Brown spots on palm leaves , yellowing and drying of leaf tips and white coating on stems and leaves. These are just some of the disease symptoms that can be observed on potted palms. Seewhy the palm tree withersand how to recognize the most common pests andpotted palm diseasesWe recommend the best spraying and ways to combat palm diseases.
Drying tips of areca palm leaves
Fig. © PoradnikOgrodniczy.pl
Non-infectious diseases of palm trees
Non-infectious diseases of palm treesare diseases not caused by pathogens, but by poor cultivation conditions. Therefore, they are diseases of a physiological basis, resulting from neglect, errors in watering or fertilization or an incorrect cultivation position.
A good example isdrying up of the tips of the palm leaves , shown in the photo above . The reason is too dry air in the apartment or insufficient watering of the plant. This symptom very often occurs in winter, when the air in the apartment is dehumidified by the central heating. Then sprinkling the leaves with soft, standing water helps. Drying of the tips of the leaves may also appear in the summer, when the palm tree is in too sunny a place.
Dying off tops of palm leavesmay be caused by both overdrying and overflow of the plant. Symptoms are browning and dying leaves. Blackening root tips are evidence of this disease. In order to prevent such symptoms from occurring, it is necessary to ensure drainage at the bottom of the pot, a permeable substrate and frequent watering of the plants.When planting a palm tree, make sure that the base of the shoot is above the ground.
Another symptom resulting from our neglect isyellowing palm leaves , otherwise known as leaf chlorosis. Leaves gradually change color from light green to yellow. Symptoms are initially visible on the tops of the leaves, and gradually may cover the entire leaf blade.
You can also observebrowning and falling of the lower palm leavesThe disease is caused by a deficiency of minerals: zinc, iron or magnesium. In order to prevent such symptoms, you should take care of suitable soil for palm trees and use balanced fertilization during the growing season.
Infectious diseases of palm trees
Palm rhizoctoniosis- the infection develops in the substrate, first infecting the roots. They start to rot and stop taking water and nutrients from the soil. There are spots on the shoots of the palm tree which, as the disease develops, they grow larger and blend together, and when they cover the whole shoot, the stains dies.The disease is especially dangerous for young plants, causing them to die completely. The development of this disease of palm trees is particularly intense at high air humidity and temperatures above 20 ° C. Fighting rhizoctoniosis is impossible. When symptoms are noticed, the root system is already infected and probably badly damaged. The plant must be discarded. Prophylaxis consists in proper watering, taking care of the right substrate and drainage for the days of the pot.
Palm leaf spot- caused by fungi. Yellowish and brown spots appear on the leaves, which merge and become necrotic. Dark clusters of fungus spores can be seen on infected surfaces. To prevent infection, plant the plants so that the base of the shoot is above the surface of the substrate and avoid frequent sprinkling of the plants. Make sure that the palms do not stand too close to each other and do not touch the leaves, which will reduce the risk of spreading the disease from plant to plant.
Palm blade- this is another fungal disease. There are yellow spots on the leaf surfaces. Both the upper and lower side of the leaf, within the blotch, dark thickenings appear which burst, releasing spores of the fungus. As a result, infected palm trees turn yellow and die.
Toimmunize palm trees against fungal diseaseswe can spray the natural preparation Biosept Active Spray based on grapefruit extract. In order to fight fungal infections, it is worth reaching for convenient spray fungicides, e.g. Fungimat AL fungicidal spray or Saprol Spray 750 ml.
Mealworms on palm leaves
Fig. 19754, forum.PoradnikOgrodniczy.pl
Pests of potted palms
Scatters- pests belonging to the June family. Insects covered with a flat disk can be seen on the underside of the leaf blade.Dry air and low temperatures favor their occurrence. By feeding on the sap of the plant, the scales lead to the deformation of the leaves and gradually the death of the whole plant.
Wełnowce- similarly to scale markers, they belong to the June family. A symptom of their occurrence is a white, powdery coating produced by the insect's body. It looks like a little lint of wool.
These pests on palm trees are best de alt with in two stages :
- We remove the scale markers by hand, helping ourselves, if necessary, with a toothbrush or a cotton swab.
- Wipe all parts of the plant with a mixture of denatured alcohol and water mixed in a ratio of 1:10. We can also add a few drops of dishwashing liquid.
Against palm scales and mealybugs on palm trees, we can also spray the plants with a preparation made of oil and water (10 ml of oil per 1 liter of water) and a few drops of dishwashing liquid. In gardening stores you can buy ready-to-use preparations against pests Emulpar spray 750 ml or Substral Multi-Insekt.Both of these preparations are based on natural ingredients and are safe to use at home. If the pest attack is very intense, you can use the stronger insecticide Polysect Ultra Hobby AL.
Warmth thrips- this is an insect that feeds mainly on plant juices and tissues. Thrips feeding symptoms are visible on the leaves in the form of small, bright spots on the surface of the leaves and browning of some of the leaves. When we spot thrips, we spray them with the same preparations as against scales.
The spider mite- the symptoms of this arachnid's feeding are bright spots, yellowing and falling leaves. Small spider webs are also characteristic.When growing potted plants in an apartment, combating the spider mite will be easiest with the use of ready-made preparations such as the above-mentioned Emulpar spray 750 ml or Substral Multi-Insekt. Karate Spray insecticide will help with strong pest infestation.
MSc Eng. Anna Błaszczak
