Problems
& Pests
Home
| Condition |
Symptom |
| High Temperature | weak
soft growth, too fast growth, wilting, leaf drop, flower
bud drop |
| Low Temperature | bud
drop, leaf drop, yellow leaves |
| Cold or Frost | wilting,
leaf drop, black leaves |
| Nitrogen Deficiency | leaves
yellow starting at the bottom, stunted growth, loss of
vigor |
| Phosphorus Deficiency | small
leaves (stunted), older leaves with red or purple color |
| Potassium Deficiency | yellowing
between veins or around the margins around older leaves |
| Not Enough Light | weak,
soft growth, older leaves drop, general yellow-green
foilage |
| Too much water | leaf
wilts, edema |
| Not enough Humidity | Brown
margins and tips |
| Too much fertilizer | lack
of growth |
| Sunburn | yellow
to brown patches on leaves... sometimes white |
| Sudden environmental change (move into low light) | quick
foilage drop |
| lack of rotation | one
sided or lopsided growth |
Whiteflies - flying insects that look like tiny white moths... if you shake the plant they will fly up in a cloud and then settle back on the plant. The damage they do is similar to that of a spider mite. Stippled leaves and stunted new growth.... control in the larval stage with insecticidal soap or oil... trap adults with yellow sticky traps.
Mealybugs - soft bodied insects that secrete a cottony white covering. They suck sap from the plant at the leaf axils and branch crotches. New growth is distorted and the plant is weakened. They secrete honeydew.... (see below) control by removing the white masses with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol or with horticultural oil
Aphids - soft bodied insects... they can have wings or not... they can be red, yellow, green or black... They will suck plant juices from the leaves and stems which distorts and stunts tips and leaves... they excrete honeydew (see below) ... control by washing them off, insecticidal soap or hand picking them off
Fungus gnats - small black flies, adults are a nuisance but their larvae feed on roots and can stunt plants. Look for larvae when you water... if there is a large number of larvae you will notice because they float. They thrive in damp conditions.... control them by letting the soil dry out
Spider mites - tiny insects that will suck on the plant... they usually start on the underside of the leaves but as they increase their numbers they will be all over... you may notice webbing or stippling... by the time damage is visible it may be very extensive.... control by giving the plants a through wash with a good stream of water.... insecticidal soap... pruning off infested leaves.... they thrive in dry conditions... if you have a real problem with mites try to raise your humidity level.