Plant Diseases and Pests

Go to page:

Diseases

In the chapter on plant propagation we mentioned that seedling are often attacked by a disease known as "damping off." As we said there, the use of a sterilized starting mixture has cut down the chances of this fungus affecting the seedlings grown in it. If, however, any of your ... Continue to "Diseases"

Insect Pests

There are five primary groups of insects which attack house plants in varying degree of intensity. Aphids, otherwise known by the unhappy name of plant lice, are small, soft-bodied sucking insects which are usually found on the underside of the leaves. They vary in color from green to brown or ... Continue to "Insect Pests"

Scale Insects

Scale insects come in all varieties of shapes, round, oval or oyster-shaped, and are dark brown or black. They are readily identified, however, by the fact that adults of the species cannot move and they affix themselves tenaciously to the plant and refuse to budge. They most often attack ferns, ... Continue to "Scale Insects"

Symptoms: Probable Cause

Leaves dropping: The most frequent cause of defoliation is gas poisoning. The gas leak affecting the plant may be so small you won't detect it, but it can still be enough to kill your plants. Occasionally plants will lose their leaves as the result of the shock of being moved ... Continue to "Symptoms: Probable Cause"

«« Previous Plant Diseases and Pests Page