Fire ants
Fire ants gnaw on the roots of plants and are aggressive toward people.
Solutions: Caution: fire ants are venomous and cause painful bites which can be fatal in the case of a rare but significant allergy. Fire ants can be a painful pest to have around for you and your plants. Keeping them under control will ensure comfortable gardening for all. For less severe cases: Physically remove mounds. Dig out and remove entire mounds (remember, they go deeper than they seem). Use citrus oil. Pour citrus oil, which is toxic to fire ants, down their holes. For severe cases: Use ant bait. For a chemical solution, broadcast insecticide bait formulated for fire ants in the area around a mound. Apply the bait during a dry evening so the ants can forage for it at night. Look for products that contain Indoxacarb. Release phorid flies. Introduce or promote beneficial phorid flies to gardens. These parasitic flies attack invasive fire ants. Hire a professional. Some ant baits are only available to professional exterminators. For serious cases of fire ants, consider hiring a professional.
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Leaf rot
This pathogen can cause the leaves to rot.
Solutions: Bacterial infections need to be treated quickly to prevent the spread to neighboring, healthy plants, potentially wiping out large sections of your indoor or outdoor garden. In mild cases: Use sterilized (10% bleach solution) pruning shears or scissors to remove any infected plant parts, making sure to dispose of them off site. Use a copper-based bactericide to treat the unaffected foliage, as well as the soil, and neighboring plants. Follow the manufacturer’s rate and timing directions found on the product label. In severe cases, where more than half the leaves are affected: Remove all of the infected plants from the garden, disposing of them off site. Treat the soil and neighboring plants using a copper-based bactericide. Follow the manufacturer’s rate and timing directions found on the product label.
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Leaf scorch
Leaf blight causes leaves to dry out and turn brown starting at their tips.
Solutions: The solution to leaf scorch will depend on the cause, however, in general all cultural care methods that improve plant health and root functionality will reduce symptoms. Mulching the root zone (preferably with wood chip mulch) helps retain moisture, reduce evaporation, and promotes a healthy, functional root environment that is critical for water movement to the leaves. Check the root collar for girdling or circling roots that strangle the trunk and limit water and nutrient movement. Protect trees from severe root damage of nearby construction and excavation. If fertilizer burn is to blame, irrigate the soil deeply to flush out excess fertilizer salts. However, keep in mind that fertilizer runoff is an environmental pollutant. Avoiding excess fertilization in the first place is the best approach. If soil testing has revealed a potassium deficiency, apply a potassium fertilizer and water well. Even if you have enough potassium in the soil, plants will not be able to take it up if the soil is consistently too dry. Severely affected twigs may be removed using a pair of sharp and sanitized pruning shears, as weakened branches are susceptible to secondary infections. If your plant has bacterial leaf scorch, there is no cure. Antibiotic injections applied by a professional can reduce symptoms for a season, however, the above cultural management methods are the best options to reduce symptoms and prolong life. An infected plant will likely die within ten years.
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Aphids
Aphids are small, pear-shaped insects that come in a variety of semi-translucent colors. They suck sap from plants.
Solutions: Aphids can be controlled with physical, biological, and chemical methods. For less severe cases: Dip a cloth in soap water and use it to wipe/rub off all the aphids from plants. Use a hose with a good stream of water to spray them off. Introduce beneficial insects such as ladybugs and lacewings. For severe cases: Spray plants with a diluted mix of neem oil and insecticidal soap (follow label instructions). Apply in the evening or on a cloudy day to avoid burning plants. Remove and dispose of infected plants or plant parts. Surrounding plants should also be treated to fully control the problem.
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Brown spot
This infection can cause brown spots or patches to appear on the plant.
Solutions: In minor cases of brown spot, there isn’t any need to treat the disease. However, if much of the foliage is affected and defoliation occurs, the plant will benefit from getting rid of the infection. It is recommended to start by applying organic treatment options, working up to the more potent synthetic, chemical fungicides if necessary. Organic options won’t kill the fungus, but will prevent it from spreading. Dissolve ½ teaspoon of baking soda and one teaspoon of liquid soap in a gallon of water. Using a spray bottle, spray on tops and bottoms of leaves until the mixture drips off. Repeat every two weeks until existing spots stop enlarging and new spots no longer appear. Spray a copper-based fungicidal soap on the leaves, coating the top and bottom leaf surfaces. Reapply as directed on the product label. Copper penetrates the leaf surface and prevents germination of spores so the fungus cannot spread. Apply an all-purpose fungicide to the entire plant, following the label instructions carefully.
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