems, gradually switching to the leaves.
3. spotting manifested by the formation of dead areas on the leaves. Unlike fungal spotting, bacterial spots have clear contours.
4. bacterial cancer provokes the formation of growths on the roots and young shoots. As the disease spreads, the culture weakens and gradually dies.

Figure 4. Bacterial diseases of indoor flowers: 1 - rot, 2 - wilting, 3 - spotting, 4 - bacterial cancer

To combat bacterial diseases, it makes no sense to use chemicals, since they are not effective enough. In case of severe damage, the plant is destroyed along with the soil and the pot, but it is much more effective to take preventive measures and use fertilizer sparingly.

Powdery mildew on indoor plants: treatment

Powdery mildew can appear not only on crops open ground but also on indoor plants. The causative agent of the disease is a special type of fungus that forms a mycelium on leaves and stems.

Powdery mildew requires treatment after the first symptoms are detected, because the uncontrolled development of the fungus will lead to the fact that the culture will begin to weaken, slow down growth and may even die.

Causes

The causes of powdery mildew are very diverse. But most often this disease is caused by high humidity and temperature. In addition, improper care and exposure to pests can provoke the disease. For example, if a plant is weakened after an attack by insects or mites, it becomes more susceptible to fungi as well.

Figure 5. Symptoms of powdery mildew on indoor flowers

The onset of the disease can be provoked by excessive fertilizing with nitrogenous fertilizers and low calcium content in the soil. In addition, the disease can also appear if drops of water remain on the leaves and stems for a long time after watering.

Symptoms

A characteristic symptom of powdery mildew is the formation of dense white plaque on leaves and stems. This plaque contains spores of the fungus, but is easily removed by hand (Figure 5).

If treatment is not started, plaque will begin to spread to all parts of the culture, and gradually change color from white to brown. This indicates the neglect of the disease and the need to use special fungicides. In the initial stages of the defeat, you can do without folk remedies: tincture of garlic or a solution of soap with copper sulfate.

Houseplant Diseases: Sticky Leaves

Under normal conditions, the leaves of houseplants are smooth and dry. But, if they are covered with a sticky coating, this indicates a pathology that requires immediate treatment (Figure 6).

Among all the diseases of domestic flowers, sticky leaves cause the grower the most trouble, because this plaque not only spoils the appearance of the flower, but also worsens its general condition. Let's try to figure out what causes can cause sticky plaque, and how to properly eliminate it.

Causes

The main cause of sticky plaque is the effect of pests, which may not be visible to the naked eye, but at the same time they feed on the juices of the flower and weaken it.

sticky leaves appear if scale insects or false scale insects, aphids, mites or whiteflies have settled on the culture. All these insects cover the leaves with their waste products, which form an unpleasant sticky coating.

Symptoms

It is very easy to determine the presence of a sticky coating - just touch the leaves. Do not underestimate the problem, because a plant whose leaves are covered with sticky waste products of pests quickly loses moisture and nutrients and becomes more susceptible to fungal and viral diseases. In addition, sticky substances clog the pores in the leaves, and the flower cannot breathe normally.

Figure 6. Sticky leaves of indoor flowers and methods for eliminating pathology

If measures are not taken in time to eliminate plaque, the flower will quickly wither, stop growing and may even die if this flower has previously suffered a disease or transplant.

Treatment

Since pests are the main factor that provokes the formation of plaque on the leaves, measures must be taken to combat insects. First, you need to treat the flower with insecticides or acaricides (if mites were found on the stems). The culture itself must be thoroughly washed with a solution laundry soap, carefully, but gently washing away plaque from each sheet.

If the plaque has already spread throughout the culture, folk methods fighting won't be enough. In this case, it is better to wash the leaves clean water and treat the culture with Fitoverm, dissolving the contents of one ampoule in water.

Houseplant Diseases: Dry Leaf Tips

If the tips of the leaves began to dry near the flowerpot, most likely the air in the room is too dry or the culture is not properly cared for (Figure 7).

In fact, there are a lot of reasons for the appearance of dry tips on the leaves, so you need to objectively evaluate all the factors and take appropriate measures to eliminate the pathology.

Causes

As mentioned above, dry leaf tips appear if the room has a low level of humidity. But this is far from the only reason.

Among the factors that can cause drying of the leaves at the tips, there are:

• Watering with hard tap water;
• Violation of the irrigation schedule: excessive moisture or drying of the earthen coma;
• Increased or reduced content of fertilizers in the soil;
• Increased room temperature or exposure to direct sunlight;
• A cramped pot in which the roots completely wrapped around the soil and formed a dense earthen ball.

In addition, dry leaf tips can appear when exposed to pests. To eliminate the problem, it is necessary to assess the degree of influence of all factors that could lead to the pathology, and take appropriate measures to eliminate them.

Symptoms

On the initial stage only a small part of the leaf tip begins to dry out. It is at this stage that you need to inspect the plant for pests and revise the crop care schedule.

Figure 7. Diseases of houseplants: dry leaf tips

For example, if an aphid has appeared on a flower, you may notice colonies of small insects on the stems or undersides of the leaves. If mites have settled on the flower, a small cobweb will appear between the nodes, and when exposed to scale insects, small dense and motionless insects can be seen on the leaves.

Treatment

If the tips of the leaves began to dry under the influence of pests, you need to process chemicals, and after a few days, repeat the procedure to eliminate young individuals hatched from larvae.

But much more often the tips of the leaves dry due to improper care. First of all, you need to improve the quality of water for irrigation. For this purpose, it is better to use thawed or rain water, but if you do not have such an opportunity, you can defend the usual tap. In addition, you need to increase the humidity in the room by spraying the leaves with boiled water. room temperature or by installing a stationary humidifier nearby.

It is also necessary to feed the plant, or vice versa, reduce the amount of fertilizer. Often the leaves begin to dry out if the flower is in too tight a pot. In this case, a transplant or transshipment (for large specimens) into a larger container is required.

Shchitovka on indoor plants: treatment

Detecting insect pests is quite simple by examining the surface of the stems and leaves. Below is information about the most common insects that can damage or completely destroy an indoor flower.

Most often appears in spring or late winter. Outwardly, insects are very small, they can be black, gray or green. The aphid feeds on plant sap and secretes a sticky, poisonous sap. As a rule, the pest is located on young shoots and buds. The risk of damage is especially high if the flower was taken out to the garden for the summer (Figure 8).

Figure 8. Examples of plants affected by aphids

To save the flower, immediately remove and burn the affected parts. You can also try to wash off the insects with strong water pressure. After that, they are treated with special insecticides for indoor crops. The main victims of aphids are roses and chrysanthemums, but it is not terrible for crops with dense and fleshy leaves.

• Ticks

The main sign of damage is the web that appeared between the leaves and stems. Since the size of individual individuals is less than 1 mm, it is almost impossible to consider them. But with a large accumulation of insects, the leaves gradually lose color and turn gray. Ticks reproduce especially intensively in dry hot weather(Figure 9).

Figure 9. Damage to indoor plants by mites

For prevention, they maintain a high level of humidity, so it is tedious to spray the leaves of flowers as often as possible with clean water. But if ticks still appear, they are used to eliminate them. special means- acaricides.

• whiteflies

This is a separate subspecies of aphids. Insects reproduce very quickly, and adults take off in a flock as soon as you touch the leaves. They feed on the juices of stems and leaves and quickly lead to their death. Therefore, as soon as you find a whitefly, treat the flower with a special insecticide. The procedure must be repeated every 8 days, since the drug only affects adults.

• Weevils

The insects are up to 2 cm long. They eat leaves and young stems. The larvae resemble small worms and feed on roots. For treatment, insecticides are used, which are sprayed on plants four times with a week break. For prevention, you need to buy only specialized substrates of industrial production, which are guaranteed to be free of pests or their larvae.

Houseplants can be affected by other pests as well.(Figure 10):

1. Cicadas: these are small insects that jump up as soon as you touch the leaves. They eat juices. To fight, it is enough to remove the damaged leaves and stems and rinse the flower well in the shower. As a rule, this is sufficient and treatment with special chemicals is not required.
2. Caterpillars: they rarely appear on home flowers, but the likelihood of damage still exists. They are removed manually and carried out regular preventive spraying.
3. Worms: feed mainly on the juice of flowerpots with dense fleshy leaves. Remove insects by hand, washing the leaves with a water-alcohol solution.
4. Red spider mite: quite common in city apartments. It is difficult to notice the insect, but its presence can be identified by spots on the leaves in places where insects feed. In addition, ticks leave a thin web. To combat ticks, you need to increase the humidity of the air and constantly spray the external and inside leaves.
5. Woodlice damage the roots by eating them. However, they do not have time to cause serious damage, as pests are easy to detect and eliminate manually.

Figure 10. Common pests of indoor plants: 1 - whiteflies, 2 - caterpillars, 3 - scale insects

Also crops grown in pots can be damaged by centipedes and miner flies. To combat centipedes, it is enough to transplant. It is easy to determine the presence of miner flies by the passages in the leaves that the insect larvae gnaw through. Since indoor plants are rarely subjected to mass attacks, it is enough to carry out preventive monthly spraying with insecticides.

Note: On the back of the leaves, dense brown spots can often be seen. These are the so-called scale insects that drink the juice of plants. To combat them, simply gently scrape off the pests and treat the damaged leaves with a mild soapy or beer solution. If there are many scale insects, the treatment is repeated after 10-15 minutes.

When using garden uncultivated soil in a pot, earthworms and podura (small jumping insects that do not cause serious harm, but spoil the aesthetic appearance of the plant). You can fight them only by transplanting the culture into a special substrate for industrial production. More useful information You will learn about pest control from the video.

Shchitovka - one of the most common pests of indoor plants. These insects are of great danger, as they feed on the juices of the plant, and it is difficult to notice scale insects at the initial stage of damage.

Causes

The reasons provoking the invasion of scale insects are very diverse. As a rule, they appear on home flowers with improper care, which weakens the culture.

In addition, pests can settle on weakened flowers after the disease. Most often, scale insects are carried with soil or water, but in some cases they can be spread by the person himself, if infected equipment was used to care for and transplant plants.

Symptoms

You can determine the presence of shields by characteristic features(Figure 11). The first of these is the appearance of dense brown or light growths on the leaves. Outwardly, they resemble scales and are difficult to separate from the plant.

Note: This is what adult pests look like, and it is impossible to detect larvae, since they are not visible to the naked eye.

In addition, a plant affected by scale insects gradually slows down growth and weakens, its leaves become covered with a sticky coating (the result of the vital activity of insects), and brown spots appear in places of severe damage. Gradually, these spots increase in size and, if pest control measures are not taken, the plant dies.

Figure 11. Scale insects on indoor flowers: symptoms of damage

Treatment of scale insects is not an easy task, since the outside of the pest is protected by a dense shield that does not let inside chemicals fight. At the initial stage of the lesion, you can try to remove the scale insects manually, using an old toothbrush dipped in alcohol or soapy water. In case of severe damage, it is necessary to carry out several stages of spraying with Actellik (1 ampoule per liter of water) or Fosbecid (20 ml per 10 liters of water). The last drug is toxic, so the treatment can only be carried out on the street.

Diseases of indoor flowers: white bloom

A white coating that suddenly appeared on the leaves or buds of indoor plants indicates that the flower is infected with powdery mildew (Figure 12).

This is fungal disease, and white plaque is a mycelium that contains fungal spores. The danger of the disease is that it spreads rapidly, therefore, when the first symptoms are detected, it is necessary to take immediate remedial measures.

Causes

There are not very many reasons that can cause infection with powdery mildew. Firstly, the disease provokes incorrect and irregular watering, when water accumulates at the roots or remains on the leaves.

In addition, the cause of the development of powdery mildew can be an increased temperature in the room, in combination with high humidity. This happens especially often in summer, but signs of powdery mildew can also appear in winter if the plant suffers from sudden changes in temperature.

Symptoms

A characteristic symptom of powdery mildew is a white coating that first covers individual parts of the plant. But without treatment, it will quickly spread throughout the culture.

Figure 12. White plaque on house flowers and its treatment

Powdery mildew not only spoils the appearance of the plant, but also weakens it, as the fungus slows down the absorption of water and nutrients into the tissue of the culture. If the fungus has spread strongly, brown spots will begin to form in place of the white plaque, and the plant may die.

Treatment

Powdery mildew treatment depends on the stage of the lesion. If the disease has just begun, it will be enough to remove and burn the damaged parts, and spray the plant itself with any drug against the fungus (for prevention).

In case of severe damage, a solution of fungicides is used. The culture is sprayed up to three times with an interval of 10 days to completely destroy the fungus.

Prevention of diseases and pests of indoor plants

Most often, indoor plants suffer from diseases and pests due to improper care. Much less often, pathogens and pest larvae penetrate from the outside, for example, when using a conventional garden soil for growing flowers.

In order for plants to remain strong and healthy, simple preventive measures must be followed. Firstly, moderately fertilize and water the plants, avoiding strong drying or waterlogging of the earthy coma. Secondly, each species needs to provide optimal conditions cultivation: the level of humidity, lighting and temperature. In addition, potted plants need to be trimmed and repotted regularly to give them enough room to grow.

Sooner or later, they face problems associated with the deterioration of the health and decorative value of potted flowers. If there were spots on leaves of one or another species from your flower collection, it is necessary to determine the cause of damage to the leaf blades as soon as possible.

It is possible that the appearance of spots on the leaves is caused by sunburn and it is necessary to shade the flower from direct sunlight. These lesions usually appear in summer period- yellowish or brown rounded spots are clearly visible on the leaves, the leaf blade is deformed, turgor decreases.

But spots on the leaves may appear due to the defeat of a houseplant. pests(spider mites, flower thrips, scale insects, whitefly larvae, mealybug, white or green aphids), fungal diseases(mycoses are caused by powdery mildew, gray rot, late blight, fusarium, anthracnose), bacterial diseases(bacteriosis) and viral infections causing leaf spot.

Usually, novice flower growers face damage to plants by pests or diseases, which allow violations in the process of caring for "green pets" at home. Therefore, it is important to carefully inspect all potted flowers as often as possible in order to quickly take action if spots are found on the leaves. It is much easier to fight pests and diseases at the initial stage of appearance than after the defeat of large areas, when the chances of saving the plant become less and less.

♦ WHY DO BLACK SPOTS APPEAR ON FLOWER LEAVES?

◉ fungal disease phyllosticosis (brown spotting). At the initial stage of the lesion, dots of dark purple and black appear. Gradually, the dots increase in size and turn into brown or black spots on the leaves;

◉ fungal disease septoria. At first, small oval spots of light gray color with a brownish border can be found on the leaves. Gradually, the affected areas of the leaves increase in size and black spots appear in the central part, consisting of spores of the Septoria fungus. Then the mycelium spreads throughout the drying leaf and the color of the leaf blade becomes brown;

◉ fungal disease powdery mildew. At the initial stage of the disease, small spots with a grayish coating appear. The mycelium rapidly expands, small spots merge, darken, and closer to the center of the leaf blade, black spots with spores may appear;

◉ soot fungus. Niello often appears on secretions (honeydew) of pests such as aphids, mealybugs, scale insects, and thrips. A sticky honeydew remains on the leaves, and then a black coating and small dark or black spots appear;

◉ another dangerous mycosis is black rot. At first, dark brown spots with yellowish concentric rings may appear. Gradually, the spots increase in size, darken and the entire leaf literally turns black;

◉ bacteriosis bacterial rot. It often appears on the fleshy leaves of houseplants. At the initial stage of the disease, small spots of brown or black color can be found. Gradually, the leaf tissue softens and necrosis of the leaf blade occurs.

Photo: black spots on the leaves of indoor plants

♦ WHY APPEAR YELLOW SPOT ON FLOWER LEAVES?

❂ improper plant care (watering cold water, overflow and stagnation of water in the root system, incorrect top dressing with fertilizers, unsuitable earth mixture). First, shapeless yellow spots may appear on the lower leaves, yellowish dots along the veins. Due to waterlogging or stagnation of water in the roots, blurry yellowish spots appear on thin leaf blades;

❂ drafts and prolonged ventilation of the room. So-called draft spots may appear on the leaves of flowers due to hypothermia of the root rosette. Yellow spots of irregular or blurred shape are scattered throughout the leaf blade;

❂ sunburn. Sunburn can occur after watering or spraying, when drops on the leaves act like lenses. The leaves show round or oval yellow spots with a reddish-brown rim;

❂ fungal disease peronosporosis (downy mildew). On the upper side of the leaf blade appear grayish- yellow spots with a blurred outline. The mycelium rapidly increases in size and the spots coalesce;

❂ bacteriosis bacterial spotting. First, vitreous spots with a blurry rim appear. Soon these spots on the leaves turn yellow, and then increase in size, turn black and the leaf dries;

❂ pests of indoor plants suck juices from tissues. At first, you can find small yellowish dots on the leaves. Gradually, pests multiply, there are more and more dots and they increase in size, turning into yellow spots.

- photo: yellow spots on the leaves of indoor plants

♦ WHY DO WHITE SPOTS APPEAR ON FLOWER LEAVES?

◎ fungal disease powdery mildew. First, a grayish coating appears, which is easily removed mechanically. Then the entire leaf is covered with shapeless white spots, which eventually become dark brown or brown;

◎ fungal disease gray rot. In the initial stage, it usually appears on damaged and withered leaves in the form of shapeless brownish or brown spots. But after a while, white spots can be found - this is a plaque, under which the color of the spots is rusty or brown;

◎ plant damage by thrips. Pest-affected areas of the leaf blade are covered with white spots. If you look closely, you can also find tiny black thrips excrement there.

- photo: white spots on the leaves of indoor plants

♦ SPOT ON LEAVES IN DIFFERENT TYPES OF FLOWERS:

⊛ Anthurium. Violations in the irrigation regime lead to the appearance of yellow or rusty spots on the leaves. Improperly prepared earth mixture, which decomposes and cakes, can lead to the appearance of blurry yellow spots, and the leaves themselves are deformed. Anthracnose often affects Anthurium Andre (Male happiness), which leads to the appearance of dark spots and drying of the leaves. Frequent drafts and low temperatures lead to the appearance of black dots and small spots. small translucent dark spots on the leaf blade they talk about the possible defeat of anthurium by a spider mite. And numerous yellowish spots against the background of deformed leaves may be the result of the activity of aphids sucking anthurium juices.

⊛ Orchid(phalaenopsis, dendrobium). If dry spots of a brownish or brown color appear on the leaves, then most likely this is a lesion by the fungus Cladosporium Orchideorum. If you constantly water the orchid with cold water, then you can provoke the appearance of uneven depressed yellow spots - this is the so-called death of leaf tissue cells (Mesophyll collapse). At high level air humidity on the background elevated temperature circles and yellow spots of Cercospora bacterial spot may appear on the leaves. The fungus Phyllostictina Pyriformis causes small yellow and black spots on the upper part of the leaf - and especially along the edges. Appearance of black spots different size can cause chlorosis if the orchid is watered with unsettled running water.

⊛ ficuses(Benjamin, rubber elastic). Top part leaf blade is covered with small yellowish and dark spots, a cobweb is visible between the shoots and leaves - this is a lesion spider mite. Sticky secretions of pests (scutellum, thrips, mealybug) can provoke the appearance soot fungus on the leaves. Gray rot causes darkening of the leaves and the appearance of spots with a grayish coating on the surface. Ficuses are often affected by powdery mildew, with the appearance of which white spots with a bloom are clearly visible on the leaves.

⊛ Saintpaulia(Uzambara violets). Very susceptible to direct sunlight, with prolonged exposure to which burns appear on the leaves in the form of oval spots. yellow color with a brownish central part. Cold air and constant drafts provoke the appearance of gray-beige spots of the most different forms. Dark spots may appear along the edges of the lower leaves of violets if the plant has not been transplanted for a long time or the flower lacks potassium. Powdery mildew causes white spots with a powdery coating, and then the leaves turn brown, deform and fall off.

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