Geranium diseases

Geranium can suffer from different diseases

When it comes to decorating our home, one of the most popular flowers are geraniums. Although there are more than 250 different species belonging to this genus, very few of them are used to beautify our environment. However, all species of these plants can suffer from various diseases and pests. In order to protect our vegetables and save them in case of infestation, it is essential that we know how to recognize what is harming them in order to apply a treatment as soon as possible. To make your task a little easier, We will explain what the most common geranium diseases are and how to treat them.

The objective is to acquire the basic knowledge related to the pathologies that can affect these flowers in order to to be able to identify the causative pathogen and treat the plant as soon as possible. In general, the vegetables that we buy in any garden center, in nurseries or in large surfaces are usually healthy. Diseases usually appear later, but why? Well, it can be due to poor management and care of the crop or due to external invasions of adjoining gardens, fields or orchards.

What diseases do geraniums have?

Most geranium diseases are fungal

As we have already mentioned before, geraniums can suffer from various diseases. Some of them can be very harmful to these flowers, which is why it is of the utmost importance to detect them in time and treat them. It should be noted that the appearance of pests usually leads to the appearance of many diseases. Although it is true that we are going to focus on the latter, we will also list the insects that tend to attack geraniums more frequently, to take into account what could be causing so much damage:

  • Geranium Butterfly
  • Red spider
  • Aphids
  • White fly
  • Mealybugs
  • Caterpillars
  • green midge
  • Nematodes
Related article:
Know the most important Plant Pests

Now that we know what the most common pests are, we will talk about the most common geranium diseases and how to treat them.

Roya

We'll start with rust. It is a fungal disease caused by the fungus Puccinia sp.. The most characteristic symptom of this pathology is the appearance of a type of dark pustules on the underside of the leaves. These pustules tend to take on an orange hue over time. When the leaves are heavily invaded by this fungus, they end up drying out.

Since rust is a highly infectious disease and difficult to combat, it is best to burn all affected plants to make sure we destroy their spores.

Botrytis

Among the best known diseases of geranium is botrytis, which is caused by the Botrytis cinerea. It usually appears in rather humid and cool environments. This does not only affect the leaves, but also the flower buds. In general, those areas that are affected by this disease they rot and become covered by a type of dark gray mold.

How can we prevent botrytis? The best way is to place the geraniums in a well-ventilated place and prevent the plant from suffering injuries, since the pathogen could penetrate there. It can be said that there are specific fungicides to fight the Botrytis cinerea.

Powdery mildew

Among the best known geranium diseases is powdery mildew

Another of the most famous geranium diseases is powdery mildew, this time caused by the fungus called Erysiphe spp.. It is a very easy pathology to detect, since its main symptom appears on the upper side of the leaves in the form of white or ashen powder. The areas that are affected by this pathogen usually turn yellowish until they dry up.

When treating a plant affected by powdery mildew, it is best to apply a specific fungicide ("antioides") and remove a few days later all those branches and leaves that are infected by the fungus. A good way to try to prevent the appearance of this disease in our geraniums is to place them in an area with good ventilation.

alternariasis

There is also alternariosis, another fairly common geranium disease. The cause of this is the fungus called Alternaria spp.. In order to identify this pathology, we must look at the older leaves that are found in the middle or lower part of the plant. There will be some small brown spots. In order to treat the affected plant, we must apply copper-based fungicides.

Anthracnose

Anthracnose is another fungal disease that affects geraniums quite frequently. This is caused by the fungus Gloeosporium pelargonii. When the plant is infected, Small black or brown spots appear on leaves, buds, and flower buds. Over time, these spots end up expanding until the entire affected area withers. There is another fungus, called Ascochyta spp.., which causes very similar stains.

The solution to this pathology is apply specific fungicides as soon as we detect the first symptoms of the disease. It is very important that, when treating the plant, we wet the entire aerial part.

foot disease

Finally we have to highlight the foot problem, whose cause is the fungus Pythium spp. This fungal disease normally attacks the neck of the plant. That area ends up rotting, resulting in the death of the geranium. It usually appears on plants that are still young and that have been irrigated with excess water, causing waterlogging of the soil. When the plant is affected, the neck of the trunk darkens just at ground level. Sometimes it is accompanied by a type of light and clear powder.

To treat this disease, it is best to dissolve a specific fungicide in water and water the plant with this mixture. In addition, it is very important to keep the soil moist without flooding it. This treatment can also be applied to prevent the appearance of this fungus.

Related article:
Learn to make Easy and Effective Homemade Fungicide

I hope you have found this article on geranium diseases useful and informative. Remember that detecting phytopathologies in time can be vital for plants, and not only for those who are affected, but also for those around them. Fungi spread very easily and it can be very difficult to eliminate them, so we must try to prevent their appearance.


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