Why do white spots appear on flower leaves? Diseases of indoor plants. Spraying against powdery mildew

There are a variety of diseases of indoor flowers, some of them are complex, requiring a special approach to treatment and preventive measures in the future. Rust is a disease indoor plants- rare, but dangerous, capable of destroying the flower. The name of this flower disease is explained by the appearance of the lesions: red and brown spots appear on the leaves of houseplants, slightly convex and as if fleecy. In fact, it is a fungus. Treatment of domestic flowers affected by it is long and complex. It is imperative to reconsider the conditions in which the plant is located and the care regimen.

A ficus completely infected with rust is very difficult to cure.

It is not so difficult to recognize rust on plants; the signs of this disease are specific, they cannot be confused or missed.

First, rust appears on the leaves and stems of domestic flowers. It looks like yellow-brown or red-brown convex spots of various sizes and shapes.
The spots increase in size, swell and form pustules. The leaves of diseased plants intensively evaporate moisture, the pustules quickly dry out, crack and burst. They release a “rusty” powder, which poses a serious threat to neighboring healthy plants. These are fungal spores that quickly spread through the air throughout the flower garden.
Then the spores completely cover the entire surface of the leaves and stems and appear on the flowers. Plants change color, becoming brown or brown.
Then indoor flowers begin to dry out and lose leaves; if treatment is not started, the plants will die.

However, even if you start taking measures, it is not always possible to save indoor plants from disease. Therefore, it is better to prevent its appearance and development.

It is important to know: at temperatures not exceeding 10 degrees above zero, the incubation period of the disease lasts up to 20 days. If the temperature is above 18 degrees, then the incubation period is reduced to 7-14 days.

Reasons for appearance

Rust is a fungal disease, and the fungus, as you know, likes to settle in places where it is humid, warm and dark. From this we can conclude that rust appears on plants if they are watered too often and abundantly, not ventilated and kept in the shade, away from direct sunlight or phytolamps.

It is especially dangerous to flood indoor plants with water in winter. Many flowers in the cold season go into a dormant state until spring; they do not need frequent watering, nor do they need mineral fertilizing. If, in addition to this, the pot is located near the radiator, you should not be surprised at the appearance of such a plant disease.

Over-watering indoor plants can lead to rust infection.

Also, the development of fungus can be provoked by the abuse of mineral fertilizers rich in nitrogen. In winter they are not needed at all. And during the growing season and flowering of plants, you should strictly follow the instructions and do not apply too high a concentration of fertilizer.

If pots with plants are placed on an open terrace, veranda or balcony, then fungal spores can be carried by the wind or insects. Sometimes you come across seeds that are already infected with rust. Recognizing this is difficult, often completely impossible. This is one of the reasons why seeds should be treated with potassium permanganate before sowing. As well as the containers with soil in which they will be planted.

Which indoor plants suffer more often than others?

In principle, rust can appear on any type of indoor plant. But the fungus loves certain varieties more than others. In addition, there are house flowers that are more sensitive to fungal spores and are unable to fight it. The following ornamental crops should be protected from moisture and overheating with special care:

camellia;
fuchsia;
carnation;
cyclamen;
pelargonium;
rose;
geranium;
chrysanthemum.

A cameo leaf damaged by rust cannot be treated.

This fungus likes to settle on garden crops such as asparagus and citrus bushes, and often affects palm trees of various types.

We treat and prevent disease

In most cases flower garden suffers from rust due to the fault of the owners themselves - this means that they do not properly care for their plants. To prevent the formation and spread of fungus in the spring, all flowers should be treated with a one percent solution of Bordeaux mixture.

What to do if a fungus has settled on the plant and its leaves begin to rust? First of all, it is important to prevent infection of neighboring plants, even if the diseased flower cannot be saved. Therefore, a sick flower must be immediately taken to a hotel room. Every single one of the affected leaves is torn off, even if there are only a few small spots of rust on them. Then they need to be burned away from the flower garden.

Bordeaux mixture is used to combat rust on indoor and garden plants.

The flower itself can be treated with the same Bordeaux mixture. Or use sulfur dust. You can also prepare the following disinfectant mixture yourself:

heat 5 liters of purified water;
dissolve 200 g of green soap in water;
add 15 g of copper sulfate.

The room in which the potted plant is located must be well ventilated several times a day, and it is better to keep the window constantly open. Neither dry air nor high humidity should be allowed.

It is important to water the plant correctly. The liquid should be added to the pan or to the soil, but so that the water gets under the root and not on the leaves and flowers of the plant. If fertilizing is used, then preference should be given to preparations containing potassium and phosphorus.

Copper sulfate is a component of a spray preparation that you can prepare yourself.

Beginning gardeners often confuse rust with any red spots on the leaves of plants and begin to spray the flower garden with various fungicides. As a result, many plants die from improperly applied products. Therefore, if you suspect that a plant has been damaged by a fungus, you should either familiarize yourself with high-quality photos of the symptoms and manifestations of the disease, or invite a knowledgeable person to examine the plants and make a diagnosis.

Rust can also manifest itself differently in different flowers and crops. On some flowers it develops faster, on others it grows very slowly, over weeks or months. In any case, the plant needs to be treated; the most important points in this process are to ensure a constant influx fresh air and removal of the affected parts of the flower. It is recommended to re-treat with a disinfectant solution 10-12 days after the first spraying.

Since petunia is a very beautiful and undemanding flower to care for, it has gained great popularity among flower growers and housewives of our country. This plant decorates ground flower beds, balconies, terraces, flower beds, and others. But even if you take good care of these flowers, sometimes they can get sick; some experience the appearance of a white coating on the petunia leaves. This article will address the questions: what is this white plaque, what is the reason for its appearance, and how to get rid of it?

What is powdery mildew?

It is a fungal disease that infects the leaves of various plants. The white coating of this dew looks like white dust. When the disease just begins to develop, it looks like a whitish coating that affects the lower leaves; over time, all petunia leaves and other parts of the flower become infected. The leaves begin to turn yellow and wither, and new leaves grow unhealthy and curled. If treatment of the flower is delayed or nothing is done at all, the petunia will eventually die.

Causes of the disease

Why does petunia get powdery mildew? Usually the spores of this fungus are found in the ground; they may not manifest themselves for a very long time. With proper, regular care of flowers, as well as in good weather, the fungus does not attack the plant.

The causes of petunia infection with powdery mildew are the following:

It is cool outside and there is high air humidity, this affects the plant if the petunia is in a flowerbed or on a balcony. The flower grown in the room is not affected by weather conditions;
there is a lot of nitrogen fertilizers in the soil;
flowers are rarely thinned out;
improper soil moisture regime. The leaves of the petunia are covered with a white coating - this can happen due to too frequent watering, or vice versa due to drying out of the soil. In such extreme conditions, the plant’s immunity suffers, and the petunia begins to get sick.

Powdery mildew can also appear after flowers have been watered with water from fungi, or they have been touched with hands that had previously touched infected flowers. In addition, the appearance of powdery mildew on petunias can be caused by wind, which transfers fungal spores from infected bushes to healthy ones.

Differences between powdery mildew and downy mildew

False disease has slightly different plaque spots. The real disease quickly covers the entire bush, and downy mildew infects only some parts of the flower, mostly only the green ones. False disease has a fluffy coating white.

In addition, downy mildew and powdery mildew appear under different conditions. A real disease affects flowers only when it is cool outside and with high air humidity, while a false disease occurs when there is a lack of soil moisture.

Spraying against powdery mildew

Before spraying, be sure to do the following:

remove all infected, yellowed and lost elasticity leaves and affected buds;
remove the top layer of soil and add treated, disinfected soil;
spray the bushes with a store-bought preparation, for example, topaz or foundationol;
when spraying with the solution, all bushes must be completely treated;
To be on the safe side, you can dip the petunia bushes into a container with the medication for treatment.

Treatment of petunia by spraying is usually used if you need to get rid of a false disease. The following preparations are used for spraying:

polycarbacin;
a mixture of milk and iodine - you need to dissolve 10 drops of iodine in one liter of milk, after which this mixture is mixed with 10 liters of water. The resulting liquid must be sprayed onto the flowers several times. Many gardeners say that this remedy helps quite quickly;
copper oxychloride.

These drugs can be freely purchased in stores. By spraying them you can get rid of white plaque.

Traditional methods of dealing with white plaque

Folk remedies are effective on early stage lesions, and these recipes are often used as preventive measures. How can you treat white plaque on petunia leaves? The most effective means are:

Manganese solution. You need to dissolve about 2 or 3 grams of potassium permanganate in 10 liters of water. The resulting solution must be treated with infected petunias three times, every 5 days.
A mixture of soda ash and soap. You need to mix 25 grams of soda with 5 grams of liquid soap, pour this mixture into a container with 5 liters of heated water. This solution needs to be cooled, after which it is necessary to spray the infected bushes and root areas of the soil. Treatment of plants should be carried out twice with a break of 10 days.
The serum is diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 10. The entire petunia bush must be treated with this solution. Thanks to this treatment, the stem and leaves are covered with a thin film, which prevents the flow of air to the fungus. In addition, thanks to this treatment, the bushes receive good nutrition. Plants should be treated with this mixture only when it is dry outside.
It is necessary to mix soap and ash; for this, one kilogram of wood ash is used, which is mixed in 10 liters of heated water. This mixture should be infused for about a week, and it should be stirred every day. After a week, it needs to be drained, separated from the sediment. 10 grams of soap are added to the solution, then the resulting mixture must be sprayed on the affected bushes. You can process it every day, and you can pour water into the ash residue and feed the flowers with this solution.
Copper solution is the most effective means. Why? Because it contains a natural fungicide - copper sulfate. It is necessary to dilute 5 grams of the drug in 300 grams of water. And in another container you need to dissolve 50 grams of soap in 5 liters of heated water. Then copper sulfate, which was previously diluted in water, is slowly poured into the soap solution. All diseased bushes need to be treated with this mixture three times, with a break of 7 days.

Chemicals

Fighting powdery mildew on petunia: what to do? To quickly eliminate this disease, especially if it has spread to a large area of planted petunias, many gardeners use fungicidal chemicals. These agents destroy the structure of the fungus and prevent the development of powdery mildew in petunia cells. The most effective store-bought fungicidal agents in the fight against powdery mildew:

Amistar extra;
Fundazol;
Speed;
Topaz.

It is advisable to prevent the white bloom from spreading excessively and infecting many petunia bushes; it is better to fight the disease and treat the flowers at an early stage.

Sooner or later, they encounter problems associated with the deterioration of the health and decorative value of potted flowers. If there are 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. Typically, such damage appears in the summer - yellowish or brown round spots are clearly visible on the leaves, the leaf blade is deformed, and turgor decreases.

But spots on the leaves may appear due to damage to the indoor plant pests(spider mites, flower thrips, scale insects, whitefly larvae, mealybugs, white or green aphids), fungal diseases(mycoses are caused by powdery mildew, gray mold, late blight, fusarium, anthracnose), bacterial diseases(bacteriosis), as well as viral infections , causing leaf spot.

Usually, novice gardeners are faced with damage to plants by pests or diseases, who commit 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 detected on the leaves. Control pests and diseases on initial stage appearance is much easier than after damage to large areas, when the chances of saving the plant become less and less.

♦ WHY DO BLACK SPOTS APPEAR ON THE LEAVES OF FLOWERS?

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

◉ fungal disease septoria. At first, you can find small oval spots of light gray color with a brownish border 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 quickly expands, small spots merge, darken, and black spots with spores may appear closer to the center of the leaf blade;

◉ sooty fungus. Blackheads often appear on the secretions (honeydew) of pests such as aphids, mealybugs, scale insects, and thrips. 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. Most often appears on the fleshy leaves of indoor plants. At the initial stage of the disease, small spots of brown or black color can be detected. Gradually, the leaf tissue softens and areas of the leaf blade become necrosis.

Photo: black spots on the leaves of indoor plants

♦ WHY DO YELLOW SPOTS APPEAR ON FLOWER LEAVES?

❂ improper care of the plant (watering cold water, overflow and stagnation of water in the root system, incorrect fertilizing with fertilizers, inappropriate soil mixture). At 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 flower leaves due to overcooling 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 the droplets on the leaves act like lenses. Round or oval yellow spots with a reddish-brown rim are noticeable on the leaves;

❂ fungal disease peronosporosis (downy mildew). Grayish-yellow spots with a blurred outline appear on the upper side of the leaf blade. The mycelium quickly increases in size and the spots merge;

❂ bacteriosis bacterial spotting. First, glassy 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 may notice small yellowish dots on the leaves. Gradually, the pests multiply, there are more and more spots and they increase in size, turning into yellow spots.

- photo: yellow spots on the leaves of indoor plants

♦ WHY DO WHITE SPOTS APPEAR ON THE LEAVES OF FLOWERS?

◎ 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 over time 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 some time, white spots can be detected - this is a coating under which the color of the spots is rusty or brown;

◎ plant damage by thrips. The areas of the leaf blade affected by pests become 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

♦ SPOTS ON LEAVES IN DIFFERENT TYPES OF FLOWERS:

⊛ Anthurium. Irregularities in the watering regime lead to the appearance of yellow or rusty spots on the leaves. An improperly prepared soil mixture that 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 out 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 indicate possible damage to the anthurium by spider mites. And numerous yellowish spots against the background of deformed leaves may be the result of the activity of aphids sucking out the anthurium juices.

⊛ Orchid(phalaenopsis, dendrobium). If dry spots of a brownish or brown color appear on the leaves, then most likely this is an infection with the fungus Cladosporium Orchideorum. If you constantly water an orchid with cold water, you can provoke the appearance of uneven depressed yellow spots - this is the so-called death of leaf tissue cells (Mesophyll collapse). With high levels of air humidity and elevated temperatures, circles and yellow spots of Cercospora bacterial spot may appear on the leaves. The fungus Phyllostictina Pyriformis causes small yellow and black spots to appear on the top of the leaf - and especially along the edges. The appearance of black spots of different sizes can cause chlorosis if you water the orchid with unsettled running water.

⊛ Ficus(Benjamina, rubbery elastica). The upper part of the leaf blade is covered with small yellowish and dark spots, a cobweb is visible between the shoots and leaves - this is a spider mite attack. Sticky secretions of pests (scale insects, thrips, mealybugs) can provoke the appearance of sooty fungus on the leaves. Gray rot causes darkening of the leaves and the appearance of spots with a grayish coating on the surface. Ficus plants are often affected by powdery mildew, when white spots with plaque appear on the leaves.

⊛ Saintpaulia(Usambara violets). Very susceptible to direct sun rays, 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 replanted for a long time or the flower lacks potassium. Powdery mildew causes white spots with a powdery coating to appear, and then the leaves turn brown, become deformed and fall off.

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Many gardeners complain that petunia leaves become covered with a white coating. Why is this happening. Let's try to figure it out in this article.

Petunia leaves become covered with a white coating for several reasons. In this article we will look at the main causes of this unpleasant phenomenon.

White plaque is not a very good symptom. It indicates petunia disease.

If the petunia leaves are covered with a white coating, then most likely it is powdery mildew. It could also be downy mildew.

How to distinguish powdery mildew from downy mildew?

Powdery mildew is one of the most common diseases of plants, including petunias. This disease is fungal. It manifests itself in a white coating on leaves, stems and flowers. If no measures are taken, the plant will dry out and die. The following factors lead to the occurrence of powdery mildew:

High air humidity.
Large temperature changes.
Lack of nutrients.

Downy mildew manifests itself practically. In order to distinguish downy mildew from real powdery mildew, you should pay attention to plaque spots. Also, true powdery mildew seems to suffocate the entire plant, and downy mildew affects the green parts of the plant. Downy mildew has a very characteristic “fluffy” white coating.

You can also distinguish by conditions. Powdery mildew appears in conditions of high humidity, and downy mildew appears in conditions of lack of moisture.

Fighting powdery mildew on petunia: what to do?

If you determine that your flowers are covered with a white coating due to powdery mildew, then the following remedies are perfect for the fight:

Fundazol;
Topaz;
Acrobat MC;
Previkur;
Speed;
Vitaros;
Amistarextra.
Fitosporin.

These drugs help quite well with powdery mildew. Follow the instructions on the package.

Control of downy mildew on petunia.

If the petunia leaves are covered with a white coating due to downy mildew, then the following remedies can be used:

Solution of iodine and milk. (Drop 10 drops of iodine into 1 liter of milk and mix in 10 liters of water. Spray petunia with this solution). This product helps very well.
Polycarbacin.
Copper oxychloride.

All these products can be easily purchased at a gardening store. They help a lot and the white coating will disappear very quickly.

Since pests spread very quickly at home, all crops need to be inspected periodically in order to detect the problem in time. Diseases of indoor flowers require immediate treatment, since in a confined space the disease spreads quickly and can affect all crops in the house. Diseases can be caused by viruses, fungi and bacteria, and if pests appear, they can always be removed manually and measures taken to prevent the spread of insects. Preventive measures include isolating the affected plant and monthly treating all potted crops with special solutions.

From the article you will learn what diseases and pests are most often found on indoor flowers and learn to recognize them by characteristic symptoms. In addition, we will provide useful information on effective treatment 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 the leaves or buds. This is a disease called powdery mildew, which is caused by a special type of fungus. The development of the disease is promoted by stagnation of water, a sharp decrease in temperature and irregular watering. The affected leaves need to be removed, the temperature and watering regime adjusted, and the crop itself should be treated with a fungicide (three times with an interval of 10 days).

The most common diseases 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 housing and insufficient ventilation. You can 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 crop is damaged by blackheads. Plaque does not directly harm, but spoils it appearance and interferes with photosynthesis. There is no point in fighting plaque with fungicides. The only way to eliminate it is to regularly wipe the leaves or rinse them in the shower. You can use a weak alcohol solution or beer.
Late blight also caused by fungi. Stems and leaves become covered with purple-brown spots, wither and gradually die. The disease can be provoked by too intense watering or a dense substrate. It is useless to fight late blight, and the affected specimen is simply thrown away along with the substrate. To prevent the appearance 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 practically useless to fight. The affected flower should be thrown away as quickly as possible so that the fungus does not spread to neighboring crops.

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

Another sign of the disease is cinnamon or black spots on the leaves. It could be scab, cercospora blight or anthracnose. As is correct, regular spraying with fungicides helps, but if the leaf tissue begins to die, all damaged parts will have to be removed. Bordeaux mixture is considered the most effective remedy, which can be used not only for medicinal but also for preventive purposes.

Viral

Some crops are affected by viruses. Leaves begin to discolor or become misshapen. There is no effective method of control, so the diseased flower must be destroyed so that it does not infect other crops.

The most common viral diseases of indoor flowers include(Figure 2):

Mosaic- the leaves are covered with spots of various colors and shapes, which form a bizarre pattern. In this case, the mosaic does not cause serious harm, but it can spoil the appearance.
Jaundice- a dangerous viral disease, as the affected crop quickly begins to wither, wither, stop growing and die. Treatment for jaundice has not yet been developed, so it is better to destroy the infected flower immediately.

Figure 2. Signs of viral infection

There are also varieties that are not susceptible to diseases at all. 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 are(Figure 4):

Rot It especially often affects varieties with fleshy leaves and stems. Provoking factors may be high humidity and excessive use of nitrogenous fertilizers.
Withering first affects the stems, gradually switching to the leaves.
spotting manifested by the formation of dead areas on the leaves. Unlike fungal spots, bacterial spots have clear contours.
Bacterial cancer provokes the formation of growths on 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

There is no point in using chemicals to combat bacterial diseases, since they are not sufficiently effective. In case of severe damage, the plant is destroyed along with the soil and pot, but it is much more effective to take preventive measures and use fertilizers 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 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 crop 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, the disease can be caused by improper care and exposure to pests. For example, if a plant is weakened after an attack by insects or mites, it becomes more susceptible to fungi.

Figure 5. Symptoms of powdery mildew on indoor flowers

The onset of the disease can be triggered 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 a dense white coating on the leaves and stems. This plaque contains fungal spores, but is easily cleaned off by hand (Figure 5).

If treatment is not started, the plaque will begin to spread to all parts of the crop and gradually change color from white to brown. This indicates the advanced stage of the disease and the need to use special fungicides. In the initial stages of damage, you can get by folk remedies: tincture of garlic or a solution of soap with copper sulfate.

Houseplant diseases: sticky leaves

Under normal conditions, the leaves of indoor plants 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 gardener the most trouble, because this coating not only spoils the appearance of the flower, but also worsens it general state. Let's try to figure out what causes a sticky coating and how to properly eliminate it.

Causes

The main reason for the appearance of sticky plaque is the influence 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 crop. 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 sticky plaque - 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 to eliminate plaque are not taken in time, the flower will quickly wither, stop growing, and may even die if this flower has previously suffered a disease or transplantation.

Treatment

Since the main factor causing the formation of plaque on leaves is pests, it is necessary to take measures 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 of laundry soap, thoroughly but carefully washing off plaque from each leaf.

If the plaque has already spread throughout the culture, traditional methods fighting will not be enough. In this case, it is better to rinse the leaves with clean water and treat the crop with Fitoverm, dissolving the contents of one ampoule in water.

Houseplant diseases: dry leaf tips

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

In fact, there are quite a few reasons for the appearance of dry tips on 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 when there is low humidity in the room. But this is far from the only reason.

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

Watering with hard tap water;
Violation of the watering schedule: excessive moisture or drying out of the earthen clod;
Increased or decreased content of fertilizers in the soil;
Increased room temperature or exposure to direct sunlight;
A tight pot in which the roots have completely encircled the soil and formed a dense earthen ball.

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

Symptoms

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

Figure 7. Diseases of indoor plants: dry leaf tips

For example, if aphids appear on a flower, you may notice colonies of small insects on the stems or lower parts of the leaves. If mites have settled on a flower, a small cobweb will appear between the nodes, and when scale insects attack the leaves, you can notice small, dense and motionless insects.

Treatment

If the tips of the leaves begin to dry out under the influence of pests, you need to treat them with chemicals, and after a few days repeat the procedure to eliminate the young individuals that have hatched from the larvae.

But much more often, the tips of the leaves dry out 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 melt or rain water, but if you do not have such an opportunity, you can use regular tap water. 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 small a pot. In this case, replanting or transshipment (for large specimens) into a larger container is required.

Scale insects on indoor plants: treatment

It is quite easy to detect pest insects 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. Externally, insects are very small and can be black, gray or green. Aphids feed on the sap of the plant and secrete 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 is taken out into the garden in 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 away the insects with strong water pressure. After this, they are treated with special insecticides for indoor crops. The main victims of aphids are roses and chrysanthemums, but they are not afraid of crops with dense and fleshy leaves.

Ticks

The main sign of damage is the cobwebs that appear between the leaves and stems. Since the size of individual specimens is less than 1 mm, it is almost impossible to see them. But with a large concentration of insects, the leaves gradually lose color and become gray. Ticks reproduce especially intensively in dry, hot weather (Figure 9).

Figure 9. Damage to indoor plants by mites

For prevention, a high level of humidity is maintained, so flower leaves should be sprayed with clean water as often as possible. But if ticks do appear, special means are used to eliminate them - acaricides.

Whiteflies

This is a separate subspecies of aphids. The insects reproduce very quickly, and the 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 whiteflies, 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 onto the plants four times with a one-week break. For prevention, you need to buy only specialized industrially produced substrates that are guaranteed to be free of pests or their larvae.

Houseplants may also be affected by other pests(Figure 10):

Cicadas: These are small insects that jump as soon as you touch the leaves. They eat juices. To combat it, simply remove damaged leaves and stems and rinse the flower well in the shower. As a rule, this is sufficient and no special chemical treatment is required.
Caterpillars: They rarely appear on home flowers, but the possibility of damage still exists. They are removed manually and regular preventative spraying is carried out.
Chervetsy: They feed mainly on the sap of flowerpots with dense, fleshy leaves. Insects must be removed manually by washing the leaves with an aqueous-alcohol solution.
Red spider mite: quite common in city apartments. It is difficult to notice the insect, but its presence can be determined by spots on the leaves in places where the insects feed. In addition, ticks leave a thin web. To combat ticks, you need to increase air humidity and constantly spray the outside and inside of the leaves.
Woodlice damage roots by eating them. However, they do not have time to cause serious damage, since 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 millipedes and leaf miner flies. To combat centipedes, it is enough to transplant. It is easy to determine the presence of leaf miner flies by looking at the passages in the leaves that the insect larvae gnaw through. Since indoor plants are rarely subjected to massive attacks, it is sufficient to carry out preventive monthly spraying with insecticides.

Note: Dense brown spots can often be seen on the back of the leaves. These are the so-called scale insects that drink plant sap. To combat them, simply carefully scrape off the pests and treat the damaged leaves with a weak soap or beer solution. If there are a lot of scale insects, repeat the treatment after 10-15 minutes.

When using untreated garden soil in a pot, earthworms and poduras (small jumping insects that do not cause serious harm, but spoil the aesthetic appearance of the plant). They can only be combated by transplanting the crop into a special industrially produced substrate. More useful information You will learn about pest control from the video.

Scale insects are one of the most common pests of indoor plants. These insects pose a great danger, since they feed on plant juices, and it is difficult to notice scale insects at the initial stage of infection.

Causes

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

In addition, pests can settle on flowers weakened after illness. Most often, scale insects are carried with soil or water, but in some cases they can be spread by humans themselves if contaminated equipment was used for caring for and replanting plants.

Symptoms

The presence of scale insects can be determined by their characteristic features (Figure 11). The first of them 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 exactly what adult pests look like, but it is impossible to detect the larvae, since they are not visible to the naked eye.

In addition, a plant affected by scale insects gradually slows down its 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

Treating scale insects is not an easy task, since the pest is protected from the outside by a dense shield that does not allow entry chemicals struggle. At the initial stage of the lesion, you can try to remove the scale insects manually, using an old toothbrush dipped in an alcohol or soap solution. In case of severe damage, you need 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 latter drug is toxic, so treatment can only be carried out outdoors.

Diseases of indoor flowers: white plaque

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

This is a fungal disease, and the white coating is mycelium, which contains fungal spores. The danger of the disease is that it spreads quickly, so when the first symptoms are detected, it is necessary to immediately take therapeutic measures.

Causes

There are not very many reasons that can cause powdery mildew infection. Firstly, the disease is provoked by improper 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 increased room temperature, combined 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 home flowers and its treatment

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

Treatment

Treatment for powdery mildew 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 anti-fungal drug (for prevention).

In case of severe damage, use a solution of fungicides. 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 ordinary garden soil for growing flowers.

To keep your plants strong and healthy, you need to follow simple preventive measures. Firstly, moderately fertilize and water the plants, avoiding excessive drying out or waterlogging of the earthen clod. Secondly, each type must be provided optimal conditions cultivation: level of humidity, lighting and temperature. In addition, indoor plants need to be trimmed and replanted regularly to ensure they have enough room to grow.