Pelargonium diseases and pests. Pelargonium is sick: we diagnose, treat and revive your favorite geranium. What to do if the flower is sick: detailed instructions

Like all indoor flowers, geraniums are rarely susceptible to disease. If she is provided with the correct fit and the necessary care. Pests also rarely attack a flower without causing its death.

Geranium is a common indoor flower. She is unpretentious and does not require much attention or labor to care for. With improper care, insufficient lighting, it may be affected by diseases and pests.

If, with proper care of geraniums, flowering does not occur, you should carefully examine the flower. Perhaps pests or diseases have appeared on it; measures must be taken to prevent it.

If the geranium does not bloom, you need to carefully examine it

Diseases are divided into 2 types: fungal and bacterial.

The most common fungal diseases include:

• gray rot;
• Alternaria blight;
• rhizoctonia stem and root rot;
• verticillium wilt;
• rust;
• root and stem late blight of geranium;
• rotting of the stem and roots;
• dropsy geranium.

Brown spots form on leaves and stems, especially on the lower ones, located close to the soil.

It may appear due to excess humidity, poor ventilation, frequent spraying and excess nitrogen in the soil.

When the first signs of the disease are detected, they should be treated with fungicides: Vitaros, Fundazol. In case of cuttings, they should be placed in the same solution for 30 minutes to prevent rot.

Pathogen Alternaria is a mushroom. Spots with a white coating appear on the leaves of the plant. The disease mainly spreads due to high humidity.

It is necessary to perform proper care at home: provide ventilation, loosen the soil, moderate watering and spraying. The indoor flower needs to be treated with fungicides: Ridomil, Gold.

Signs rhizoctonia rot serve as: an excess of fertilizers, waterlogging of the soil, lack of ventilation, lack of light and heat. Signs of the disease are spots on the lower part of the plant. Control methods include correct agricultural practices, reduced watering, and treatment of geraniums with fungicides: Vitaros, Rovral.

Verticillium wilt geranium appears in the form of yellowed leaves and inflorescences. It can occur at elevated temperatures and drying out soil. If such signs appear, you should remove the dry parts of the plant, moderately moisten the soil, and prevent it from drying out. For prevention, you need to treat with the drug Trichodermin.

Pelargonium appears with yellow and brown spots on the leaves. After which they dry out and fall off. If these signs appear, you should remove the infected leaves, stop irrigation, spraying, reduce air humidity, and treat with Topaz.

Geraniums appear in the lower part of the plant and the root system. The reasons may be excessive moisture, lack of lighting, plant thickening, or excess fertilizer in the soil. For prevention, pelargonium should be treated with Ridomil.

The most famous bacterial disease is bacterial rot. Watery spots form on the leaves, causing them to dry out but remain on the plant.

If a disease is detected, it is necessary to remove the affected parts of the plant, stop spraying, and add minerals containing potassium. Treat the plant with Oxyx.

Disease dropsy It is neither bacterial nor viral, and is not transmitted from one tree to another. It is formed mainly on ivy-leaved pelargoniums in the form of cones on the underside of the leaves. The disease develops due to waterlogging of the soil, humid and cold air.

To prevent the appearance of new swelling on the leaves, it is necessary to change the drainage, reduce watering, spraying, and create ventilation for the flower.

Pelargonium pests and their control

Like many plants, indoor pelargonium can be susceptible to various pests. They can appear in winter and autumn, regardless of whether the flower is grown in an apartment, on the street or in a room on a windowsill. The most common are:

• caterpillars;
• whitefly;
• spider mite;
• slugs;
• termites;
• nematode.

To combat insect pests, the following drugs are suitable:

• Aspirin. The tablet must be diluted in a bucket of water, then spray the leaves once a month.
• The effective remedy Messenger is dissolved in water and watered on the soil on which the geranium grows.
• The drug Marathon should be given when aphids, whiteflies appear. The dry substrate is poured onto the soil around the plant, then sprinkled with plenty of water. The procedure is performed once a month.
• Monterey will do to fight caterpillars. It is diluted with water, then all parts of the plant are sprayed. Spray less than once a week.

Problems with leaves

Many amateur gardeners may encounter various problems when breeding pelargonium: leaves are drying, curl inward, spots appear, and may not bloom. If left untreated, the leaves and trunk may wither, turn black, the foliage begins to curl or curl, and darken along the edges. It is imperative to deal with the problem.

These problems can be caused by various reasons:

1. cramped potty, inconsistent with the size of the root system. If the roots are crowded in the pot, they will not develop, which will lead to the leaves drying out.
2. Incorrect in autumn and winter. It is necessary to maintain a constant temperature of 15 degrees.
3. Improper watering geraniums can cause the leaves to dry out.
4. A lack of nitrogen and an excess of potassium can cause leaves to curl inward.
5. Lack of light. It is best to choose a lighted place for the plant. But you should avoid direct sunlight, as burns may appear on the leaves.
6. Pests and diseases that cause leaves to curl and turn yellow.

Yellowing of leaves is a sign of lack of lighting

If the indoor plant has been doesn't pick up color, which means there are reasons:

1. Pot, not the right size. In a large pot, geranium will grow for a long time until the root system fills all the free space, therefore, flowering will not occur.
2. Damage to the root system.
3. Pests and diseases contribute to the lack of flowering.
4. Excess or lack of moisture.
5. The time of winter rest for the flower does not come.

To grow flowering geranium, you need provide her with proper care. It consists of: in a well-lit place, moderate watering, transplanting into a pot of suitable size, timely pruning of the plant, a period of winter dormancy, fertilizing with mineral fertilizers.

Since geranium is an unpretentious plant, caring for it will not be difficult, the main thing is to follow all the rules of care in a timely manner.

Even beginners will be able to grow indoor pelargonium. With proper care, it will decorate your home with its beautiful flowers and fragrance.

Let's find out how to identify this or that disease of pelargonium, and how to effectively treat it. Please note that many diseases occur due to improper care at home, and if maintenance errors are not corrected, their treatment will be useless.

Chlorosis

If the leaves of geraniums begin to change color, this often indicates chlorosis, that is, a failure in the process of photosynthesis due to a lack of mineral supplements. If the edges of the leaves become light, this is a nitrogen deficiency. A lack of sulfur manifests itself as a uniform yellowing of the entire plant, including the stems; magnesium - the appearance of spots between the veins of old leaves; iron - spots between the veins of young leaves. With phosphorus deficiency, a yellow spot forms on old leaves near the petiole, which then spreads to the entire leaf.

This disease can be cured by regular application of balanced complex fertilizers or a specific substance. For example, in case of iron deficiency, Antichlorosin (iron chelate) is added.

Dropsy

This is a physiological disease, the cause of which is not an infection, but improper living conditions, in particular overwatering, cold and high humidity. With dropsy, swollen, swollen areas appear on the underside of the leaves. To get rid of this disease, you need to properly care for the flower: reduce watering and spraying, and improve drainage if necessary. The room should be warm and well ventilated.

Bacterial burn

Dried areas appear on the leaves of pelargonium, they begin to curl and deform. Pelargonium stops developing.

Since it is useless to fight the emerging disease, cut off completely healthy areas for cuttings, and throw away or burn the diseased plant.

Ring spot

This disease is indicated by light ring-shaped spots on the leaves. Later, the infected leaf blades curl inward or droop like umbrellas.

Without treatment, the flower may die. To save it, pick and destroy any leaves that are curled or spotted, and treat the plant with fungicides.

Powdery mildew

Fungal infection. The main symptom is the appearance of a white powdery coating on the leaves.

Diseased geraniums should be treated with fungicides or colloidal sulfur, after picking off the infected leaves.

Blackleg

Also a fungal disease that attacks the stem: a dark spot appears at the soil level, then black rot grows rapidly until the stem breaks and the plant dies. The appearance of a black leg in geraniums is caused by too heavy soil, overwatering and poor drainage.

Cannot be treated. Cut off the top for rooting, the rest can be thrown away.

Late blight

If the leaves wither and curl, as if due to a lack of water, or dark, sunken spots appear on the leaves and stem, this is late blight. In a damp room, a white fluffy coating also appears on the stains. Most often, this disease is detected in late stages, when treatment is no longer possible.

If a small area is affected, remove it and replant the plant in new soil. For prevention and treatment, “Ridomil”, “Profit Gold”, “Previkur” are used.

Gray rot

Gray rot is identified by wet brown-gray spots on the stems and leaves of pelargonium. Rot often affects the plant due to excess nitrogen, stuffiness, too wet soil and air.

You can get rid of rot by cutting off the infected areas and treating the geranium with Fundazol. Vitaros is also used. When cutting, the cut sprout can be placed in a solution of one of these drugs to prevent rot.

Alternaria blight

Bubbles and spots with a whitish coating appear on the lower part of the leaf blade. The leaf gradually fades, turns yellow and finally falls off. The cause of the disease is most often excess moisture. We get rid of this problem by picking off diseased leaves and treating the geranium with Ridomil.

Rust

The first symptom is that light spots with dark red dots appear on the leaves. You can see a brown coating underneath.

If a small area is infected, it must be removed and the pelargonium should be treated with fungicides twice (with an interval of 2 weeks). Otherwise, save the healthy parts for cuttings and destroy the plant.

Verticillium wilt

The disease can occur when there is a lack of moisture and too high an air temperature. The main symptom is yellowed and wilted leaves and inflorescences.

After removing dry parts of the plant, increase the frequency of watering (avoiding overwatering). For prevention, you can use Trichodermin.

Geranium pests

Pelargonium pests not only deplete the plant by drinking juices and eating individual parts, but also provoke the appearance of infectious diseases. In addition, they are able to spread quickly, infecting other plants. Let's find out how to deal with them.

Aphid

Whitefly

These white midges are dangerous pests of geraniums. Royal varieties are most often affected. How to get rid of whiteflies?

For the fight they use “Akarin”, “Aktellik”, “Fitoverm”. Curled leaves should be torn off and discarded.

Termites

When these pests appear on geraniums, spray with aspirin (1 tablet per 8 l) every other day. Among the chemicals, including for prevention, you can use Messenger and Marathon.

Nematode

Root mealybug

This oval, whitish insect often appears in waterlogged soil. It eats the roots, which is why the geranium stops developing.

If the damage is minor, to save the pelargonium, completely wash off the soil from the roots and cut off the damaged areas. For prevention, new soil is treated with Vidat or Tekta. Watering with Aktara is also recommended.

Mealybug

Caterpillars

Caterpillars appear more often when kept outdoors. The pest eats the leaves and without intervention can destroy the plant. Once you find a hole, inspect the flower.

Regular manual collection of pests often helps. If you see that someone is still eating the leaves, treat the geranium with Lepidocide or Senpai.

Slugs

Like the caterpillar, the slug eats pelargonium leaves, leaving noticeable holes in them. Manual collection can be used. If this does not help and the pest is actively eating flowers, use the preparations “Thunderstorm”, “Ferramol”, “Slug Eater”.

Please note that the treated plant may soon become ill again if maintenance errors are not corrected.

Provide geranium care in compliance with all requirements: water it with water at room temperature, avoiding overflowing and drying out; In winter, place cork or foam stands under the pot; feed the plant in a timely manner; Do not forget about proper lighting and regular ventilation of the room.

Suberization. This is a non-communicable disease. Brown corky growths appear on the bottom of the leaves. Attention: thrips leave a similar picture of damage.
Control and prevention measures: The causes of the disease are the following: high air humidity with constantly damp roots; strong changes in air humidity and nutrient content in the soil; as well as attacks by thrips, spider mites or heteroclaw mites.

Viruses. Viral diseases of pelargonium cause discoloration of leaves, yellowing of leaf veins, browning of leaves, variegation, and slow growth.
Control and prevention measures: Sick plants are removed. Before cutting the cuttings and placing pelargoniums for the winter, suspicious plants are discarded. The virus is most often transmitted through cuttings.

Stem and leaf bacteriosis. On sunny days, individual leaves wither, although the earthen ball is sufficiently moist. Then these leaves turn yellow and the entire shoot dies. Its base is affected by black rot. Another symptom occurs less frequently and mainly on older plants: oily spots appear on the leaves, which then turn golden brown.
Control and prevention measures: Sick plants are removed immediately. Do not use them for cuttings. For the remaining plants, the drugs Fitosporin-M, Alirin-B, Gamair, Binoram, Planriz, Fitolavin are used for prevention with caution Bordeaux mixture, Abiga-Pik, Albit.

Bacteriosis. Fleshy, light-colored growths form on the stem, often below ground level. They have almost no effect on the health of the plant.
Control and prevention measures: The growths are removed. Do not take cuttings from affected plants. Do not use the substrate or containers underneath it for growing pelargoniums. For the remaining plants, the drugs Fitosporin-M, Alirin-B, Gamair, Binoram, Planriz, Fitolavin are used for prevention with caution Bordeaux mixture, Abiga-Pik, Albit.

Root and stem rot. With stem rot, the root collar of seedlings and cuttings becomes green-cotton-black, becomes wet and rots. With root rot, the leaves become pale green and dull. They turn yellow and fade. The roots are soft and rotten. The root sheath separates from the core, leaving the roots looking frayed. Zoospores of the fungus spread only in a humid environment.
Control and prevention measures: The spread of the disease is facilitated by low soil acidity. The plant is kept as dry as possible, watered rarely but abundantly. Use coarse-grained substrates. Spray the plants with biological preparations Fitosporin-M, Alirin-B, Fitolavin, Baktofit, Gamair, Pseudobacterin-2, Binoram, Planriz, Sternifag, with caution Fundazol. When planting and replanting, use the biological preparation Glyokladin, and treat the soil with the preparation Healthy Earth.

Verticillium wilt. The disease most often affects large-flowered pelargoniums. First, the leaves wither, sometimes only halves or sectors. The leaves dry out and remain hanging on the stem. Browned vessels are visible on the cut of the stem. The roots are not damaged.
Control and prevention measures: Sick plants are destroyed along with the substrate and containers. For the remaining plants, Alirin-B and Gamair are used for prevention, and for soil cultivation - Zdorovaya Soil.

Leaf spotting. Dark green round spots appear on the leaves, subsequently turning brown, with a dark, slightly raised edge and an olive-brown coating of sporangia in the center. The disease most often affects hybrids of zonal pelargonium and large-flowered pelargonium, especially in rainy years in the garden or with high humidity in the greenhouse.
Control and prevention measures: Diseased leaves are torn off, air humidity is reduced, and foliage is sprayed less frequently. In case of severe damage, you can spray with Fitosporin-M, Gamair, Chistotsvet, Rorval, Baymat, Bordeaux mixture and Abiga-Peak (with caution, there may be burns).

Gray rot. Affected leaves and peduncles become covered with brown, weeping spots of rot. At high air humidity, a gray coating of sporangia is formed. The disease is more common in warm, damp and cloudy weather.
Control and prevention measures: Old leaves and other dying plant tissues are removed. During the winter months, plants are kept dry. In the greenhouse, air humidity is reduced and the night temperature is maintained above the dew point. Among the chemicals, the drugs Fitosporin-M, Alirin-B, Gamair, Planriz, Glyokladin, Sternifag, Skor, Chistotsvet, Topaz, Fundazol, Rovral, Ronilan, Euparen.

Pelargonium zonal rust. Light spots appear on the leaves on top, and brown pads arranged in circles appear on the bottom. Fungal spores spread through the air. They need water to germinate.
Control and prevention measures: Diseased leaves are promptly removed. The plant is kept as dry as possible, watered rarely but abundantly. Use coarse-grained substrates. The spores remain in the soil for 2 years and if new spores are not allowed to form and the leaves are picked off in a timely manner, complete recovery occurs. You can slow down the development of the disease by spraying plants with Fitosporin-M, Fundazol, Topaz, Strobi, Bordeaux mixture.

Multi-clawed mites. The leaves at the tops of the shoots do not grow, become coarse and often curl downwards. The petioles and underside of the leaves are covered with brown scabs. The appearance of glassy-white mites (0.3 mm long) is promoted by heat and dampness.
Control and prevention measures: Queen cells should be regularly inspected for pests. For mild damage, you can treat the plants with soap or mineral oil. For severe cases, treat with Bitoxibacillin, Fitoverm, Akarin, Vertimek, Molniya, Fufanon, Kemifos, Karbofos-500, Ditox, Bi-58, Karate Zeon, Kung Fu, Antiklesch, Iskra-M, Actellik, Omite, Tiovit Jet, Zolon, etc.

Ticks. Yellowish specks appear on the leaves, later - extensive discolored and dried areas. Small (0.2-0.5 mm) mites live on the underside of leaves. The appearance of mites is favored by high temperatures and dry air.
Control and prevention measures: For mild damage, you can treat the plants with soap or mineral oil. For severe cases, treat with Bitoxibacillin, Fitoverm, Akarin, Vertimek, Molniya, Fufanon, Kemifos, Karbofos-500, Ditox, Bi-58, Karate Zeon, Kung Fu, Antiklesch, Iskra-M, Actellik, Omite, Tiovit Jet, Zolon, etc.

Fungus gnat larvae. The cuttings do not take root and die from rot at the base of the stem. Visible in the stems are glassy-white larvae, about 7 mm in length, with a black head. They live in damp, humus-rich soil and from there they penetrate plant stems. Most often, seedlings and cuttings aged two to three weeks suffer from them.
Control and prevention measures: Immediately after emergence or planting, treat seedlings and cuttings with Antonem-F, Muhoed, Grom-2, Aktara, Aktellik.

Thrips. Corky growths appear on the underside of the leaves. Young leaves are deformed, the growing point is curved. Flowers with spots; the petals turn brown at the edges. In flowers, in the area of ​​stamens, thrips actively reproduce.
Control and prevention measures: For prevention, sticky blue traps are hung in greenhouses. This is especially important for young plants, since even single insects can damage them. To completely eradicate thrips, early and repeated application of insecticides is necessary. Spray with the preparations Aktara, Akarin, Actellik, Biotlin, Confidor, Fufanon, Fitoverm, Tanrek, Iskra, Vertimek, Bi-58, Zubr, Komandor, Tsvetolyuks, Alatar, Parachute, Doctor, etc. After 4-5 days, the treatment is repeated, since insecticides do not affect all stages of development of these insects.

Aphid. The leaves curl, turn yellow, and when severely infested, sticky secretions of aphids are visible on them.
Control and prevention measures: Single colonies of aphids are cut off along with the leaves or washed off with soap and water; in case of severe damage, they are treated with Antitlin, Tobacco dust, Actellik, Fitoverm, Akarin, Aktara, Decis, Tanrek, Iskra, Zubr, Biotlin, Komandor, etc.

Caterpillars. Gnaws appear on the leaves, and black feces of caterpillars are often visible.
Control and prevention measures: Plants are periodically inspected, especially in the evenings, and caterpillars are collected. Biological insecticides: Lepidocid, Bitoxibacillin, Bicol; chemical: Bi-58 Novy, Fufanon, Zolon, Aktellik, Fitoverm, Arrivo, Tzipi, Tziper and others.

Whitefly. On the lower surface of the leaves (most often in Pelargonium grandiflora) adult white-winged insects 2-3 mm in diameter and their wingless pale yellow larvae are visible. In the tobacco whitefly, the wings are folded over the abdomen in a “house”, while in the greenhouse whitefly they are folded flatter. With severe damage, the leaves turn yellow. There is a sticky discharge visible on them.
Control and prevention measures: Sticky yellow traps are hung in mass plantings. Treatment is carried out with preparations based on potassium soap or with preparations such as Aktara, Actellik, Iskra, Inta-Vir, Karbofos, Fufanon, Tanrek, Zubr, Biotlin, etc.

Pelargonium, also known as geranium, is considered one of the most common plants grown at home. This flower is found today on the balconies and window sills of many amateur gardeners. The plant creates comfort both in the homes of our country and abroad. Modern varieties are very numerous, and the variety of various colors attracts the attention of gardeners to this simple plant.

The flower is considered one of the favorites of our grandmothers, who understand little about what kind of care a plant needs, where to plant it and how to water it. They use exclusively folk remedies, which are not always effective. Accordingly, all this often becomes the cause of various flower diseases. Therefore, many people are concerned about the question of how to grow healthy geraniums and make them bloom, and what to do if the plant is affected by some kind of disease.

Let's consider possible diseases of pelargonium, as well as folk remedies and tips for preventing these diseases.

Brown spots appear on areas of plants located above the ground and spread quickly. In this case, the plant does not bloom, the leaves turn yellow and dry. Leaves that are closer to the ground are the first to be affected. Some varieties are beginning to show spotting. With high humidity, areas of the flower that are damaged by the disease begin to become covered with a gray coating of the fungus, which has a dense structure. This disease makes it difficult to grow beautiful pelargonium at home.

Why does the disease develop? The spread of the disease is accompanied by improper care - waterlogging of the substrate, insufficient ventilation, excessive spraying, increased nitrogen content in the soil.

What to do if the first manifestations of the disease appear? It is necessary to treat the flower with systemic fungicides (Vitaros, Fundazol, etc.). In this way, you can not only protect the plant, but also make it bloom.

Alternaria blight

It is a serious obstacle to growing a beautiful one. The disease manifests itself as follows: brown spots with a light core appear along the edges of the leaves, on the petioles and on the surface of the leaf blade. With high air humidity, these spots have a velvety coating. The plant does not bloom, the leaves turn yellow and dry.

The pathogen is found in the soil. Infection is especially common in early autumn, when it is warm and humid.

What should you do to prevent the disease? You can keep the plant healthy if proper care is taken.: adequate ventilation, proper watering, loose substrate. The plant must be treated with drugs such as Skor or Ridomil Gold.

Rhizoctonia rot

Dark spots form on the stems at the bottom. They have a depressed structure and stretch up a maximum of twenty-five centimeters. Geranium does not bloom. Subsequently, the leaves turn yellow and the plants wither. Infection occurs through the soil.

Factors provoking the development of the disease:

• excessive fertilizer content in the soil;
• increased air temperature (especially in winter, during the heating season);
• excessive moisture of the substrate;
• insufficient ventilation, little light.

All of the above can be characterized by one concept - improper care and maintenance. What needs to be done to defeat this disease and grow a healthy plant? You need to use only high-quality soil. When the first signs are detected, you should stop watering and treat with the following preparations - Vitaros, Fundazol, Rovral.

Geranium - verticillium wilt

Signs: the lower leaves (individual parts of them, edges) turn yellow, after which all the affected leaves turn yellow, and over time they turn black and wither. Continuing to hang on the flower, they infect the upper foliage. Branches often wither. The plant does not bloom, and sometimes the leaves dry out.

The pathogen can be stored in soil for a very long time - up to fifteen years.

Most often, flowers that are grown in the same place for a long time become infected. This happens more often in summer than in winter. Under such conditions it is very difficult to grow healthy pelargonium.

What to do to avoid spreading the disease. It is necessary to promptly remove plant debris, root cuttings exclusively in clean substrates, and prevent the soil from drying out. The following products are suitable for processing: Vitaros, Fundazol, Rovral. We should not forget that the plant needs proper care!

Rust

The disease manifests itself with the appearance of clearly defined yellow spots on the upper part of the leaf. On the reverse side of the leaf, brown pustules form (in the same places where the upper spots are located). As the disease progresses, the leaves turn yellow, dry out and fall off. Geranium does not bloom.

Why does this disease occur? It is transmitted through infected plants both by air and by water. If care is improper (too warm and too humid), this disease causes severe damage to large plantings.

As soon as the first signs appear, it is necessary to reduce the level of air humidity, stop spraying the plants, and remove infected leaves. It is also necessary to treat with systemic fungicides in a timely manner (Topaz is excellent).

Late blight of geranium

The plant stops blooming, quickly withers and rots, the leaves dry out. On the roots of a dead flower you can see spots with a depressed structure. She reaches up. Damaged areas are covered with gray mycelium. The pathogen is stored in the ground.

The cause of the disease is improper care. Too dense plantings, poor lighting, high air temperatures, too wet a substrate and a large amount of fertilizer - this is why the plant can get sick. All this prevents you from growing a good healthy plant.

To avoid disease, it is necessary to use loose substrates of exceptionally high quality and follow the rules of adequate ventilation. When the first signs appear, watering is stopped and treatment is carried out with Profit-Gold, Ridomil or Previkur. These products are considered the most suitable for pelargonium kept at home.

Rotting of the stem and roots of indoor geranium

A diseased geranium does not bloom, it rapidly withers and then finally dies. The roots and the root neck itself are covered with darkish spots that have a depressed structure. As the disease progresses, the affected areas of the plant begin to rot, and the diseased flower “lies down.” Also, fungal mycelium can often be seen on the affected areas. It has a special grayish-white color.

The pathogenic substance is contained in contaminated soil.

The cause of geranium disease is improper care (dense planting, poor lighting, too wet substrates, high temperature, large amounts of nitrogen in the soil). At the first signs of disease, watering is immediately stopped and the plant is treated. For treatment, products such as Previkur and Ridomil-gold are used.

Leaf spotting and curling

The plant stops blooming. Small spots form on young foliage. As the disease progresses, chlorotic spots grow in size and become quite large. The center of the spot is pronounced and yellow in color, with rings of a lighter shade formed around it. Why do geranium leaves curl? This happens when the nutrition of the leaves is disrupted. The veins may become lighter and the edges of the leaves may dry out. Sometimes the virus appears as slightly transparent oily spots with a green center surrounded by yellow concentric rings.

The virus is contained in the infected plant. It is transmitted during the process of vegetative propagation, and is also carried by sucking insects (most often whiteflies) - which is why it is necessary to ensure that pests do not appear in home breeding conditions. The disease can be defeated by using healthy plants for propagation, as well as by timely treatment with insecticides.

By adhering to the advice of proper maintenance at home and quickly responding to the first signs of disease, using folk remedies and various drugs to combat diseases, your geranium will be beautiful and healthy and will begin to bloom profusely.

Diseases of geraniums sooner or later, if growing conditions are not met, become problem No. 1 in indoor floriculture and require timely treatment in order to save the flower crop. After all, the modest, delightful geranium is one of the most beloved plants to grow at home.

Having bright flowers and spectacular leaves, unpretentious in care, it is popular in garden plots and in landscape design, looks original in pots, hanging baskets, and is good as a ground cover crop.

Geraniums grown at home

Geranium diseases and their treatment are often discussed even by experienced gardeners. Falling suddenly on fragile leaves and stems, they cause a lot of trouble in growing a decorative flower with medicinal properties, appreciated by ancient physicians.

In the Middle Ages, it was believed that geranium, in addition to healing wounds, stopping bleeding, and curing stomach diseases, was capable of healing fractures.

Traditional medicine uses infusions from the aerial parts of the plant to dissolve salts for urolithiasis and to treat gout. Decoctions from the roots are used in the treatment of skin diseases, ulcers, purulent wounds in the form of lotions, baths and washes. Also, geranium, whose pests and diseases sometimes significantly spoil the life of the plant, is able to normalize blood pressure, has calming properties and stimulates the nervous system.

If provided correctly, it will delight with active growth and abundantly variegated flowering. Its long-term absence may indicate infection with a certain disease, which is important to identify in a timely manner and take the necessary measures to cure the plant.

Fungal infection

A huge danger to geraniums is the Botrytis fungus, which infects the plant anywhere, at any age and at any time of the year. A disease develops, the signs of which are spots with gray fluff, with increased air and soil humidity.

The plant can also become infected when faded petals of inflorescences fall onto the leaves or when planting cuttings from infected geraniums. Gradually increasing in size, the spots merge and lead to a large annular or V-shaped lesion. In the stem part, the Botrytis fungus looks somewhat different: in the form of large brown areas, which, actively spreading, cause the death of shoots. Covered with a fluffy gray mass, they fall off ahead of time.

Measures to prevent problems

Preventive measures to prevent home geranium disease:

• timely weeding of the soil, removal of weeds and wilted plants;
• avoiding stagnation of water in the soil;
• watering in the morning;
• planting a plant without signs of disease.

When planting geraniums in groups, the distance between plants should be optimal for ventilation.

Having discovered a fungal disease, the diseased parts should be removed, and the geranium itself should be treated with fungicidal preparations.

Diseases of geranium (with photo)

When water stagnates in the soil, the root system of geraniums can become affected by rot, causing yellowing and drooping of the above-ground parts of the plant.

The disease gradually spreads to the stems and leaves, the indoor flower becomes brown, turning black at the base of the plant; a greyish-white, spider-web-like coating is observed at the roots. Root rot leads to decomposition of the root system, severe wetting of the plant and its death.

You can save an indoor flower by improving the drainage in the pot and replacing the soil with more breathable and loose soil. Also, during the treatment period, you should avoid feeding the plant with preparations containing nitrogen. If a disease is detected, it is recommended to treat the geranium with fungicidal preparations, removing the previously affected parts of the plant.

Geranium: bacterial leaf diseases

Bacterial wilt is caused by pathogens identified by brown V-shaped spots on the undersides of leaves, distinct dark veins, and dried out edges. During its development, the infection causes general lethargy of the plant, blackening and deformation of the stems with the appearance of dry rot, and the death of branches.

Young plants taken from an infected mother specimen are not recommended for planting, as they are not able to take root and, starting from the base, slowly rot.

To prevent indoor geranium disease, you should:

• regularly remove weeds, wilted shoots and periodically loosen the soil in order to saturate it with oxygen;
• replace the soil with a well-ventilated composition;
• Do not use cuttings of a diseased plant for propagation;
• avoid overhead watering;
• supply moisture in the morning, before 11 o’clock;
• When planting, leave gaps between geraniums for good air circulation.

If there is rust on the leaves

Diseases of geraniums can be caused by fungi, including rust. They are spread by sucking insects, diseased plants or contaminated soil. Rust appears as yellow spots on the top of the leaf and spore-filled pads on the underside of the leaf blade, which release spores when opened. Serious damage by this disease entails massive yellowing and complete loss of leaves.

The appearance of powdery mildew can be determined by a rapidly spreading coating on the upper side of the leaf blade.

The first mandatory measure is to isolate the flower from other plants. For minor lesions, it is recommended to remove the diseased parts of the affected specimen. If the infection is in an advanced form, you will have to apply fungicide treatment: in solution or powder. This drug kills fungal spores, preventing their spread. It is also necessary to treat neighboring flowers with a suspension of “Kratan” or “Acrex”. A 0.5% solution of Bordeaux mixture is effective in the fight against fungus.

Preventive measures include ensuring the indoor culture has good drainage, regular ventilation, watering in the morning, and a soil composition that allows water and air to pass well.

Tomato spotted wilt

Stunting of geraniums, ring spots, and purple-brown pitted lesions on stems, leaves, and petioles are often caused by tomato spotted wilt. Specific depressions are noticeable on the above-ground parts of the plant. If the above signs of leaf disease are detected, the flower must be destroyed. Prevention of geranium disease consists of timely removal and control of insects - potential carriers of such an infection.

Leaf spot

The Alternaria fungus causes Alternaria blight, recognizable by small, blistering-like spots on the undersides of leaves. As the geranium disease progresses, the spots mature, become sunken, and acquire a brown color with yellow inclusions resembling scattered salt.

Cercospora blight, another form of leaf spot, appears as sunken, pale areas that later turn gray. Spores form, and dark areas appear in the infected parts of the plant, raised in the center.

Edema, or dropsy

In cloudy, cool weather, the surface of the leaf may become covered with chlorotic spots, which subsequently turn into water-filled bubbles. This disease is called edema (or dropsy) and is further manifested by yellowing and falling leaves. The infection can also develop in winter, with insufficient lighting and waterlogging of the soil.

Yellowing of plant leaves can be caused by a lack or excess of moisture. Lack of lighting causes yellowing and falling of the lower row of leaves.

It can be affected by nematodes - large nodes on the roots of plants that cause stunting and death. The infected plant should be disposed of.

Growing conditions

To prevent geranium diseases, it is necessary to provide appropriate care. Comfortable growing temperature - normal room temperature; in winter - from +10 to +15 o C. Geranium loves an abundance of light and even tolerates some exposure to sunlight on the crown. Lack of lighting will cause smaller leaves on the plant and poor flowering. Watering is needed abundantly and regularly, without stagnation of water.

Spraying the plant is not necessary, and sometimes even harmful. Geranium does not like water getting on its leaves. It is also worth knowing that it does not accept fresh organic fertilizers; During active growth, it is better to feed it with preparations for flowering plants 2 times a month.