A Detailed Guide to Common Pest and Disease Control Methods for Boston Ivy
Diseases of Boston ivy include powdery mildew, leaf spot and anthracnose. Aphids are a common pest. Because Boston ivy has strong resistance, pests and diseases occur relatively rarely, but they do still occur from time to time, especially during the plum rain season, when high temperature and high humidity make powdery mildew, leaf spot and anthracnose more likely. When disease occurs, you can use a 500-800 times dilution of 50% carbendazim, thiophanate-methyl or chlorothalonil for control, spraying once about every 7 days, for 2-3 consecutive times. The main pest is aphids, which can be controlled with a 500-1000 times dilution of imidacloprid, mieyajing, or beta-cypermethrin.
Powdery mildew can appear during the cutting or seedling growth stage, and it harms the stems and leaves of Boston ivy, causing small yellow spots to appear on the leaves, followed by the growth of a white powdery mold layer, which later joins into one large mold spot, hindering photosynthesis in the leaves and causing the leaves to decline prematurely.
Control method: do not water too much, water from the edge of the pot as much as possible to reduce the number of times the stems and leaves are splashed with water, apply more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer and less nitrogen fertilizer, improve ventilation around the stems and lower humidity. In the early stage, spray with a 1000 times dilution of 15% triadimefon; in the later stage, spray with a 1000 to 1500 times dilution of 10% polyoxin.
2. Leaf spot
The main cause of the disease is that the density of branches and leaves on the plant is too high, the environmental humidity is too high and ventilation is poor. The symptom is that round disease spots appear on the leaves of Boston ivy, which then become irregular in shape, brown disease spots appear on the stems and petioles, and finally the leaves wither and curl.
Control method: remove the diseased leaves, reduce spraying and watering of the plant, and thin out the branches and leaves to increase light penetration and good ventilation. When disease occurs, spray with a 1000 times dilution of 50% thiophanate-methyl, or a 400-600 times dilution of 80% mancozeb.
3. Anthracnose
Anthracnose is the most harmful in the pest and disease control of Boston ivy. It causes brown disease spots at the leaf tips and leaf margins, and also affects the growth of its tendrils, leading to poor growth. Small black dots also appear on the disease spots. One of the causes of the disease is excessively high temperature.
Control method: usually pay attention to applying more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to improve the disease resistance of Boston ivy. In the early stage of the disease, spray a 800 times dilution of 50% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder, or you can also spray a 1000 times dilution of 75% chlorothalonil. When the temperature is too high, provide appropriate shade.
4. Aphids
Aphids use their mouthparts to pierce into the leaves of Boston ivy and suck its sap, causing the damaged leaves to turn yellow, fall early and so on. While sucking, they also secrete a kind of honeydew, which, although not easy to notice, attracts ants, snails and so on, causing even greater damage to the plant.
Control method: aphid control is mainly preventive. The method is to strengthen daily care and management according to the cultivation methods of Boston ivy, keep the environment clean, with moderate humidity and not too shady. The treatment method is to spray a 1000-1500 times dilution of 50% malathion emulsion.
Control Methods for Boston Ivy Leaf Spot
Boston ivy is not unfamiliar in our lives, and it is often seen in small home courtyards. Leaf spot of Boston ivy is also a highly prevalent disease of Boston ivy. Today the editor shares with everyone the control methods for Boston ivy leaf spot.
Symptoms of Boston Ivy Leaf Spot
In the early stage of Boston ivy leaf spot, small yellow-brown spots appear on the leaves, which later expand into nearly round disease spots with a diameter of 3-6 mm. In the later stage, the tissue of the disease spots turns light yellow, but the leaf margins are brown, and black small dots - pycnidia - are scattered on the disease spots. It can cause the leaves of Boston ivy to wither and fall early.
Pathogen: The pathogenic fungus of Phyllosticta is Phyllosticta, and the conidia grow inside the pycnidia, are oval, with a short gelatinous fibril at one end.
Occurrence Pattern of Boston Ivy Leaf Spot
Phyllosticta overwinters on the diseased parts as mycelium, pycnidia or perithecia and becomes the primary infection source of the disease the following year. Generally, April is the initial outbreak period, and June-August is the peak outbreak period.
Control Methods for Boston Ivy Leaf Spot
1. You can spray 1% Bordeaux mixture, a 800 times dilution of 50% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder, a 1000 times dilution of 50% carbendazim wettable powder, or a 800-1000 times dilution of 75% chlorothalonil wettable powder.
2. If Boston ivy is grown at home and the fast spots caused by Phyllosticta are small and few, you can use a small-head needle to prick through the disease spots (it is best to disinfect the small-head needle). Then apply medicinal (Daktarin cream) on the leaf spots of the Boston ivy to control the development of the disease and prevent it.
The above are the methods for controlling Boston ivy leaf spot.
Further reading:
Boston ivy fertilization methods, planting methods, pest and disease control