How to treat phloxes at home

Phlox - a real decoration of any garden. Light aroma, bright inflorescences of different shades will delight their owners throughout the summer. These flowers do not require special care until they get sick. Unfortunately, phlox are sick, like people. And they are not always treatable (especially if the first symptoms of the disease are not noticed in time).

Phlox disease can be caused by various reasons - improper farming, viral or fungal infection, garden pests. To solve the problem, you need to know:

• symptoms or signs of disease;
• what are the diseases and how to treat them;
• what should be prevention.

Physiological disorders of phlox, how to eliminate them

Violation of agrotechnics during the cultivation of phlox (soil acidification, thickening of the planting, lack of moisture) can easily lead to physiological damage to garden crops.

Drying and leaf fall

The main reason why the leaves of phlox turn yellow and die, - water shortage. Plants with a shortage of water begin to reduce their leaf cover. This process lasts or until the resumption of water flow, or until the death of the flower.

Help needed is abundant watering and spraying. If the flower is recently transplanted, it is necessary to shade it.

Cracking stems

During the period of intensive growth of phlox (May-June), the formation of longitudinal cracks on the lower part of the stem is possible.

The wound is gradually covered with a tumor in the form of an influx (callus), the stem becomes coarse, loses its elasticity (the severity of the inflorescence and the wind can lead to a fracture of the stem).

Among the causes of cracking - high nitrogen content in the soil, excessive acidity.

Viral diseases of phlox, their treatment

One of the main reasons why phloxes disappear is viral diseases. Viruses cause a change in the appearance of the flower - the size decreases, ugly mutations appear: the shape of the leaves and flowers changes. In viral diseases, there is no treatment as such: infected plants destroy.

There are no special viruses inherent only in phloxes: they are affected by the same viruses that suffer from tobacco, potatoes, tomatoes, etc.

Viruses can be transmitted to phlox in various ways:

• through garden tools (shovels, choppers, pruners);
• through molehills;
• through the remains of infected plants;
• through pests;
• through cuttings and seeds.

Among the most common viral diseases are leaf wrinkling, ring and necrotic spots, rattles, and variegation.

Curly (wrinkled) leaves

As a result of defeat by a virus (cucumber mosaic, tobacco necrosis), plants are modified:

• leaves are covered with scabs, necrotic spots, curly and covered with tubercles, often a black border, yellow mosaic pattern appears on the edge of the sheet;
• the stem is deformed, covered with scabs, its brittleness increases, often it takes a dwarf form;
• habitus bushy and stunted, flowering does not occur, the plant may die.

Leaf spot

The disease is caused by the virus ringing tomatoes. Infection occurs through nematodes (Longidorus) in May and June.

First, light yellow spots appear on the leaves in the form of a ring pattern. Gradually, the spots become larger, they cover the entire surface of phlox, the leaves begin to deform, then curl.

Phlox ceases to bloom, the plant begins to wither.

Necrotic leaf spot

Caused by a cucumber mosaic virus. The disease begins with the appearance of small (1 mm) round brown spots on the blooming leaves.

Spots grow, merge and cover the entire area of ​​the sheet.

Leaf filament

Filamentousness in phloxes is caused either by the defeat of nematodes (Ditylenchus dipsaci) or by infection with a virus (cucumber mosaic).

The leaves of the plant mutate - become narrow with teeth on the edge.

Patients phloxes develop poorly, the habitus changes - there is no flowering, the released shoots are fragile and small, dwarfism of the bush appears. The disease ends with the death of the plant.

Rattle

The disease manifests itself in May-June. On the leaves appear spots in the form of rings and half rings, stripes. Their color is from light yellow to green-yellow. Spots increase in size and quantity. Flower growth is inhibited.

Tobacco rattle virus is caused by the disease of the tobacco rattling virus. It is transferred from the soil by nematodes. Sometimes phlox can be latent carriers of the disease.

Variegation

The variegation of phlox is a disease about which there are great disputes among gardeners. Especially noticeable this disease during flowering.

Rezu mosaic virus interferes with the formation of antocin pigment. As a result, there appear light stripes with a lilac shade on the petals (the stripes expand towards the end of them). On each flower pattern is uneven, asymmetrical.

In order to exclude the weather effect on the flowers that have been opened, it is necessary to forcefully unfold the bud of the unopened flower: if the plant is infected, deviations will be visible.

Damage to a plant threatens:

• gradual disappearance of varietal signs of phlox (the disease is inherited, and degradation occurs irreversibly);
• contamination of other plants.

The virus is transmitted by nematodes (Xiphinema) and other pests, seeds, juice, pollen.

Fungal diseases, their treatment

Fungal diseases are caused by pathogenic effects of fungal microorganisms (alternaria, rust fungi, septorii, etc.). Fungal spores, falling into stem cracks or leaf spores, penetrate the plant. Mycelium grows with spore-bearing bodies. On the leaves begin to appear brown spots, spots that merge, the sheet dies.

The negative impact of fungi on phlox:

• tissue destruction of all parts of the plant;
• violation of regulatory processes;
• intoxication plants.

Reproduction of fungi is especially active in damp conditions and in violation of agricultural technology. The most common phlox are septoria, fomoz, powdery mildew, rust, etc.

White leaf spot (septoria)

The disease is caused by the Septoria phlogis mushrooms: numerous brown spots, black dots and a brown rim appear on the leaves. Leaves fall.

In this case it is necessary:

• destroy fallen leaves;
• Treat affected plants: but) chlorine oxide of copper (0.5%) or a suspension of basezol (0.2%);

  b) Bordeaux liquid (1%), after 10 days, spray again.

Verticillary wilting of stems

This disease occurs infrequently. The disease occurs in the midst of flowering. External signs - healthy leaves and shoots begin to suddenly, without turning yellow, fade and fall.

The disease is caused by the fungus Verticillium albo-atrum (which loves moist and damp places). Mycelium grows on the roots: they are covered with white (later it turns red) bloom. Mushrooms consume nutrient juices, deprive the flower of moisture and poison toxins.

For the treatment of the disease in its advanced form it is necessary:

• remove the bush;
• free the flower from the ground, immerse the lower part with the roots for 20 minutes in a solution of 0.5% Bordeaux mixture ("Maxim" or "Vitarosa");
• spray the entire bush with the same liquid;
• To land on a new place (the old place after treatment with copper sulphate for planting phloxes can be used no earlier than a year later).

In the initial stage of a lesion, a fungicide of microbiological action is used — the mycelium of trichoderma, a natural competitor and antagonist of pathogenic fungi. The application is simple: wet the soil at the roots of the damaged plant, slightly loosen it, isolate it with organic matter and prikopat 1-2 tablets of the preparation "Glyocladin" or "Trichocina".

Mealy dew

The manifestation of the disease occurs in August. On the leaves (first on the lower ones) white spiderweb spots appear. Spots grow and merge. The bush weakens, its decorative effect decreases.

Among the factors contributing to the disease include:

• wet summer;
• landing thickening;
• plants provocateurs (acacia, forget-me-nots, barberries, delphiniums, etc.).

How to get rid of powdery mildew: it is necessary that infected flowers, as well as neighboring provocateurs, be sprayed with Bordeaux mixture or any other preparation containing copper. A three-time treatment of diseased plants with a solution of soda ash (after 7-8 days) will be useful.

Rust

Midsummer (July) threatens to infect phlox with rust. This disease affects all above-ground parts of the flower.The name of the disease was due to the appearance on the leaves and stems of red, brown, brown spots that resemble rust. The danger of the disease is manifested in the fact that:

• rust fungus feeds on plant cells, disrupts metabolism and water balance. Without treatment, rust-affected phlox is doomed;
• The rust fungus is very fertile: billions of spores ripen on only one affected phlox (the wind spreads them over long distances).

Rust on phloxes actively develops with an excess of nitrogen in the soil, high humidity. Spores can winter in a layer of mulch.

Fighting rust involves preventive maintenance. When the first symptoms are detected, it is necessary to treat with fungicides and preparations with copper (Topaz, Oxyh, Scor, solutions of copper oxychloride (0.7%), iron sulphate (1%), etc.) all phloxes and soil on the site .

Fomoz

This disease often occurs during the budding and flowering of phlox. Affects the stem:

• at the base (15 cm) changes color - turns yellow, turns brown;
• the structure of the stem changes, resembles a cork, the degree of fragility increases;
• lower leaves dry up.

LThe treatment of such plants is difficult (almost impossible). You can save a healthy planting material - to cut the upper parts, process the cuttings with antifungin. Diseased flowers should be burned, and the soil should be treated with "Thiazon" (100 g per 1 sq. M).

Phlox pests, how to deal with them

Phlox pests include dozens of insect, nematode, gastropods, etc.

Caterpillars scoop and butterflies

The caterpillars of the garden shovel, cabbage moth, and other butterflies are distinguished by increased gluttony. They eat all the leaves, flower petals. A flower can be completely destroyed by these pests.

Fighting against caterpillars involves:

• the destruction of weeds in the area of ​​phlox growth;
• manual collection of caterpillars;
• spraying "Karbofos" or "Inta-vir".

Cruciferous black flea

In the spring, cruciferous black crud beetles pose a great danger to phlox. They eat green leaves and young shoots of phlox. Folk agrotechnology has developed its own methods of pest control:

• sprinkle leaves on both sides with wood ash (three times in 4-5 days);
• powder the plant and the earth with a mixture of ash, tobacco, slaked lime or ground black pepper;
• spray fleas mixture: 10 liters of water and 2 tbsp. spoon vinegar solution (70%).

These methods are ineffective in the case of rare cottage sites. More reliable means - "Aktellik", "Decis", "Banco", etc.

Nematodes

Phloxes are often affected by round (0.8–1 mm) small filamentous worms — leaf and stem nematodes. This is a real scourge of flowers. Parasites feed on plant sap.

When sucking juices, the phlox stalks become crooked, blooms appear, the flowers become smaller, threadlike leaves appear at the top. The plant often dies. Signs of defeat by nematodes on phloxes appear only by the end of June - the beginning of July.

With a strong infection of the site, diseased plants are dug and burned, the site is treated with bleach or formalin.

Known nematodicides are very poisonous and it is better not to use them in the garden.

The fight against the disease includes the manual selection of the affected plants, as well as the cuttings of healthy bush branches (before planting for rooting, wash the cuttings in running water).

Gardeners are advised to carry out cuttings of valuable varieties in the spring (when the temperature of the soil is below 10 ° C and the stem height has not reached 5 cm).

Slugs

Cultivated slugs are most dangerous for phlox, they cleanly eat young shoots, leaves, flowers. Very fertile (slug can lay up to 400 eggs over the summer and autumn). In the daytime they hide in shelters, at night and in rainy weather in the daytime they go out to feed.

The best measure to deal with slugs - trapping. Catch both manually and with the help of traps: boards on the site, boards on the tracks, trays with beer. The area with phloxes and approaches to it can be sprinkled with ashes, lime, superphosphate - slugs will not overcome the obstacle, until the rain does not wash them away. After the rain - repeat.

Drooling pennitsa

From May to June there is a great threat to phlox from the larvae of the penny bug bed drooling (settle on the underside of the leaf, where they emit frothy substance). The larvae suck the juice from the leaves, the plant languishes and does not bloom.

In case of single lesions, the leaves can be plucked along with the larvae (the larvae may try to hide, jump off the leaf).In case of mass infection, treat with Inta-Vira solution (especially the inside of the leaves).

Prevention of phlox diseases and pests

Conducting regular maintenance will help keep your collection of phloxes. To protect phlox from disease, you need:

• in spring and autumn, dig the soil on one bayonet;
• to replant phloxes to a new location once every 4 years;
• regularly weed, clean weeds, fallen leaves;
• in the spring to spray the earth with copper oxychloride, Bordeaux mixture;
• make preventive processing ("Maxim", "Vitaros", etc.) of planting material;
• for the prevention of powdery mildew 2-3 times over the summer to process the fungicides Topaz, Skor, etc .;
• in order to prevent nematodes from planting traps (peas, parsley, marigolds, etc.), nematodes especially love them and accumulate in them).