Whiteflies tend to prefer to feed on new growth, so check around any newly unfurled leaves first.
Check the undersides of leaves—especially around the veins—for white insects, even if they aren’t immediately visible, and feel leaf surfaces for sticky honeydew. If the whiteflies are feeding, they’ll suddenly all fly off the leaves in a swarm, so it’s very obvious.
You may also find eggs laid on the undersides of leaves. This is the beginning of a new generation! When the eggs hatch, the larvae will look like teeny white ovals without legs; they don’t move but they immediately start sucking the plant juice. This is why gardeners often miss whiteflies until it’s too late. Adult females can produce up to 400 eggs, which hatch in about one week to a month after laying. They are usually laid in a circular pattern. Eggs are pale yellow when newly laid and brown when about to hatch.

Signs of damage

1 Your first line of defense should be inspecting all plants for pests before you bring them home, as well as keeping any new additions away from the rest of your plants for a period of time. This will allow you to identify and curtail any pest or disease issues that appear.
2 Keeping natural predators around will prevent whiteflies from ever exploding in population. For this reason, avoid using insecticides. Ladybugs, spiders, green lacewing larvae, and dragonflies are a few of many beneficial insects that can control a whitefly population. Hummingbirds are another natural predator. Try creating a habitat that will attract dragonflies and damselflies (which also helpfully eat mosquitoes) or beautiful hummingbirds.
3 When it comes to whiteflies, avoid chemical insecticides; they’re usually resistant and all you end up doing is killing the beneficial insects—their natural predators—and the insects that pollinate the garden for a better harvest!
4 Mulch early in the season with aluminum reflective mulch, especially around tomatoes and peppers. The reflective mulch makes it challenging for whiteflies to find their preferred host plants. 
5 Set out yellow index cards coated with petroleum jelly to monitor whiteflies, especially when it comes to tomatoes, peppers, sweet potatoes, or cabbage crops. A half-and-half mixture of petroleum jelly and dish soap, spread over small boards painted bright yellow, is sticky enough to catch little whiteflies, too. To whiteflies, the color yellow looks like a mass of new foliage. The bugs are attracted to the cards, get stuck in the jelly, and die.

How to prevent

To control whiteflies, there are various solutions and traps that you can use. The biggest tip is: start early! In the mornings and evenings, as you wander the garden or tend to your houseplants, check the back of the leaves for eggs or notice when little bugs “fly away” as you approach your plants.
- Always start with blasting whiteflies (as with aphids and many other insect pests) with your watering hose or a spray bottle. This will cause them to scatter and will dislodge nymphs and eggs to some extent.
- Consider spraying your plants’ leaves with an insecticidal soap, following the directions on the packaging. Be sure to spray the undersides of leaves, too. Follow up 2 or 3 times, as necessary. 
Spray plants in the evening when temperatures are cooler, as mid-day heat may cause an adverse reaction in your plant. Plus, spraying in the evening allows you to avoid accidentally spraying any pollinators or beneficial insects.
- According to the National Gardening Association, the following simple homemade mixture should be helpful to control and deter whiteflies: Use a mix of dish soap and water. A good squirt of soap to a gallon of water should work. As mentioned above, only spray in cooler temperatures; late in the day is best. The NGA mixture is a pretty benign combination, and whiteflies are nearly impossible to get rid of, so it’s best to try more preventative tactics first, as mentioned below.
- If all else fails and your whitefly population is persistent, you can (carefully) use a handheld vacuum every few days to remove them from your plants. This gets rid of both nymphs and adults. Just be sure NOT to empty your vacuum into a trash can inside your home afterward

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Whiteflies

- Black or dark brown, superficial fungal growth on the aerial parts of plants, particularly the upper leaf surfaces
- The amount of growth can vary from a fine soot-like or powdery deposit, to a thick sheet of growth that may crack or peel away from the leaf surface during dry conditions
- The growth can sometimes be washed away, leaving a healthy-looking leaf surface beneath
- Sap-sucking pests such as aphids, scale insects, mealybugs or whiteflies can often be found on the plant, above the point where the sooty mould is growing
- In some cases these insects may occur on plants that overhang those affected with sooty mould
- Ants may also be seen in association with the sap-sucking pests
- Leaves, stems, fruit, etc. where the sooty moulds are growing are contaminated with sticky honeydew

It isn’t really possible to preventively treat against sooty mold, and when it appears it is immediately recognizable.
There are a few things to do that can reduce the likeliness that this disease would appear.
- Ensure your plant has sufficient nutrients and is well watered. A plant weakened by poor soil or lack of water is a vulnerable plant.
- Increase the diversity of plants and flowers in your garden, it is the best way to protect them naturally from their predators.

Sooty mold grows on the honeydew dropped by many sap-feeding insects (most commonly aphids, scale and whiteflies). The honeydew is a sugary liquid that the insects excrete as waste. Sooty mold in itself does not feed on plant tissues or cause damage, but it can block enough sunlight to affect photosynthesis which can weaken the plant over time. It is also very ugly and difficult remove (more on that in a bit).
The first step is to identify and treat the insect causing the problem:
- Soft or armored scale (look like small turtle shells affixed to the stems and/or leaves, sometimes very well-camouflaged in color or texture. Egg sacs are often wispy and white),
- Aphids (small green, yellow or tan insects with thin legs & antennae, wooly aphids look a bit like tiny sheep)
- Whitefly (tiny, white-winged flies).
A population of insects large enough to cause a sooty mold problem is usually pretty easy to spot and identify. Controlling the insects will stop the rain of sugar water that feeds the sooty mold.
The mold itself is difficult to remove, but you can hasten the rate at which it naturally weathers off. Spraying the leaves with insecticidal soap can help soften the sooty coating. Spray late in the day so the soap remains moist for as long as possible. If you can spray a few hours before a heavy rain is forecast the rain will be better able to remove the sooty mold.
If the plant has a rugged leaf, like holly or gardenia, you can follow the soap application with a strong jet of water from your garden hose after you’ve given the soap a little time to soften the mold. Be careful with softer-leafed plants and new growth, as a strong water stream can tear or bruise leaves. You’ll probably have to repeat the process a few times to wear the coating of sooty mold off over time.
If your insect eradication was successful, you’ll see that new growth on the sooty mold affected plants will remain fresh and clean. The mold does not spread without the honeydew to grow on, so new sooty mold indicates a continuing insect problem.

Sooty Mold

Spider mites damage foliage by sucking juices from the leaves. This shows up as stippling on the leaves and more severe damage can result in leaf bronzing that may lead to leaf drop. Leaf drop increases incidence of sun/light burn and negatively affects both vegetative and flowering stages. 
Additional signs of spider mites are curled and/or burned leaf edges as well as leaves that have taken on a leathery texture. Webbing will be produced when mite populations grow in size and can be found on foliage, twigs and fruit/buds.

Look before you buy:
Inspect indoor and outdoor plants before purchasing to make sure they aren’t infested.
Keep plants healthy:
Make sure plants are well-watered and fertilized. Healthy plants are more able to withstand pests and diseases, while weakened or stressed plants are more susceptible to problems.
Keep the area clean:
Clear weeds and debris out of garden areas where pests can more easily hide.
Bump up moisture levels:
Since spider mites thrive in dry conditions, keep air humidity levels higher around plants.
Use high-quality soil:
Use a high-quality, sterile potting soil to avoid possible soil-borne pests.

Chemical pesticide use actually encourages the spread of spider mites by killing the beneficial insects that prey on them. Mites are also known to develop quick resistance to various pesticides. For these reasons, it’s important to control mites with effective natural and organic methods.
1 Prune leaves, stems and other infested parts of plants well past any webbing and discard in trash (and not in compost piles). Don’t be hesitant to pull entire plants to prevent the mites spreading to its neighbors.
2 Wash plants with a strong stream of water and reduce pest numbers.
3 Commercially available beneficial insects, such as ladybugs, lacewing and predatory mites are important natural enemies. For best results, make releases when pest levels are low to medium.
4 Nuke Em, a relatively new organic insecticide containing food-grade ingredients, works fast and kills most indoor gardening pests at the egg, larvae or adult stage. Best of all, it does this without leaving a residue on the leaves that can impact flavor.
5 BotaniGard ES is a highly effective biological insecticide containing Beauveria bassiana, an entomopathogenic fungus that attacks a long-list of troublesome crop pests – even resistant strains! Weekly applications can prevent insect population explosions and provide protection equal to or better than conventional chemical pesticides.
6 Mix Pure Neem Oil with Coco-Wet and apply every 3-5 days to kill pest eggs indoors and interrupt the reproductive cycle. Make sure to spray all plant parts, including the undersides of leaves. Do NOT apply when temperatures exceed 90˚F and wait at last six hours before turning lights on.
7 If populations are high, use a least-toxic, short-lived pesticide (Take Down Spray, Doktor Doom Foggers) to reduce infestations, then release predatory mites to maintain control.
8 Insecticidal soap or botanical insecticides can be used to spot treat heavily infested areas.
9 On fruit trees, horticultural oil should be applied early in the season or late in the fall to destroy overwintering eggs.
10 Dust on leaves, branches and fruit encourages mites. A mid-season hosing (or two!) to remove dust from trees is a worthwhile preventative.
11 Water stress makes both trees and garden plants more susceptible to mite infestations. Make sure your plants are properly watered.

Spider Mites

- White, powdery spreading patches of fungus on upper or lower leaf surfaces, flowers and fruit
- Tissues sometimes become stunted or distorted, such as leaves affected by rose powdery mildew
- In many cases the infected tissues show little reaction to infection in the early stages, but in a few specific cases, for example on Rhamnus, the infection provokes a strong colour change in the infected parts, which turn a purple-brown colour
- Sometimes the fungal growth is sparse and difficult to see, despite discolouration of the plant tissues, e.g. on the undersurface of rhododendron leaves

- Choose plants for your garden that are resistant to powdery mildew. Many mildew-resistant varieties of cucurbits (melons, cucumbers, squash, etc.) have been developed and can be bought from major seed suppliers.
- Plant in sunnier spots, as powdery mildew tends to develop more often in shady areas.
- Selectively prune overcrowded areas to increase air circulation around your plants; this helps to reduce relative humidity.
- Watering from overhead can help to wash spores off leaves. Note, however, that wet foliage can often contribute to the development of other common diseases, so it’s best not to rely on this as a prevention tactic.

While removing and destroying all infected plants is the ideal solution, it's not very practical.
Remove Infected Portions of Plants
To start, use plant clippers to remove or cut back the portions of your plants that have visible powdery mildew on them. If you notice it on a few leaves, remove them from the plant and do not compost them (which can still allow the spores to spread). Wash your hands and clean your clippers with alcohol wipes after finishing to further prevent spread.
Apply a Fungicide
There are many fungicides available—you'll want to look for one that boasts ingredients such as potassium bicarbonate, neem oil, sulfur, or copper. A home remedy made from baking soda is also an effective preventative, while one made from milk is thought to prevent powdery mildew before it starts. For continuous protection, reapply fungicides every seven to 14 days and be sure to follow the label instructions for both application and waiting period before harvest. While fungicides won't cure powdery mildew on leaves, it can help stem the spread of the fungi to other leaves or plants.

Powdery Mildew

These weevils are pests of over 100 plants, ranging from weeds to shrubs to greenhouse plants. Some of the common host plants in Maryland include azalea, holly, strawberry, rhododendron, yew, and grape.
When weevils are present in low numbers only a few notches on the edges of leaves will be apparent. If many weevils are present, the leaves are often scalloped and left with only the main vein.
The grubs are highly destructive to plants. When small, grubs consume feeder roots. Larger grubs feed on larger roots, stripping the bark and sometimes girdling the plant crown. This blocks the flow of water and nutrients to the foliage.
Infested plants have stunted growth; leaves turn yellow and then wilt.

1 Quarantine or dispose of any soil from pots where vine weevil have been found. Don't reuse this or throw on the garden because it may still contain vine weevil eggs, larvae or pupae.
2Remove plants that have unexplainably wilted and died and examine the roots. If they appear eaten, then search the surrounding soil and destroy any vine weevil larvae that you find.
3 Look for leaf edge notching on garden plants to indicate where adult vine weevils are feeding. Then treat the surrounding soil with nematodes during the summer months to control any larvae that appear.
4 Avoid using broad spectrum insecticides which will kill soil-dwelling predators of vine weevil larvae, such as centipedes and carab beetles.
5 Encourage insectivorous birds by hanging feeders in winter and provide nesting boxes in spring.

- Check plants every week to prevent weevil infestations becoming out of control and deal with early signs immediately.
- Remove and destroy newly-hatched adults to reduce the numbers of eggs laid in the soil. This is best done at night, with a torch, when the weevils are most active.
- Use netting and fleeces to stop adults moving between plants and laying eggs within pots.
-Replant perennial pot plants in the spring and look for and remove any vine weevil larvae you find.
- Use commercially available nematodes (microscopic worm-like creatures) Steinernema kraussei and Heterorhabditis megidis that can be watered into pots or surrounding soil to control vine weevil larvae. The nematodes seek out and kill vine weevils.
- BotaniGard ES is a highly effective biological insecticide containing Beauveria bassiana, an entomopathogenic fungus that attacks a long-list of troublesome pests – even resistant strains! Weekly applications can prevent insect population explosions and provide protection equal to or better than conventional chemical pesticides.
- Fast-acting crack and crevice sprays, like Don’t Bug Me, can be used around windows, doors and vents to prevent adult weevils from entering structures.
- Least-toxic botanical insecticides should be used as a last resort. Derived from plants which have insecticidal properties, these natural pesticides have fewer harmful side effects than synthetic chemicals and break down more quickly in the environment.

Weevils

Symptoms of Phytophthora disease are often overlooked. As this disease typically starts with the roots, the signs remain relatively hidden while the infection is spreading.
When the diagnosis of a Phytophthora disease contamination is late, it will likely result in the loss of the tree, plant, or even an entire crop. Symptoms of the disease include:
• Blackening of the lower trunk or stem
• Stunting of foliage
• Wilting and discoloring of foliage
• Dieback of shoots and foliage
• Interveinal chlorosis (typical of nutrient deficiency)
• Soft, brown roots instead of firm, white ones

• Ensure that soils, growing media and standing areas are well drained
• Ensure that water used for irrigation is free from Phytophthora. Cover storage tanks to prevent contamination from soil and plant debris. 
• Consider the use of filters (e.g. slow sand filtration) or sterilisation (e.g. UV, chlorine) where water is re-circulated or known to be contaminated
• Use new pots, trays, etc. or at least treat any re-used items with a disinfectant
• Inspect bought-in plants. If possible, have a quarantine area where bought-in stock can be held and monitored for disease development for a few weeks
• When propagating, take cuttings from healthy plants only. Avoid taking cuttings of nursery stock close to the ground, as these could be contaminated by soil or compost containing Phytophthora

A tree demonstrating phytophthora symptoms can sometimes be saved by removing the soil from around the base of the tree all the way down to the top of the main roots, cutting away any bark that’s oozy or dark and leaving the root system exposed. This allows the root system to dry completely, slowing the spread of phytophthora.
In most other cases, phytophthora management is limited to prevention. Trees and shrubs, like azaleas, should be planted in well-draining areas, so their roots remain dry for most of the day. Phytophthora only needs four hours of standing water to germinate, making it difficult to combat in areas with poor drainage. Some gardeners get around this by planting their landscaping on mounds 8 to 10 inches tall and being extra careful to plant crowns at the same depth they were at the nursery (often indicated by a dark line on the trunk).
Well-established trees are less frequently affected than younger trees because they have widely spread roots that provide lots of avenues for water and nutrition. If a few sections are damaged, they are prepared to compensate. In smaller plants, such as shrubs or vegetables, all bets are off — they can be lost to phytophthora before you even realize the disease has taken hold.

Phytophthora

Fungus gnat damage will appear similar to that of any other root-related issue, such as root rot. Lower leaves may turn yellow and drop, and the plant’s growth may slow down or stop completely. In particularly bad cases, wilting of the entire plant could occur, followed by the death of the plant if roots are extremely damaged. 
In small numbers, fungus gnats are more of an annoyance than anything. In fact, the adult gnats don’t actively harm plants nor people. If their population gets out of hand, however, the larvae may start feeding on plant roots, causing notable damage. This is especially bad for young plants, such as seedlings, which have only a few delicate roots. Fungus gnats are also capable of spreading the plant pathogen that causes damping off and the eventual death of seedlings.

1. Keep soil dry: Fungus gnats seek out moist soil, so allowing your houseplants to dry out a bit between waterings can slow down or stop an infestation. Let the top inch or two of soil dry out before watering again, and try to go as long as possible between waterings. Gnats may be deterred from laying their eggs if the soil is dry on the surface.
2. Mosquito dunks (with beneficial bacteria): Mosquito dunks are used to keep mosquito larvae from populating fountains, animal troughs, fish ponds, and other small bodies of water. The product consists of a dry pellet containing a type of bacteria called Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies isrealensis. This beneficial bacteria infects and kills the larvae of flying insects, including mosquitoes, fruit flies, and fungus gnats.
To use mosquito dunks: Fill up a gallon jug (or watering can) with clean water and toss in a mosquito dunk. It’s a good idea to break up the dunk a bit before placing it in the water, or you can wait for it to soften before breaking it apart. Let the dunk soak in the water for as long as possible (at least overnight), then remove it from the water (the dunk can be reused) and use this water for fungus gnat–infested plants. The bacteria will have leeched into the water and will now infect and kill any larvae that come into contact with it in the soil. Repeat this process every time you water your plants for at least a few months.
3. Cover drainage holes: Though gnats typically remain near the tops of pots, they may find their way to the drainage holes on the underside of a pot and start laying eggs there, too. If this happens, cover the drainage holes with a piece of synthetic fabric to prevent the gnats from getting in or out of the hole, but to also let water pass through freely. Attach with tape or rubber bands.

Getting rid of fungus gnats is all about consistency. Catching the adults is fairly easy, but because the adult population comes in cycles, you need to make sure that your traps are refreshed regularly. For the best results, use a combination of the traps :
1. Sticky cards traps: These traps consist of a yellow note card covered in a sticky adhesive. They are most effective when cut into small squares and placed directly on top of the soil or attached to skewers just above the soil. Adult gnats will fly or crawl onto the card and become trapped. Fungus gnats are attracted to the color yellow, so use the yellow sticky cards rather than the blue ones. 
2. Cider-vinegar traps: Simple and effective, cider-vinegar traps consist of a shallow container with a small amount of apple cider vinegar, water, and liquid dish soap.
To make a cider-vinegar trap: Find a shallow container—a tuna can is perfect—and fill it with equal parts water and apple cider vinegar. (The liquid should be at least ¼-inch deep.) Put a few drops of liquid dish soap into the mixture and stir gently. Place the trap near the base of the affected plant or, ideally, inside the pot on top of the soil. Check it every few days to refresh with new vinegar and water.
3.Flypaper: Flypaper ribbons, such as those hung in horse barns to catch outdoor flies, can also be used to catch fungus gnats. However, these traps are usually overkill for gnats and can easily get stuck to things you don’t want them to stick to, such as furniture, hair, plants, and so on.

Fungus Gnats

- The symptoms of gray mold depend on the type of plant and environmental conditions, but generally spots that appear water-soaked will form on the leaves. These might appear white at first.
- These spots will then change color from gray to brown, eventually covering most of the leaf and causing it to wilt. The brown coloration is what often causes people to confuse gray mold with brown mold.
- Under really humid conditions, grayish webbing may appear on the leaves. In this webbing are structures that contain fuzzy spores. Spores become active and are released with any activity at all.
- Petals, stems, and buds can also be infected.
- Eventually, all of the infected parts of the plant will be covered by a fuzzy gray growth, causing you to seemingly have gray flowers.

- Handle your plants carefully when transplanting and pruning. Gray mold usually attacks wounded plants, so avoid harming your plants.
- Keep your plants dry. Avoid overhead watering and watering late in the day. Give your plants time to dry off after watering them during the day.
- Space your plants properly to encourage good air circulation.
- Remember to clean between your plants. Remove any debris, including cuttings and dead leaves.

1 Prune or stake plants to improve air circulation between plants. Make sure to disinfect your pruning equipment (one part bleach to 4 parts water) after each cut.
2 If growing indoors use a small clip-on fan to improve air flow.
3 Keep the soil under plants clean and rake up any fallen debris.
4 Add a good amount of organic compost or mulch under plants. Mulches will prevent the fungal spores from splashing back up onto flowers and leaves.
5 Water in the early morning hours, or use a soaker hose, to give plants time to dry out during the day.
6 Do not compost infected plant leaves or stems, and thoroughly clean up garden areas in the fall to reduce over wintering sites for the fungal spores.
7 Copper-Soap fungicides will help by protecting plants from disease spores. Apply at the start of flowering and continue every 7-10 days until harvest. Fungicidal sprays are especially warranted when weather forecasts predict a long period of cool, wet weather.
8 Safely treat most fungal diseases, including Botrytis blight, with SERENADE Garden. This broad spectrum bio-fungicide uses a patented strain of Bacillus subtilis that is registered for organic use. Best of all, SERENADE is completely non-toxic to honey bees and beneficial insects.
9 Mycostop, a biological fungicide approved for organic use, has shown suppression of the disease. Direct spray (5 gm/ 50 liters of water) to susceptible leaves, flowers and fruits to point of run-off. Apply every 2-3 weeks, or as needed depending on disease pressure.
10 Green Cure Fungicide contains a patented formula of potassium bicarbonate — commonly used in food products — that kills many plant diseases on contact and provides up to 2 weeks of residual protection. At first sign of disease, mix 1-2 Tbsp/ gallon of water and apply to all exposed surfaces of the plant. For best protection, repeat at 1-2 week intervals until conditions are no longer favorable for disease development.

Gray Mold

Rust diseases come in different varieties and can affect a wide range of plants. People often struggle with rust on their roses. It is easy to remember the defining characteristics of this fungus, as they match its name. Rust plant disease will look similar to the rust that appears on that old bicycle in the shed.
- Look for yellow or white spots forming on the upper leaves of a plant.
- Look for reddish to orange blister-like swellings called pustules on the undersides of leaves.
- Orange or yellow spots or streaks appear on the undersides of the leaves.
- Within these spots that form are spores.
- Usually leaf distortion and defoliation occur.

- Dust your plants with sulfur early in the season to prevent infection or to keep mild infections from spreading.
- Space your plants properly to encourage good air circulation.
- Avoid wetting the leaves when watering plants.
- There are many effective rust fungicides you can try.

1 Select rust-resistant plant varieties when available.
2 Pick off and destroy infected leaves and frequently rake under plants to remove all fallen debris.
3 Water in the early morning hours — avoiding overhead sprinklers — to give plants time to dry out during the day. Drip irrigation and soaker hoses can be used to help keep leaves dry.
4 Use a slow-release, organic fertilizer on crops and avoid excess nitrogen. Soft, leafy, new growth is most susceptible.
5 Apply copper sprays or sulfur powders to prevent infection of susceptible plants. For best results, apply early or at first sign of disease. Spray all plant parts thoroughly and repeat every 7-10 days up to the day of harvest.
6 Effectively treat fungal diseases with SERENADE Garden. This broad spectrum bio-fungicide uses a patented strain of Bacillus subtilis and is approved for organic gardening. Best of all, it’s safe to use — you can treat and pick crops the same day!
7 Containing sulfur and pyrethrins, Bonide® Orchard Spray is a safe, one-hit concentrate for insect attacks and fungal problems. For best results, apply as a protective spray (2.5 oz/ gallon) early in the season. If disease, insects or wet weather are present, mix 5 oz in one gallon of water. Thoroughly spray all parts of the plant, especially new shoots.
8 Prune or stake plants and remove weeds to improve air circulation. Make sure to disinfect your pruning tools (one part bleach to 4 parts water) after each cut.
9 Use a thick layer of mulch or organic compost to cover the soil after you have raked and cleaned it well. Mulch will prevent the disease spores from splashing back up onto the leaves. Burn or bag infected plants after the growing season . Do NOT compost.

Leaf Rust

Black spot will look like somewhat circular black spots on leaves. It usually occurs on the upper sides of leaves, but can also develop on the undersides. The outer margins of the black circles are ragged or feathery and they are usually surrounded by a ring of yellow.
Spots begin on the lower leaves and move upward. They can appear as early as when the leaves first unfurl. These spots can enlarge and eventually merge. Affected leaves often fall off the plants, and if left unchecked, the entire plant can defoliate.
The fungus can also infect young canes, causing dark purple or black blisters on the canes, and even the flowers may show some red spotting. Infected plants will set fewer flower buds and without leaves, the plants become stressed and susceptible to more problems.

Black spot is easier to prevent than to cure. Existing spores can remain in the soil and overwinter on leaves and stems, waiting for favorable conditions. The spores make contact with the rose by splashing onto it in drops of water.
Give the Plant Ideal Growing Conditions
True for avoiding any plant disease, a healthy, vigorous plant is less susceptible to problems. Roses prefer a sunny location with well-draining soil and regular, weekly watering.
Good Air Flow
Provide good air circulation around and through your rose plants. Do not plant your roses too close to other plants. Prune to open the spaces between canes, if the plant gets too dense and air cannot get through.
Proper Watering
Avoid getting the leaves wet while watering. There is not much you can do about rain, but at least limit the time the leaves remain wet.
Pruning
Remove any infected leaves and always do a thorough cleanup each fall. Remove and dispose of any remaining leaves when you do your dormant pruning in late winter/early spring. Spores can remain on leaves and stems and can reinfect whenever conditions are favorable. Within 10 days of the first symptoms, the disease has already started spreading. Spores can spread by water and wind. Prune out any canes showing signs of infection. Prune 6 to 8 inches below the infection and only prune in dry weather. Disinfect your pruners with a 10 percent bleach solution or alcohol between cuts.
Mulch
Apply a thick layer of mulch around the plants. Mulch will prevent water from splashing up on the plant and spreading spores.

There are commercial and homemade, DIY-solutions you can use to try to cure black spot. The treatment may seem time-consuming; it is a pesky problem. And, if after you have treated it, the black spots reoccur, you may need to spray your plants weekly starting in early spring.
Baking soda spray: Dissolve 1 teaspoon baking soda in 1 quart of warm water. Add up to 1 teaspoon of liquid soap. Spray leaves thoroughly. This mixture works better as a preventive than as a cure. It also offers some protection from powdery mildew.
Bordeaux mix: This is a fungicide that contains copper sulfate and hydrated lime. It can be used as a powder or mixed with water and sprayed. Bordeaux mix also repels some insect pests, but it can burn plant leaves. It is generally used as a preventative in the spring before plants leaf out.
Insecticidal soaps with added fungicide: You can use an organic fungicide, which is often sulfur added to regular insecticidal soap. The soap coats the leaves and helps the fungicide adhere to the plant.
Neem oil: Neem is an organic fungicide and pesticide, derived from the seeds of the neem tree. It gets inside the plant's system, so you do not need to worry about coating everything or reapplying after rain. However, it can burn plant leaves in the hot sun. You should not apply neem oil within two weeks of using a product containing sulfur.
Sulfur: Sulfur prevents and gets rid of fungus diseases. It is also used to control several insect pests. Sulfur comes as a finely ground powder. If you prefer to spray it on, look for one that is labeled as wettable so that it will mix with water.

Black Spot

On leaves, infections can occur throughout the growing season. Young infections are very small, greenish-yellow, translucent spots that are difficult to see. With time the lesions enlarge, appearing on the upper leaf surface as irregular pale-yellow to greenish-yellow spots up to 1/4 inch or more in diameter. On the underside of the leaf, the fungus mycelium (the “downy mildew”) can be seen within the border of the lesion as a delicate, dense, white to grayish, cotton-like growth. Infected tissue gradually becomes dark brown, irregular, and brittle. Severely infected leaves eventually turn brown, wither, curl and drop. The disease attacks older leaves in late summer and autumn, producing a mosaic of small, angular, yellow to red-brown spots on the upper surface. Lesions commonly form along veins, and the fungus sporulates in these areas on the lower leaf surface during periods of wet weather and high humidity.
On fruit, most infection occurs during the period from early bloom through three to four weeks after bloom. By three to four weeks after bloom, fruit are resistant to infection; however, the fruit stems (pedicels) remain susceptible. When infected at this stage, young berries turn light brown and soft, shatter easily, and under humid conditions are often covered with the downy-like growth of the fungus. Generally, little infection occurs during hot summer months. Infected fruit will never mature normally. On shoots and tendrils, early symptoms appear as water-soaked, shiny depressions on which the dense downy mildew growth appears. Young shoots usually are stunted and become thickened and distorted. Severely infected shoots and tendrils usually die.

Any practice that speeds the drying time of leaves and fruit will reduce the potential for infection. Select a planting site where vines are exposed to all-day sun, with good air circulation and soil drainage. Space vines properly in the row, and, if possible, orient the rows to maximize air movement down the row.
Sanitation is important. Remove dead leaves and berries from vines and the ground after leaf drop. It may be beneficial to cultivate the vineyard before bud break to cover old berries and other debris with soil. Cultivation also prevents overwintering spores from reaching developing vines in the spring.
To improve air circulation, control weeds and tall grasses in the vineyard and surrounding areas. When pruning, select only strong, healthy, well-colored canes of the previous year’s growth. Practices such as shoot positioning and leaf removal that help to open the canopy for improved air circulation and spray coverage are also very important.

Non-chemical control
- Pick off and dispose of (by deep burial, burning or consigning to the council green waste) affected leaves as soon as symptoms are seen
- Remove and destroy severely affected plants
- Avoid dense planting and control weeds, so that there is good air circulation around the plants
- In glasshouses, try to avoid prolonged leaf wetness or periods of high humidity. Avoid overhead watering where possible. Open the doors and vents, when conditions allow, encouraging air movement
- Avoid watering plants in the evening, as this can lead to high humidity or leaf wetness that persists throughout the night. Water early in the morning so that leaf surfaces dry out rapidly
- To avoid infection from soil-borne resting spores, practice crop rotation for vegetables, and avoid re-planting with the same host for at least a year where an ornamental plant has been affected 
Chemical control
There are no fungicides available to amateur gardeners for use against downy mildews.

Downy Mildew

Symptoms first appear as a slight yellowing of foliage and wilting of upper leaves. As wilting progresses, leaves may turn dull-green to brown and remain attached to the plant. When the stem and roots are cut diagonally, reddish-brown streaks are visible in the vascular tissues.
Signs and symptoms:
- Initially, plants wilt during the hottest part of the day and recover at night.
- Leaflets turn yellow on one side of the plant, or even just leaflets on one half of a compound leaf.
- The entire plant soon turns yellow and wilts. Browning of leaves occurs rarely.
- Peel the epidermis off the lower stem to see dark red and brown discolored vascular tissue.

Fusarium is most prevalent in warm soils. It is harbored in old plant debris and soil. The best way to prevent infection in your crops or plants is rotation and sterilization. 
Never plant the same crop in the same place annually. 
Pots should be sterilized with a bleach solution and new soil used when reusing them. You can also solarize beds, by spreading black plastic over an area in full sun for a month to kill the fungus. This causes extreme high temperatures that will “cook” the fungus and provide good control of Fusarium. 
Wash off tillage equipment, shoes and other tools that might have encountered infected soil. Remove all old plant debris annually and if you think it might be contaminated, burn it. Do not compost contaminated material as this provides an ideal incubation condition for propagating the fungus.

1 Plant resistant varieties when available.
2 Remove stricken growth from the garden and sterilize pruning clippers (one part bleach to 4 parts water) between cuts.
3 Use fumigants to control many garden insects, like cucumber beetles, which are known to spread the disease.
4 High nitrogen fertilizers may increase susceptibility to the disease. Test your soil and use a slow-release, organic fertilizer in the vegetable garden.
5 Hand pull or spot treat weeds using a weed flamer or natural herbicide — many weed species host the disease pathogen.
6 Mycostop is a biological fungicide that will safely protect crops against wilt caused by Fusarium. Approved for use in organic crop production, it can be applied as a soil spray or drench (1-2 gm/ 100 sq ft) to seedlings, ornamentals and vegetables. Apply sufficient water during application to move Mycostop into the root zone.
7 If the disease persists, it is best to remove the entire plant and solarize the soil before planting again.
To solarize the soil, you must leave a clear plastic tarp on the soil surface for 4-6 weeks during the hottest part of the year. Soil solarization will reduce or eliminate many soil inhabiting pests including nematodes, fungi, insects, weeds and weed seeds.

Fusarium Wilt

Usually the first sign of thrip damage is faded or dirty looking leaves. The leaves will start by turning white or grayish in color, then eventually brown as the damaged areas start to die.
Though it’s possible for thrips to kill a houseplant, it’s rare. Mature, healthy houseplants can handle a pretty heavy infestation. The biggest threat is to small or weak houseplants.
However, not only is a thrip infestation gross, they make your indoor plants look terrible, and heavy damage can stunt their growth. Other common symptoms include:
- Brown stripes on the leaves
- Faded, splotchy, pale-colored leaves
- Parts of the leaves are dying
- Flower buds are malformed, dropping, or won’t open
- Leaves start dropping unexpectedly
- New growth is deformed

Thrips can be difficult to get rid of. So, once you finally win the battle, you want to prevent them from ever coming back!
The good news is that there are a few easy ways to prevent thrips from infesting your houseplants…
- Monitor them on a regular basis for the first signs of an infestation
- Debug all of your plants before bringing them back inside for the winter
- Keep anything that you bring in from your garden (cut flowers, veggies…etc) far away from your houseplants
- Inspect all new houseplants before bringing them home, then quarantine them for a few weeks afterward

The first thing you should do as soon as you spot thrips on a houseplant is to quarantine the infested plant immediately. Then check all of the surrounding houseplants for signs of thrips, and isolate any others you may find.Make sure that you begin treating the infestation right away. Also, to help prevent thrips from spreading, always wash your hands after handling an infested houseplant.
RINSE THE LEAVES
If you can, take your houseplant outside, and rinse the leaves with the hose. That will remove many of the bugs, and quickly knock down their population.You could rinse the leaves in the sink or shower instead, and that will work too. Be sure to use tepid water, and take care not to overwater your houseplant in the process.
INSECTICIDAL SOAP
Soap kills thrips on contact, and will help to give you the upper hand. You can use a pre-mixed organic insecticidal soap, or make your own using 1 tsp mild liquid soap to 1 liter of water.Be sure to spray it directly on the infested leaves to kill the bugs. Insecticidal soap doesn’t have any kind of residual effect, so it’s important to treat them often in order to completely get rid of thrips.
WASH YOUR HOUSEPLANT
You could also try washing the leaves with diluted mild liquid soap, and rinse it off with water. This will kill thrips as well, and help to quickly get the population under control.Make sure you wash the undersides of leaves too, that’s where thrips like to hide. But before washing all of the leaves, it’s best to test the soap on a few first, to make sure it doesn’t damage your houseplant.
NEEM OIL 
It’s a naturally occurring insecticide, and also has a residual effect that will help to deter future infestations.Spray a neem oil solution directly on the leaves and stems. This will kill some of the bugs on contact, and others will die when they feed on the neem oil covered leaves. Either a pre-mixed horticultural oil or a hot pepper wax spray can also be very effective to get rid of thrips on houseplants.
STICKY TRAPS 
Since adult thrips are able to fly, sticky traps can work very well to capture them. Place either yellow or blue sticky traps near the infested houseplant to attract them.

Houseplant Thrips

Mealybugs have needle-like sucking mouthparts. Feeding activity can cause a yellowing of host leaves, distorted growth, premature leaf drop, and, with heavy populations, plant death. Mealybugs also produce large amounts of a sweet, sticky liquid waste product called honeydew. A black fungus called sooty mold may grow on the honeydew.

This pest is usually brought into the interiorscape on an infested plant. Therefore, one of the best ways to manage mealybugs on houseplants is to carefully check plants being considered for purchase and reject any infested plants. Quarantine new plants for 7-10 days in an isolated spot, and check for signs of mealybugs or other household pests before adding the plants to your interiorscape.
Provide proper cultural control so that the plants are vigorous and can tolerate moderate mealybug feeding without suffering too much damage. Do not over-water or over-fertilise — mealybugs are attracted to plants with high nitrogen levels and soft growth. Removing overwintering sites, such as loose bark, can help to reduce mealybug numbers. Predatory insects, such as lacewings, syrphid flies, ladybirds, and several small parasitic wasps, prey on outdoor mealybugs and can often keep their numbers down. An introduced beetle, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri, the mealybug destroyer, is available commercially for release in greenhouses. Avoid the unnecessary use of insecticide to minimise any adverse effect on these beneficial insects. Manage ants, which are attracted to honeydew produced by the mealybugs and will inhibit the activities of natural enemies.

1 Wash them away: Mealybugs can be dislodged with a steady stream of water. Repeat the treatment as necessary. This is best for light infestations.
2 Insecticidal soap: Insecticidal soaps are available on the market, or you can make your own by using a dish detergent such as Ivory Liquid. Try to find a product free of perfumes and additives that might harm plants. Mix the soap in a weak concentration with water (starting a 1 teaspoon per gallon and increasing as necessary). Spray on plants.
3 Neem oil: Neem oil is derived from the neem tree. Use according to label instructions. In addition to its insecticidal properties, neem is also a fungicide and has systemic benefits (meaning the plant absorbs it so it can control insects it doesn't directly contact). According to the Environmental Protection Association, neem is safe for use on vegetables and food plants as well as ornamentals.
4 Kitchen insect spray: This all-purpose insect spray. To make a batch, combine 1 garlic bulb, 1 small onion, and 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper in a food processor or blender and process into a paste. Mix into 1 quart of water and steep for 1 hour. Strain through a cheesecloth and add 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap. Mix well. The mixture can be stored for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

Mealybug Pests

Springtails occasionally feed on plant roots, but the damage is minimal. Problems arise when these pests congregate in moist areas and multiply. Thousands of springtails blanket walls, foundations and patios as their numbers grow. If not stopped outdoors, springtails multiply indoors in damp basements, kitchens and bathrooms — anywhere with sufficient moisture.

It is not difficult to keep this insect at bay. First of all ensure that house plants are always grown in sterile potting compost (this will also help keep away the diseases that the soil can contain).
If there is insufficient drainage, the compost can become waterlogged, so, next, always ‘crock’ a pot with a layer of grit or clay pellets before adding compost. If the compost to be used is too compact, coarse sand or perlite can be added to make it more free-draining.
If you find it difficult to assess when to water use a moisture meter, a self-watering cone or a container with a reservoir. In the latter cases, the compost takes up water gradually as it dries out, ensuring an even supply.

1 First of all, stop watering the plant and allow it almost to dry Out before re-watering. ‘This may be enough to eradicate these pests. It not, then you will need to use a chemical.
2 Use a suitable chemical, in granule form or diluted with water, to soak the potting mixture.
3 Insecticides containing diazmon, lindanc, malathion, pyrethrum or resmethrin are suitable. Make sure that due ingredients of an insecticide are listed on its label. One application of the chemical should be enough but repeat the application after 8 days to ensure eradicating ideal conditions for springtails.
4 If your plants are infested with Springtails, you will know as soon as you water them, as these tiny insects will start jumping about on top of the potting mixture.
5 Springtails will thrive in waterlogged soil so always water very carefully and ensure that the plant has good drainage.

Springtails

Many symptoms of root rot mirror the signs of a pest infestation, which makes properly diagnosing it more difficult. The symptoms of root rot are obviously easier to spot above ground.
- Gradual or quick decline without an obvious reason.
- Stunted or poor growth. 
- Small, pale leaves.
- Wilted, yellowed, or browned leaves.
- Branch dieback.
- Thinning of the canopy.
- On some species, the fungus grows up from the roots in the inner bark and causes cankers, or sunken dead areas.
The most accurate way to diagnose this decaying disease is to dig below ground to see if decaying is taking place.

- Good drainage is key to preventing root rot, maintaining an appropriate ratio of water and oxygen in the root zone.
- Use the appropriate growing media for your plant type. 
- Make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom of your containers. 
- Forego the old recommendation to line the bottom of your container with rocks or pebbles to create a drainage layer.
-If you have a saucer or other catch basin under the container to collect excess water as it drains out, make sure to empty it every time you water your plants. Never let your plant sit in this standing water.
- Lastly, the most important aspect of prevention is to water your plants appropriately. For many plants, this means letting the top of the growing media dry out before you water the plant again. This is especially important during the cooler winter months when the plant is dormant and its growth has slowed.

The most effective treatment for root rot disease is replanting the affected plant in fresh soil.
Repot the plant, if caught soon enough. Remove as much of the infected soil by gently shaking it from the roots and then repot the plant in fresh, clean potting soil.
You can add a root treatment containing beneficial mycorrhizal species, or dust the healthy roots with sulfur powder or cinnamon - a natural fungicide - to help prevent reinfection.
Beneficial mycorrhizae work by creating a hostile environment for the unwanted bacteria and fungi, killing them before they can infect your plants. The sulfur acts by acidifying the soil, making certain nutrients less available and in turn limiting the pathogen’s food source.
If root rot has spread significantly your safest option may be to discard the entire plant and start over. You can try to dissect the infected plant using sterilized cutting tools, keeping only the healthy portions and transferring them to fresh soil. If the entire root system is compromised, take stem or leaf cuttings from the healthy foliage and try to propagate a new plant.

Root Rot

Scales attack hundreds of ornamental varieties, and are found everywhere ornamental plants are grown. While some scales infest a wide variety of plants, others are host-specific. Many ornamentals are attacked by a single scale species, while others are attacked by numerous species.
Scales damage plants by sucking the juices from the plants. Heavily-infested plants appear unhealthy and produce little new growth. Scales that feed on leaves can cause leaf spotting; spots progressively increase in size as the scales continue to feed. With serious infestations, leaves drop prematurely, and twigs and branches may be killed. The sooty mold that develops on the honeydew produced by soft scales inhibits the plant’s ability to harvest light energy, reducing photosynthesis and further weakening the host plant. Scales that feed on twigs or bark generally do not produce leaf discoloration, but long-term feeding weakens the host plant. A chronic infestation can kill the host.

Periodically inspect host plants, particularly plants that have been previously infested. Since scale insects may occur on all plant parts, check the trunk and branches, as well as the twigs and leaves. The midvein of the underside of the leaf is common site for leaf-feeding scales to inhabit. Stems should be checked around buds, leaf petioles and lenticles or other depressions which may offer a place for the scales to hide and feed. The color contrast between the bark and the scale can be increased by wetting the bark with water before inspecting. Crawlers, the immature mobile life stage, may be monitored for by placing double-stick tape on some branches of the plant.
Stressed plants are more susceptible to scale attack. Maintaining healthy plants will minimize the likelihood of a plant being attacked.
Keep susceptible host plants healthy and well watered; scales nearly always attack stressed plants. Inspect plants periodically for presence of scales. If an infestation is detected, treat before the infestation becomes too severe, and monitor the progress of the treatment in the weeks and months after application. Be aware of the most commonly occurring scale problems in your area. Annual applications of soil-systemic insecticides to susceptible ornamentals are a good idea, particularly if plants are under stress.

Armored scale insects would be a breeze to eliminate if not for their thick outer coatings. The insects themselves are quite vulnerable, so you don’t need to go in with a huge arsenal. Horticultural oil is the very best way to destroy armored scale while preserving the predators that will readily feed on their young during the mobile “crawler” stage. Ideally, timing your application with the emergence of crawlers from their mothers’ covers will eliminate an entire generation all at once. Repeat sprays at five to six week intervals will knock the colony back, and persistence will destroy them entirely. Before applying horticultural oil, ensure that your plant is well hydrated and not heat stressed. Most plants won’t have a problem with horticultural oil mixed appropriately, but the odd bush or tree might experience phytotoxicity, so try a small spot first a few days ahead of when you plan to spray the whole plant.
It also is important to remember that it may take weeks or even months before complete control is observed. Control is delayed if the host plant is under stress, as uptake of the systemic insecticide is slowed. Judging efficacy is complicated by the fact that the scale shells often remain on the plant long after the insecticide has killed the insect underneath. After application, test for efficacy by scraping the shell off the plant and looking for the soft, pulpy insect underneath. If only dry shells are scraped off, then the treatment probably was effective.

Armored and Soft Scales

- On leaves, anthracnose generally appears first as small, irregular yellow or brown spots. These spots darken as they age and may also expand, covering the leaves.
- On vegetables, it can affect any part of the plant.
- On fruits, it produces small, dark, sunken spots, which may spread. In moist weather, pinkish spore masses form in the center of these spots. Eventually, the fruits will rot.
- On trees, it can kill the tips of young twigs. It also attacks the young leaves, which develop brown spots and patches. It can also cause defoliation of the tree.

- Plant resistant plants, or buy healthy transplants.
- Plant your plants in well-drained soil. You can also enrich the soil with compost in order to help plants resist diseases. 
- Water your plants with a drip sprinkler, as opposed to an overhead sprinkler. Don’t touch the plants when they are wet. 
- Keep ripening fruits from touching the soil. 
- Remember to rotate your plants every 2 to 3 years.

Anthracnose control begins with practicing good sanitation. Picking up and disposing of all diseased plant parts, including twigs and leaves, from the ground or from around the plant is important. This keeps the fungus from overwintering near the plant. 
Proper pruning techniques to rid trees and plants of old and dead wood also helps with prevention of anthracnose fungus. Keeping plants healthy by providing proper light, water and fertilizer will strengthen the plant’s ability to ward off a fungus attack. Stressed trees and plants have a difficult time recovering from anthracnose fungus. 
Chemical treatment is rarely used except when the disease involves newly transplanted plants or continual defoliation. You can try spraying your plants with a copper-based fungicide, though be careful because copper can build up to toxic levels in the soil for earthworms and microbes. For trees, try a dormant spray of bordeaux mix.

Anthracnose

As a general rule, common symptoms of a bad root knot nematode infestation can include chlorosis (yellowing of the leaves/stems), stunted growth, wilting, and a lack of production of fruit.
However, these may be nonexistent to severe depending on the population of nematodes, the health of the plant, the natural resistance of the plant, and any number of other factors in the soil makeup. It can also be hard to separate the symptoms from other pest/disease issues.
The only real way to be sure that it is in fact root knot nematodes is to carefully remove a plant from the soil and examine its roots. If there are a lot of galls growing along the root system, it’s likely root knot nematodes at work.
While these microscopic nematode parasites can be problematic, root knot nematodes are not uncontrollable. They may be tricky, but with good garden management, you won’t have negative consequences!

Prevention is always the best cure for a pest problem, and root knot nematodes are no exception. So let’s talk about prevention.
First off, plant nematode-resistant varieties. There are a wide variety of different seed suppliers who carry nematode-resistant seed stock, usually notated as an N in the resistance charts.
If you cannot plant nematode-resistant strains, practice good crop rotation. Some species of root knot nematodes are more selective than others. Planting cover crops like marigolds or sudangrass between at-risk crops will also bring down the nematode population.
Remove the roots of old plants when clearing the bed. As root knot nematode juveniles can live in the galls they form on the roots, they will continue to multiply even as the roots are dying out. Removing the remaining root mass can extract those juveniles.
Till the soil 2-3 times in the fall. This breaks up the soil, turning the nematodes up to the surface where they will die off from exposure to the sunlight. This will impact both beneficial and parasitic nematodes, so you may need to re-add beneficial nematodes again in the spring.
Plant overwintering grass cover crops like wheatgrass, ryegrass, or rye. Sudangrass is also good and offers some nematicide properties. Keep these mowed down to a manageable level, and till them under in the spring to add more plant matter to the soil.
Regularly add more organic material to your soil. Adding more composted leaves, grass clippings, and manure to your beds will help naturally control the population of nematodes in the soil, since nematodes prefer living material to decaying plant matter.

There are two organic nematicide variants available: ones based on geraniol (the oil of geraniums), and ones based on quillaja saponaria, the soap bark root. Remember, though, that nematicides will kill off both beneficial and parasitic nematodes.
Quillaja saponaria compounds such as Monterey Nematode Control use the saponins from the soap bark tree to help reduce nematode populations.
You can also use an azdirachtin product such as AzaMax, which is a pure azdirachtin extracted from neem oil. This may work as a light nematicide, but tends to be better against other pests such as spider mites, thrips, aphids, and more.
Add neem seed meal, crab meal, or oyster shell flour to your soil. All three are fertilizers, but they’re great soil builders in the war against root knot nematodes.
Neem seed meal is a gentle fertilizer which is made from the leftover material after making neem oil. It helps reduce a number of pests naturally, plus it breaks down to add low levels of nitrogen to the soil. It also can help strengthen the roots of plants to make them resistant.
Crab meal encourages beneficial soil microorganisms which reduce nematode population. It also helps plants to increase the strength of their cell walls, making them more naturally resistant to many conditions.
Oyster shell flour is in essence a form of diatomaceous earth. While it has less effect when it’s wet, it can help make the soil less hospitable to nematode populations and reduce other pests as well.
Black walnut leaves and hulls have a natural compound in them which is called juglone. This compound is an extremely effective killer of root knot nematodes, but can have an adverse effect on some plants. That’s why there’s few weeds around walnut trees!
If you want to put an organic source of juglone to work in your garden, use fresh walnut leaves or smashed hulls as a thick layer of compost on your bed, or just build a tall pile there. Regularly turn it to keep it composting. I use leaves, as they’re quick to break down.
The juglone compounds will seep into the soil when you wet down the pile, and after three to six months should have broken down enough that they will no longer be toxic to other plants. This also helps wipe out weeds or other pests that may be in your beds during composting.

Root-knot Nematodes

Nymphs and adults feed on plant juices, attacking leaves, stems, buds, flowers, fruit, and/or roots, depending on the species. Most aphids especially like succulent new growth. Some, such as the green peach aphid, feed on a variety of plants, while others, such as the rosy apple aphid, focus on one or just a few plant hosts.
- Look for misshapen, curling, stunted, or yellowing leaves. Be sure to check the undersides of leaves; aphids love to hide there.
- If the leaves or stems are covered with a sticky substance, that is a sign that aphids may have been sipping sap. This “honeydew,” a sugary liquid produced by the insects as waste, can attract other insects, such as ants, which gather the substance for food. When aphids feed on trees, their honeydew can drop onto cars, outdoor furniture, driveways, and so on.
- The honeydew can sometimes encourage a fungal growth called sooty mold, causing branches and leaves to appear black.
- Flowers or fruit can become distorted or deformed due to feeding aphids.
- Some aphid species cause galls to form on roots or leaves.
- Aphids may transmit viruses between plants, and also attract other insects that prey on them, such as ladybugs.

- For fruit or shade trees, spray dormant horticultural oil to kill overwintering aphid eggs.
- Beneficial insects, such as ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps, will feed on aphids. Supplemental populations of these insects can be ordered online and should help keep the aphid populations controlled from the start.
- Companion planting can be very helpful to keep aphids away from your plants in the first place. For example:
1 Aphids are repelled by catnip.
2 Aphids are especially attracted to mustard and nasturtium. Plant these near more valuable plants as traps for the aphids. (Check your trap plants regularly to keep aphid populations from jumping to your valued plants.)
3 Nasturtiums spoil the taste of fruit tree sap for aphids and will help keep aphids off of broccoli.
4 Garlic and chives repel aphids when planted near lettuce, peas, and rose bushes.

- Try spraying cold water on the leaves; sometimes all aphids need is a cool blast to dislodge them. Typically they are unable to find their way back to the same plant.
- If you have a large aphid invasion, dust plants with flour. It constipates the pests. 
- Neem oil, insecticidal soaps, and horticultural oils are effective against aphids. Be sure to follow the application instructions provided on the packaging.
- You can often get rid of aphids by wiping or spraying the leaves of the plant with a mild solution of water and a few drops of dish soap. Soapy water should be reapplied every 2-3 days for 2 weeks.
- One variation of this soap-water mix includes cayenne pepper: Stir together 1 quart water, 1 tsp liquid dish soap, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Do not dilute before spraying on plants.
- Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a non-toxic, organic material that will kill aphids. Do not apply DE when plants are in bloom; it is harmful to pollinators, too.

Aphids

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Choose any container with enough draiange holes.

Container

Water moderately allowing the soil to dry out. During the flowering cycle, keep your Christmas cactus moist (but not soggy). After the blossoms have fallen off you should back off on the water for a couple of months.

Water

Christmas cacti won't want a normal cactus soil but will prefer to be in a soil containing sphagnum. This type of soil would normally be used for orchids, bromeliads or other epiphytic plants.

Soil

The plant is not cold hardy, so if you live in a zone that gets colder than 30°F (-1.1°C), it's best to plant this succulent in a container that can be brought indoors.

Temperature

Schlumbergera truncata (as a jungle cactus) should never be exposed to full summer sunlight. Medium light at a partly shaded window is the best.

Thanksgiving Cactus

(Schlumbergera truncata)

What is the plant

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