Pests and diseases of phlox with photos and methods of treatment: a description of how and what to treat

Phlox diseases with photographs and methods of their treatment should be studied by all gardeners who are fond of breeding phlox of different varieties. Plants can be saved from many ailments and pests if the problem is recognized in time and the treatment is started.

What are the diseases of perennial phlox

Ailments affecting phlox can be conditionally divided into several groups:

fungal diseases that develop under the influence of spores, cause great damage, but respond well to treatment;
viral diseases pose a particular danger, since it is very difficult to save an infected plant;
diseases due to improper care, phloxes can change color or stop their growth due to a lack or excess of specific substances;
diseases of mycoplasma origin, they are caused by organisms that are an intermediate link between viruses and bacteria.

Beautiful garden phloxes are susceptible to many diseases

Important! For many viral and mycoplasma ailments, there are simply no cures. Infected perennials have to be destroyed in order to preserve other plants.

Phlox fungal diseases and how to deal with them

Fungal diseases are the largest group. They are often similar in manifestations.

Fomoz

When affected by phoma, the lower leaves turn yellow first, and the shoots turn brown at the base. The leaves rapidly begin to curl around the edges, become covered with black spots and dry out, the stem becomes brittle.

Phomosis affects the plant from the bottom

If phomosis is noticed in the early stages, then perennials can be saved by treating with Bordeaux liquid 1% or with HOM. Also, gardeners use another method - they cut off the still healthy top of the plant, process it in a fungicidal solution and root it like a cutting.

Button rot

The disease is expressed in the fact that the phlox's lower leaves wither, and the stems at the root darken. Gradually, nutrition is irreparably disturbed, and the perennial dies.

Button rot begins to spread from the stem to the roots

The method of treatment for the manifestation of symptoms is as follows - you need to dig phlox out of the ground, treat its roots with 0.5% Bordeaux liquid and transplant it to a new place. If this method does not help, the plant will only have to be destroyed.

Powdery mildew

A characteristic symptom of the disease is the appearance of white spots on the leaves, similar to thick cobwebs or mold. The disease spreads from the top of the leaf to the base. As the disease develops, the plaque becomes gray, distinguishable spots of mycelium appear in it, and the phlox quickly fades.

Powdery mildew leaves a white coating on foliage

You can cope with powdery mildew with the help of copper preparations - HOM solution or copper sulfate.If the perennial is not affected too much, then the method of treatment is effective.

Rust

When the disease appears, reddish-brown spots begin to appear on green leaves. With the development of the disease, their number increases, the spots merge with each other, the affected areas dry out.

Rust profusely stains the leaves with reddish-brown dots

The best way to treat phlox is by spraying with copper-containing preparations. In this case, you need to make sure that the liquid gets not only on the plant, but also on the soil.

Septoria

Fungal septoria spreads through plants from bottom to top. First, gray and brown spots appear on the leaves in the lower part. Over time, the spots begin to grow, and the disease spreads to the upper shoots.

With septoria, the phlox becomes stained and turns brown

Treatment of septoria is carried out with preparations containing copper - vitriol and HOM solution. If the disease is at an early stage of development, this method helps to save perennials.

Wilt

Wilt, or verticillary wilting of shoots, is a very dangerous and widespread disease. The fungus attacks the root system and prevents the plant from feeding normally. First, the perennial leaves turn yellow, and then the stems themselves begin to turn brown and dry.

Wilt is a disease that affects the roots of the plant, which causes wilting of the shoots

It is difficult to cure wilt, but in the early stages this method helps - you need to dig out the phlox, rinse its roots and soak in a biofungicidal solution. Then the perennial is transplanted to a new place, after adding Trichodermin to the soil.

If it is too late to save the phlox, then it must be destroyed immediately. The soil should be treated with fungicides and no other plants should be planted in this place, at least until the next year.

Phlox viral diseases and the fight against them

Viruses are dangerous because they are difficult to treat, but quickly spread to neighboring landings. When characteristic symptoms appear in one of the plants, action must be taken immediately.

Necrotic spotting

Disease necrotic spotting is manifested by brown spots that affect the leaves. At first, the spots do not exceed 1 mm in size, but they grow rapidly.

Necrotic spotting is not treatable

Cucumber mosaic virus causes necrotic spotting. The virus can get on phlox from the soil where cucumbers used to grow, or together with insects. Treatment of the disease in this case is not carried out - the affected phlox is simply eliminated, and the soil is thoroughly disinfected and no plants are planted in it throughout the season.

Ring spot

The viral disease is spread by nematode pests, and it manifests itself in ring-shaped spots on the leaves. When affected by the disease, the foliage is deformed, twisted and falls off. The virus cannot be treated, the perennial is simply destroyed, and the soil is treated from nematodes.

You can recognize the ring spot by the characteristic circles and streaks.

Variegated petals

It manifests itself as symmetrical radial stripes of a light shade that appear on the petals of a perennial. The plant loses its varietal characteristics and degrades.

The appearance of light strokes on the petals indicates variegation.

If signs of variegation appear on the phlox, the perennial must be eliminated. It is impossible to carry out a full treatment, but the virus can quickly spread to neighboring plants.

Threadiness

Filiformity is a viral disease in which the leaves become very thin, narrow, and become jagged along the edge of the leaf plates. Phlox stops blooming and stops growing, its shoots and stems become weak and fragile

With threadlike foliage, the perennial foliage becomes thinner, and the stems weaken

If characteristic symptoms occur, the diseased perennial is eliminated. The disease cannot be treated, and its infectiousness is quite high.

Mosaic

The disease manifests itself in irregular light spots that appear on the leaves of phlox.At the very beginning, the mosaic may even look beautiful, but the health of the phlox deteriorates very quickly. The leaves begin to turn yellow and thinner, the stems become brittle, and eventually the weakened phlox dies.

The mosaic affects the leaves with light yellow-green spots.

If the plant is not strongly infected, then you can treat it with Bordeaux liquid. In the absence of a response to treatment, phlox must be destroyed before it infects neighboring plantings.

Rattle

Rattle is called a viral disease, due to which light yellow stripes, spots, rings and half rings appear on the leaves. The virus spreads quickly, phlox slows down in development, begins to weaken and wither.

Rattling leaves light, uneven patterns on the foliage

Since rattle is a type of mosaic virus, the treatment is the same. Phlox can be treated with Bordeaux liquid if the perennial has not had time to be badly damaged. A severely affected plant is best dug up and burned.

Curliness

At first, the virus manifests itself as yellowish or black irregular spots on the leaves and browning of the veins. In later stages, the leaf plates begin to deform and twist in a spiral. As a result, phlox stops flowering and stops growing.

With curly phlox foliage, it deforms and turns yellow

Methods for treating curliness suggest completely removing the affected leaves from the plant and treating the perennial with Bordeaux liquid. But the treatment will bring results only if the virus has not had time to develop properly.

Mycoplasma phlox diseases and their treatment

Mycoplasma diseases are dangerous because they affect the plant at the cellular level. Pathogenic organisms of mycoplasma are a cross between a virus and bacteria, develop very quickly and lead to the death of phlox.

Jaundice

Jaundice disease is carried by pests and infects phlox from the inside. Under the influence of the pathogen, the plant stops growing, the leaves turn yellow and curl, and the flowers turn pale or green. With jaundice, phlox can release numerous, but weak lateral shoots, flower petals and stamens are often extended in length.

Jaundice is a mycoplasma disease that has no cure

There is no way to treat jaundice; the plant can only be protected from it prophylactically. If symptoms of the disease appear on the phlox, then all that remains is to destroy the perennial.

Other diseases of perennial phlox and their treatment

Not all ailments are due to fungi and viruses. Sometimes plants start to hurt due to improper care. For example, the health of phlox is weakened due to waterlogging or lack of moisture, due to the scarcity of soil or an excess of minerals.

Stem cracking

The disease is characterized by vertical cracks in the lower part of the stem. Over time, they become larger and rise upward, and cork growths appear on the surface of the wound.

Stem cracking does not interfere with the growth of the perennial, but weakens its strength

The disease develops due to waterlogging of the soil, its acidification and excessive nitrogen content in the soil. Therefore, for treatment, it is enough to reduce the amount of irrigation and adjust the content of minerals in the soil.

Important! When cracking, phlox can grow and develop normally. But the stem becomes fragile, and the perennial simply breaks under the weight of inflorescences or in the rain and wind.

Chlorosis

The disease develops on too poor, waterlogged and acidic soils. Leaves and shoots lose color saturation and turn yellow or white. A light border often appears on the leaf plates. The color changes because the plant is not getting the right amount of chlorophyll and is unable to photosynthesize normally.

For the treatment of chlorosis, it is necessary to provide the phlox with competent watering and feeding.

A reliable way to treat chlorosis is to re-irrigate and fertilize.Usually, a top dressing containing zinc, lime, iron and magnesium is added to the soil.

Pests of perennial phlox

In addition to diseases, pests are dangerous for garden phloxes. It is usually easier to deal with them, but it is important to notice the symptoms of defeat in time.

Slugs

Gastropods feed on fresh leaves. Most often, they affect flower beds after prolonged rains. In a wet summer, it is recommended to regularly inspect the leaves of perennials, as well as loosen the soil around phlox and remove weeds.

Slugs can seriously devour the green mass of a plant.

If slugs do appear, then the best way to get rid of them is to collect the pests by hand. To scare away shellfish, you can scatter ash or lime along paths or between phlox bushes.

Cruciferous flea

Small black parasites that live in the upper layers of the soil move to the stems and leaves of phlox in early spring. Cruciferous fleas are omnivorous and eat not only leaves, but also shoots, buds and flowers.

The cruciferous flea feeds on all parts of the phlox

A popular treatment is to treat the bushes and the soil around them with wood ash or hydrated lime. You can also spray tobacco powder over the flower bed.

Nematodes

Most often, pests affect the leaves of a perennial, sometimes they can multiply in the roots. Nematodes are very thin and almost colorless; it is difficult to see them with the naked eye.

The presence of nematodes is determined by indirect symptoms - by swollen neoplasms on the leaves and stems, by slowing down the growth and crushing of flowers, by the increased fragility of the shoots. Treatment for phlox infected with worms is not carried out, the only way is to destroy the plant.

Symptoms of nematode infestation appear late and no treatment is provided

Advice! When infected with nematodes, it is also necessary to disinfect the soil in which the phlox grew, since the worms quickly spread in the ground in the area.

Slobbering penny

The pest feeds on phlox foliage juices and interferes with the development of the plant. Pennitsa secretes an abundant secret, it covers the leaves and additionally disrupts the processes of photosynthesis. Pest infestation occurs most often in dry weather.

You can find out about the presence of a penny by the characteristic trail

The method of treatment when a penny appears is to treat a perennial with insecticides or home remedies. It is important to spray several times at short intervals, this will destroy both the pest and its larvae.

Bronzovki

You can recognize a large beetle by its beautiful golden-green shell. In general, bronzovka is considered a beneficial insect involved in the processing of plant debris. But at the same time, the insect feeds on petals, shoots and peduncles of phlox, and, therefore, harms the perennial.

Bronze is an insect useful in general, but dangerous for phloxes

Bronze birds fly throughout the warm season - from May to the end of August. To get rid of them, you can use the manual method and collect the insects, or you can spray the flowers and soil with insecticides several times.

Caterpillars

Caterpillars - mainly different types of scoop butterflies - pose a threat to the leaves and flowers of phlox. They lay eggs on the stems, from which the larvae hatch, feeding on the plant juices.

Numerous caterpillars feed on the foliage of ornamental phlox

You can find out about the presence of caterpillars by the characteristic holes in the leaves. Upon closer inspection, the pests themselves become noticeable. Treatment is carried out with the help of Karate, Fastak and other chemicals, adult caterpillars are harvested by hand.

Prevention measures

Not all phlox diseases are treatable. The most reliable way to protect flower beds is to carry out high-quality prophylaxis and prevent infection.

Preventive measures include:

annual autumn cleaning of the garden, it is necessary to collect and burn all plant debris on the site so that the remnants of old shoots and leaves do not rot on the beds with phlox;
adherence to the watering regime, although phloxes love moisture, fungi often develop in swampy soil;
competent feeding of plants so that phloxes do not suffer from chlorosis or cracking, it is important not to overfeed them with nitrogen and not to acidify the soil.

One of the most important preventive measures is cleaning the garden from plant debris

Spraying with special preparations plays an important role in prevention. If fungal spores or parasite larvae do appear in the soil, chemicals can help deal with them before symptoms develop.

Preventive treatment of phlox from diseases and pests

Preventive treatment of phlox is carried out several times per season, starting in early spring. It is performed according to the following algorithm:

at the beginning of the growing season, at the end of March or in April, the soil in the flowerbed with phlox and in the adjacent areas is sprayed with 0.2% Fundazole solution, 0.5% Bordeaux liquid solution or 3% ferrous sulfate solution;
after a week, the treatment is repeated again, also covering not only the phlox planting site, but also neighboring areas;
10 days later, a third treatment with the same preparations is carried out.

Sprinkling or spraying in spring helps eliminate the spores of most fungal diseases.

To protect phlox from fungi, you can use the systemic drugs Skor and Topaz. In this case, treatments are carried out twice before the beginning of flowering of plants, in May and early June, and again after its end - in August or September. The interval between treatments must be at least 10 days.

Beds with phlox need to be sprayed 3-4 times per season with interruptions.

Attention! It is necessary to carry out preventive treatment with garden chemicals in warm and dry weather. It is imperative to wear protective clothing and a mask so that the drugs do not get on the skin and mucous membranes.

Disease Resistant Phlox Varieties

Not a single variety of phlox possesses absolute invulnerability. But some species are better at resisting disease than others. Among them:

Starfire;
Starfire is resistant to most fungal diseases
Fog;
Lilac variety Fog is rarely affected by ailments
Success;
Ornamental variety Success is characterized by increased resistance to fungi
Sandro Botticelli;
Sandro Botticelli's purple variety is a hardy and disease-resistant variety

Even if the phlox variety is positioned as highly resistant to fungal ailments, agricultural techniques must still be observed when growing. Disorders in grooming endanger health, including those of the hardy, tried and tested varieties.

Conclusion

Diseases of phlox with photographs and methods of their treatment help to navigate in the many ailments of culture. In many cases, phlox health can be preserved if diseases are recognized in the early stages and proven methods of treatment are applied.

Phlox pests and diseases and the fight against them: photos, terms and rules for processing