The author of the text is Anna Majewicz, MA
Annual plants, like those remaining on our plots, sometimes fall victim to diseases and pests. What tasks is facing the gardener?First of all, you should properly identify the problem and then apply the appropriate solution.
Of course, in the case of the annuals, fighting the disease is not as important as, for example, in the case of the 10-year-old azalea.It should be remembered, however, that a neglected specimen may become a source of spreading the disease to other, more valuable ones. Below I present a summary of the most common problems of annual plants.
Naked snails
They like moist, smooth surfaces, which is why evening watering is conducive to their visits. How can I get rid of them? Regularly collect and dispose of. At night, snails hide under large leaves, boards, stones - where it is wet.Pick them up early in the morning, before they come out of hiding.
Traps are also an effective method - dig a large jar into the ground flush with the ground, preferably under a large leaf. Pour light beer inside as a decoy. Pests will fall in and drown, and if they don't, they won't come out on the vertical walls anyway.The best are jars with a shape widening downwards - snails have no chance to come out on such an inclined surface!
We can also buy anti-snail granules in stores - they are waterproof and, according to their producers, harmless to other organisms.
Nematodes
These are small organisms that occur in all soil. Some of their species, however, cause damage. The nematode attacks the roots, and the symptoms on the visible part of the plant are stunted growth, sudden wilting and shedding of all leaves and flower buds.
The solution is to remove the diseased plant and plant marigolds in its place.We also plant them in other places as a preventive measure.
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Gray mold
One of the most common fungal diseases. Symptoms occur on all parts of the plant.On flowers, these are numerous, round, light brown spots, which increase intensively in humid and warm weather.On the leaves, similar stigmas appear, but larger and rarer.Stains also appear on shoots.
As they grow larger, they cover the entire cross-section of the stem, which causes the plant to die off. The gray dust that appears later is the spores of the fungus, which, when carried in the wind, infect other flowers.Sick parts should be cut and burned, the rest should be sprayed.
Powdery mildew
The fungus, which initially forms spots of a white, mealy coating on the youngest leaves, shoots and petals.Without spraying, lesions cover their entire surface. Powdery mildew spreads instantly from one plant to another, and symptoms are noticeable after a few days.
Prevention is better than cure
Remember that the garden also has the slogan "prevention is better than cure", so follow a few simple rules:
-Choose appropriate position- annual plants prefer warm, sunny places, sheltered from winds, where there is good, fertile and well-drained soil.
-Correct water- do not pour water over the above-ground parts of plants, especially flowers.
-Let's nourish- their growing season is short and intense, so to get better results, it is worth supporting them with liquid fertilizers or sprinkling them with powder.
-Cultivate- regular weeding and picking off faded flowers and dry leaves prevents diseases and guarantees longer flowering.
