Effective control of aster diseases and pests
To grow beautiful and healthy asters, and enjoy the beauty of their bloom, you need to try and create favorable conditions. It may take a little time to create such conditions, but the result is worth it. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for plants to grow healthy due to certain factors. They can also cause various diseases. This flower is also not immune to pest damage. The fight against diseases and pests of the aster will help to save the planting, which can include both prevention and treatment. To save flowers from death, you need to correctly recognize the problem and take action in time.
The main enemies of the aster
- slowdown in plant growth;
- a large number of deformed colors;
- narrow leaves;
- shriveled or lack of smoothness leaves;
- discoloration of the stem and leaves;
- the appearance of veins on leaf plates.
Such changes can be caused by various diseases. It should be noted that asters can infect at least 24 different types of viruses. Although preventive measures (treatment of asters from diseases) can help reduce the likelihood of infection, most likely it will not work to completely protect the planting from viral diseases. Such diseases can be caused by various factors. One of these is the transmission of viruses by insect vectors. That is why in the garden where the cultivation of asters is planned, it is necessary to fight pests and insects.
If the plant is affected by pests, it will most likely not be possible to save it. The most effective pest control method is prevention. The plant affected by the pest dies very quickly, since the pests either suck the juice from the flower, or gnaw at the roots, or eat the leaves. In such conditions, a flower cannot exist. If only a few flowers affected by pests appear in the planting, urgent measures should be taken to protect the remaining flowers. Although it will not be possible to save damaged asters, it is quite possible to save the planting as a whole from pests and diseases.
Plant pests
Several types of pests can affect the planting of asters. It is possible to determine exactly who is causing the damage either by finding a representative of the pests, or by examining the affected flowers and determining the damage. Who and how affects asters:
- The earwig is ordinary (gnaws at buds, leaves and inflorescences, the stubs have a jagged mark).
- Slobbering penny (lives in foamy secretions in the axils of shoots and leaves. Deforms stems and leaves, contributes to the formation of yellow spots on them).
- Arable slug (eats leaves and buds, leaving behind oblong holes and mucous discharge).
- Sunflower moth (caterpillar of this butterfly feeds on pollen and flower petals. Achenes in baskets can be damaged).
- Spider mite (sucks sap from leaves. Lives on the underside of a leaf. Leaves turn brown, yellow and wither).
- Meadow bug (sucks juices from shoots, buds, flowers and leaves. Whitish dots appear on the plant. The buds are deformed, the leaves curl).
- Gamma scoop (damages the ground part of the stem closest to the roots.Lives in soil).
Seeing damage on the plant, you can identify the pest that affected the planting. Since they multiply quickly, action should be taken decisively. In some cases, manual collection of pests helps.
How flowers can get sick
The list of diseases of perennial and annual asters is very diverse. Most diseases are classified as fungal or viral. They can affect both individual stems and entire plantations. Diseases spread very quickly, so action must be taken quickly and decisively.
To combat diseases of asters, it is necessary to know their varieties and visible manifestations. These can be:
- Black leg (seedlings and seedlings turn black, the base of the stem rots, as a result of which the stem becomes thinner and the flower dies).
- Rust (swelling appears on the underside of the leaf. Gradually, the leaves wither and dry out).
- Fusarium (often affects only one half of the plant. Stems are affected with brown spots, and the leaves turn yellow, then turn brown, curl and wither. Longitudinal dark stripes appear at the root collar. The stem tissue can form cracks. The plant withers very quickly).
- Septoria (characterized by light brown spots on the leaves. All leaves are quickly affected, followed by their drying).
- Jaundice (manifested in the lightening of the leaf, greening of the buds. The plant stops growing).
What does the fight against diseases and pests of aster include?
Preventive measures will help to avoid many diseases, which will prevent the appearance of problems. Prevention that can save you from the need to fight diseases and pests of asters include:
- Autumn digging of soil. Deep loosening of the earth, as well as digging it between the bushes, helps to destroy the habitats of pests and disrupt their natural habitat.
- The right choice of flowers for planting. If there is no way to look for the reasons why asters die in the garden, or there is no time to eliminate problems, it is better to choose varieties that are resistant to diseases and pests for planting.
- Autumn shrub processing. It includes the removal and burning of annual shoots and perennial stems dying off for the winter. Such care prolongs the life of the shrubs.
- The correct choice of shrub density when planting. If the planting is too dense, diseases spread easily, since the wind between the bushes is insufficient. If you plant the plants not too tightly, you can save asters from blackleg and other diseases.
And yet, no matter what preventive measures are taken, it is not always possible to save the planting from diseases. Before starting treatment, the disease or pest should be correctly identified. The method of treatment is chosen depending on the problem encountered. Knowing exactly why asters turn yellow and dry out, you can take timely action to rescue the landing.
How to treat
Treatment of diseased shrubs takes place in several stages. Their sequence is as follows:
- determination of damage;
- classification of the disease;
- carrying out medical procedures.
There are no general rules for the treatment of asters, it should be selected in accordance with the type of disease. That is why, before starting the procedure, it is necessary to determine exactly why the leaves of the aster are curled or other visible damage occurs.
The table below will help you choose your treatment options.
As you can see from the information described in this article, prevention is of great importance in caring for asters. Using fungicides, fertilizers and pesticides for asters, you can prevent the appearance of many diseases and the spread of pests. In addition, to prevent any damage to the planting, regular weeding of the site and loosening of the upper layers of the earth is recommended. When diseases or pests appear, the damaged stems and leaves should be removed first. Thus, the early spread of the disease can be avoided. Therapeutic measures are prescribed as the type of disease is determined.