One of the most beautiful relatives of the potato and tomato is the petunia. This wonderful plant, unfortunately, is not grown at home, but it pleases us with its flowering in flower beds and in balcony pots. With proper care, this small bush blooms profusely. There are times when all the efforts of the gardener are not enough, and the plant begins to hurt. It is about what petunia diseases are most common, as well as how to deal with them, we will tell. Let's talk about the pests that interfere with the he althy growth of these wonderful flowers.
Diseases of petunias at the stage of growing seedlings
Yes, at such a young age, a plant can already get sick with root rot or the so-called "black night". This happens due to a fairly dense sowing of petunia seeds, excessive watering and improperly selected soil. The causative agent of this disease is a special fungus. It is necessary to deal with the first manifestations of the disease immediately. To do this:
- Remove the diseased plant along with part of the surrounding land.
- Treat all he althy bushes with special anti-rootrot.
- Irrigate. Provide the plant with the right amount of moisture and avoid stagnant water.
Also, with sharp temperature fluctuations and changes in humidity, powdery mildew can affect petunia. It is very simple to identify this disease: leaves and flowers are covered with a white coating. If diseased plants are found, they must be removed immediately. Treat all other bushes with sulfur.
What to do to avoid petunia fungal disease?
Of course, preventing fungus damage to plants is much easier than curing. If you follow these rules, your seedlings will avoid these ailments:
- Choose light ground for seedlings.
- The prepared soil must be steamed without fail.
- Never sow seeds thickly.
- Observe the temperature regime.
- Ensure optimum hydration.
- Avoid excess fertilizer containing nitrogen.
"Adult" diseases and pests of petunia
If you managed to avoid diseases when growing seedlings, control over the plant should never be weakened. This is fraught with the appearance of yellow shoots or pests. Yellowing leaves are a sure sign of petunia disease. There are many reasons for this trouble. For example:
- Violation of temperature conditions.
- Pest infestation.
- Irrigation violation.
- Iron deficiency.
Almost all causes are easy enough to fix. Necessarystabilize the temperature, watering and fertilizing. Harder with pests.
| Pest | Appearance | Plant view | Destruction |
| Spider mite | Red spider, very small | Wraps the web on the underside of the leaf | Sprinkling with water, tobacco infusion. Ready-made insecticides |
| Aphid | Small insect. More often green, gray or black | Causes leaves to curl | Finished preparations |
| Whitefly | White butterfly | Magul | Finished preparations |
If you find it difficult to determine the disease of your plants, you can always refer to reference books. There you will find petunia diseases, photos for each case.
