Potted plant diseases
Plant: Spider Plant
Term: Pot-bound
Spider Plant
• Genus: Chlorophytum• Indirect Light• Keep Evenly Moist• Tolerates low humidity• Grows best between 50 -75• Low fertilizer requirement• Flowers are small,• Scale, spider mites, & whiteflies are problems• Cut off babies & root them
Pot-bound
• A condition where the roots have outgrown their container and spiral around until all of the soil is displaced.
Disease and Insectscontrol pests by recognizing
and controlling them on the plant
Common plant pestsaphidswhite fliesmealy bugsmitesscale
Aphidssmall green insects with piercing
mouthscalled plant licesuck plant juices from the plantwork on stem and underside of leavesleaves become sticky with “honey-dew”causes growth of black sooty mold
Aphidsleaves curl, disfigure, turn yellowuse insecticidal soap or acephate
(plant extract)Lady bugs or lacewing predators
White Flysmall white, winged, sucking
insectsworks on underside of leavesheavy egg producersinfestation can occur quicklyeggs laid on underside of plant
leaves
White Flycause plant to turn yellowhave mottled appearance -
spottyWhite Flies will leave the plant
when the leaves are moved
Mealy Bugssucking insectwhite , woolly
mass, like a ball of cotton
works on the underside of the leaves
Mealy Bugssucking juices gives plant a
faded yellow appearancecontrol by swabbing the insect
with a q-tip dipped in alcoholremoves insect from plant
Mitessmall spider like insects on
bottom side of leavessuck juices causing plant to turn
yellowcannot be seen easily with the
naked eye
Miteshold a white piece of paper under leaf
and tap the leaveslook for spider like insects moving on
the paperwipe across the paper with your
fingerif mites are present, there will be a
red smearcontrol with insecticidal soap
Scalewhen mature, attack stems in a
clustersmall white gray lumps - oval shapeplant turns yellow, loses vigorsticky sap appearance on plantremove with soapy water Wipe off with alcohol swab
Botrytiscommon disease - plant rotleaves turn black and develop
a gray mold and will eventually rot off
provide good air circulationuse a fungicide - Benlate
Mildewcommon diseaseleaves get a heavy white coatingfungicide – Benlate or ERase
Insecticidescan be purchased in most
storesread the label for applications
and directionsInsecticidal soaps are the
safest and least toxic
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