What to Do When Pests Appear on Guzmania? Pest and Disease Control and Spraying Methods
effects, but its benefits are astonishing: it can not only be eaten for whitening, but also used medicinally to treat all kinds of ailments. For this reason, many flower lovers choose to grow it. However, during cultivation, due to improper care, Guzmania will suffer from pest problems. So what should be done when pests appear on Guzmania? The following is the pest and disease control for potted Guzmania. There are commonly 3 major pests and 3 major diseases. Let us take a look together.
I. What to Do When Pests Appear on Guzmania, Spray Pesticide to Kill Them
In the cultivation methods and precautions for Guzmania, we introduced the aspects that need attention during its growth. Once these standards are not met, pests will come looking for it. As for what to do when pests appear on Guzmania, find out which pest it is and then solve it accordingly. It is understood that there are three common pests on Guzmania, as follows:
1. Scale insects
This type of insect is not only a pest of all flowers, but also one of the most common pests on Guzmania. It is very small and mainly harms the leaves of Guzmania. In severe cases, the leaves will turn yellow, wither, and fall off. This symptom generally occurs in cultivation sites with high humidity, poor ventilation, and insufficient sunlight.
Solution: When there are only a few scale insects, they can be scraped off directly. When there are many scale insects, chemical sprays can be used for control, such as 50% 1605 emulsifiable concentrate or 50% parathion, both of which can be sprayed to kill them.
2. Red spider mites
Red spider mites are one of the common pests of Guzmania. They generally appear in summer, mainly inhabiting the underside of leaves or the base of leaf axils, and they reproduce extremely quickly. Red spider mites pierce and suck the sap of leaves, buds, and flowers, affecting normal growth and development. They not only affect the appearance, but in severe cases can even cause the whole plant to die.
Solution: Red spider mites are relatively small and hard to find when the infestation is light. Once found, they can be washed off with clean water; in severe cases, spray a 1:1000 dilution of dimethoate solution once every 4 days, for 2-3 consecutive times.
3. Bagworms
Bagworms are one of the common pests of Guzmania. They mainly harm the leaves, usually eating the leaf mesophyll and leaving only a transparent lower epidermis. After the lower epidermis dries and falls off, holes, gaps, or breaks are formed.
Solution: When this pest is found, pesticide should be sprayed to kill it. There are many pesticides that can be used, such as trichlorfon, dichlorvos, dimethoate, omethoate, malathion, fenitrothion, and so on.
II. Diseases of Guzmania and Their Solutions
What to do when pests appear on Guzmania? After reading the above, everyone should know. However, besides being attacked by insects, diseases also constantly threaten Guzmania. The main diseases of Guzmania are 3 types: heart rot, root rot, and leaf tip yellowing. The specific symptoms and solutions are as follows:
1. Heart rot
Heart rot is caused by fungi and is one of the common diseases of Guzmania. After contracting this disease, the tissue at the base of the leaf cup of Guzmania becomes soft and rotten, with a foul odor, and over time the leaf cup will collapse on its own.
2. Root rot
This is also one of the common diseases of Guzmania. After contracting this disease, the root tips of Guzmania turn black-brown or rot, and no lateral roots grow, thus affecting the plant's absorption of water and nutrients. The plant grows slowly and becomes weak.
Control methods for heart rot and root rot: Before the above symptoms occur, spray 400 times diluted oxadixyl mancozeb solution or use 400 times diluted fosetyl-aluminum solution to irrigate the leaf cup once a month, for 3 consecutive times, which can effectively prevent the occurrence of the diseases. Once heart rot and root rot appear, there is basically no way to save the plant.
3. Leaf tip yellowing and withering
Leaf tip yellowing is one of the common diseases of Guzmania. It is mainly caused by improper watering, low air humidity, and excessive fertilizing, resulting in too high salt content in the plant's soil and causing salt damage. This is what we call a physiological disease, caused by human factors. In mild cases, it causes the leaves to turn yellow; in severe cases, the plant dies directly.
Control methods: This disease is related to water, so watering is very important, and choosing the right water quality is even more important. Try to choose water with lower salt content. For household watering, use it after exposing it to the sun. Control the temperature and avoid extreme temperatures to prevent cold damage.
Crab Claw Orchid Picture Collection: Characteristics and Introduction of Crab Claw Orchid
Crab Claw Orchid not only has extremely high ornamental value, but can also decorate furniture and purify the air. Many people like to make it into a hanging basket and hang it at home. Let us learn about it together below and see what attractive characteristics Crab Claw Orchid has.
Crab Claw Orchid Picture Collection
1. The flower language of Crab Claw Orchid
Crab Claw Orchid has the beautiful meanings of “turning the tide” and “good fortune arrives”.
2. The value and uses of Crab Claw Orchid
Ornamental value is the most important value of Crab Claw Orchid. Because its segmented stems grow relatively long and are pendulous, it is often made into a hanging plant and placed on windowsills, entrances, and other places for indoor decoration. Because the flowering period of Crab Claw Orchid can be controlled by regulating light, many Crab Claw Orchids have their flowering period regulated to October, making them an excellent choice for indoor potted flower cultivation in winter.
3. The morphological characteristics of Crab Claw Orchid
Crab Claw Orchid is an epiphytic shrub-like succulent plant. Its stems have no leaves and no thorns, and most have branches. The color is usually bright green, and sometimes there is a little purple.
The flowers of Crab Claw Orchid bloom at the tips of the branches and are usually rose-red. The two ends of the flower grow symmetrically, and the whole flower is about 6-9 cm long.
Characteristics and Introduction of Crab Claw Orchid
1. Characteristics of Crab Claw Orchid
Leaves: tender green, with new stem segments tinged with red, and sometimes a little purple.
Stem: the main stem is round and easily becomes woody. The stems have no leaves and no thorns, and most have branches, appearing segmented.
Flowers: bloom at the tips of the branches and are usually rose-red. The two ends of the flower grow symmetrically, and the whole flower is about 6-9 cm long.
Fruit: pear-shaped, red, smooth.
2. Alternative names of Crab Claw Orchid
Crab Claw Orchid is a shrub-like epiphytic succulent plant in the Cactaceae family. It is also called “Christmas Cactus”, “Crab Claw Lotus”, and “Add Flowers to the Brocade”.
When Crab Claw Orchid is grown in most Western countries, its flowering period coincides with “Christmas”, so it is called “Christmas Cactus” by Christians.
3. The growth habits of Crab Claw Orchid
A cool and warm environment is most suitable for the growth of Crab Claw Orchid. A loose soil rich in organic matter and with good drainage and air permeability should be chosen for cultivating Crab Claw Orchid.
It has good drought tolerance, but it is afraid of the high temperature and hot weather of midsummer. At this time, it should be moved to a semi-shaded place for care, keeping the surrounding temperature between 20-25°C. If the temperature is around 15°C, the plant will enter a dormant state.
Crab Claw Orchid does not need long periods of light to grow. The flowering period can be controlled by regulating light duration. For example, if 8-10 hours of light are maintained each day, it can bloom in 2-3 months.
How to Grow Crab Claw Orchid
1. Watering
Crab Claw Orchid should not be watered too much, as it easily suffers root rot. Water thoroughly again only when the surface of the potting soil is completely dry, about once every 1-2 weeks. The time can be chosen before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
2. Fertilizing
Crab Claw Orchid likes fertilizer. Before the flowering period, apply decomposed liquid fertilizer or compound fertilizer about once a week. During the bud stage, apply more 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate solution to promote flowering. When fertilizing, be careful to apply it along the edge of the pot and do not let it touch the leaves, as it will cause leaf burn.
3. Light
In autumn, the sunlight intensity weakens, so Crab Claw Orchid can be given 6-8 hours of light. At other times, it can be moved to a dark place, which can promote it to quickly differentiate flower buds and develop flower buds.
4. Bud thinning
Sometimes, 2-3 flower buds will grow at the same time at the tip of a stem segment of Crab Claw Orchid, and they may compete with each other for nutrients. At this time, bud thinning is needed. Just keep the largest flower bud and remove all the rest. Only in this way can the nutrient supply to the flower buds at each end segment be balanced, making the flowers of Crab Claw Orchid bloom fuller and more beautiful.
5. Pruning
After the flowers of Crab Claw Orchid fade, the remaining flowers should be cut off in time. If they are left, they will only consume nutrients in vain. Count 3-4 stem segments downward from the flowering point and cut there. This allows it to retain nutrients to prepare for the next flowering.
Common Pest Control for Crab Claw Orchid
1. Red spider mites
Prevention: Frequently open windows for ventilation and spray water to increase air humidity, which can prevent red spider mites to a certain extent.
Regularly spray omethoate solution for sterilization, spraying the leaf surface once every 15 days.
Treatment: Once found, immediately scrape them off manually, or directly remove the diseased leaves. In severe cases, spray with fenitrothion emulsion to kill them.
2. Scale insects
Scale insects are white. When they occur, the leaves are covered with small white insects, which is terrifying. There is no regular pattern to their occurrence, so early detection and early treatment are necessary.
Treatment: In the early stage, directly scrape them off with a bamboo slice or wash them off with clean water; in severe cases, spray with phosmet emulsifiable concentrate solution to kill them.
Through the above content, I believe everyone has gained some understanding of Crab Claw Orchid. The fresh stems and leaves of Crab Claw Orchid can be used as medicine to detoxify and reduce swelling, and have significant effects in treating sores, swelling, and mumps. Its current market demand is very large. Experienced growers can give it a try, and it may bring extremely high returns.