Winter is not an easy time for houseplants. At this time of the year in our apartments, as a rule:
- the air is too dry due to the heating being turned on,
- the availability of sunlight is limited due to the short day,
- the location of the plants is not favorable - they often stand on window sills, directly above a hot radiator and right next to an icy window pane.
All these factors mean that in winter potted plants are more likely to suffer from various diseases and are also more often attacked by pests.
Most common garden diseases and pests
Gray mold
Very fashionable and well-liked orchids are usually infected with gray mold. It is a fungal disease, the symptoms of which are very easy to recognize - small brown dots appear on the flower petals.Their number and area increase over time.
Favorable conditions for the development of the fungus are high humidity and lack of light. Such conditions are provided for orchids by producers who pack them in foil tubes that protect against moisture loss and, at the same time, block the access and circulation of air.When buying a new orchid specimen, it is worth checking if there are no more symptoms of this disease.
Gray mold also occurs on other houseplants and its symptoms vary slightly depending on the species.They are usually brown spots, often covered with a gray, dusty coating. Such discoloration may appear on the buds, leaves and shoots.
Flooding the roots
Another problem concerns all plants.If we notice yellowing, shedding of single leaves or withering of the whole plant despite watering, it is a sign that the root system has been flooded.If it concerns a flowering plant, the first symptom will be massive flowering. To be sure, take the flower out of the pot.
The root system of the flooded plant is brown and rots, so it is not able to provide water to the higher parts, i.e. shoots, leaves and flowers. Rotting root tissues eagerly develop bacteria and fungi that accelerate this process.To inhibit their effects, it is worth watering the plant with a plant that stimulates plant immunity.
The spider mite
The most common pest of houseplants is the spider mite.It is a small arachnid, 0.5-1 mm long, and ranges in color from yellowish green to red.This pest feeds on the underside of the leaf, but the symptoms are visible on the top of the leaf.Initially, they are yellowish, tiny spots that over time occupy more and more of the leaf.
Very often you can see a delicate spider web covering leaves or shoots. The result of feeding of spider mites is drying and falling of leaves and flowers. The development of the pest is favored by high temperature and dry air, therefore one of the simplest methods of combating is frequent sprinkling of plants.
It is also worth washing the affected areas with a decoction of garlic or onion.In case of strong feeding, it is necessary to act more radically, using chemical agents.
Mysterious sprouts? It's a gall!
Wełnowce
Dry air and high temperature are the favorite conditions for the development of mealybugs. These small insects look like balls of white wool.They are most often located at the base of leaves, along the main veins and in the cavities between cactus ribs.
Mealybugs suck the sap from plants, which causes discoloration on the leaves, and finally the plant dies. Adult specimens should be removed with tweezers, and the mucus remaining on the plants should be spread with cooking oil. The mealybugs have laid their eggs in the lock - smeared with grease, they will not have access to air.
After a few days, wash the plants to remove oil and mucus. The stores offer very convenient insecticides in the form of tablets to be placed in a pot.This form is perfect for use at home, as it reduces the risks of alternative sprays.Appropriate tablets are an effective means of combating mealybugs, scale scales, bowlers, whiteflies and aphids.
