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