Plants have to overcome numerous problems if they want to survive. All kinds of pests and fungi They are always waiting for you to show any sign of weakness so they can attack you.
They can be avoided, of course, but sometimes it is not easy. To help you take care of them, we give you some tips so that you can identify the main symptoms of pests and diseases in plants.
Pest symptoms
Insects can attack plants throughout the year, with spring and especially summer being their favorite seasons. The dry and warm environment favors mealybugs, aphids, and many others, such as the red spider or whitefly. But, in addition, we do not have to forget about the larvae some insects, such as the red palm weevil, which need to eat huge amounts of the plant to satisfy their appetite.
But, what damage do they cause to our plants? The most frequent are:
- Damaged leaves: They may be bitten by snails, wrinkled by aphids, or have silver-colored areas from thrips.
- Leaves drying quickly: The larvae of the red palm weevil feed on the bud of the palm tree, and the first thing that is usually seen is the weakening of the leaves. If the pest advances, in a matter of days they will fall and nothing can be done to save the plant.
Symptoms of diseases
Fungi are organisms that are always present in the environment. If we overdo it with watering or if the humidity is too high, the plant can become weak. Likewise, it must be taken into account that if we do not put healing paste after pruning them and / or we do not disinfect the tools before and after work, the risk of being affected is high.
We can know if the plant has any disease if we observe:
- White or grayish powder on leaves, due to powdery mildew.
- Small bumps on the underside of the leaves and discolorations on the upper surface, as a consequence of rust.
- Stem rot, especially in young plants, as a cause of the Phythophtora fungus.
Remember to check your plants periodically to detect any pest symptoms in time.