Symptoms and Treatment Methods for Mole Cricket Damage in Purple Shamrock (Oxalis triangularis)

1. Morphological Characteristics

The mole cricket belongs to the order Orthoptera, family Gryllotalpidae, and is also known as "lala gu." The adult is 36-55mm long and yellowish-brown. The wings are short and small, the front legs are flat and powerful, the inner edge of the hind tibia has one spine, and the rear of the body has two cerci. The eggs are oval, milky white and glossy when first laid, later turning yellowish-brown.

2. Occurrence Patterns

The mole cricket takes about 3 years to complete 1 generation, overwintering as adults and nymphs of the 8th instar and above in the soil, sometimes as deep as 150cm. From April to May of the following year, they begin to become active and feed. The mole cricket is large in size with poor flying ability, and is fond of decaying organic matter with sweet and fragrant odors, preferring horse manure and moist soil. The mole cricket hides by day and comes out at night, with 21:00-22:00 being the peak period of activity and feeding. Soil texture also has a certain relationship with pest population density. Population density is high in saline-alkali soil, followed by loam, and lowest in clay.

3. Damage Characteristics

The mole cricket has a very omnivorous diet. Both adults and nymphs are active in the soil, feeding on the bulbs and young leaves of purple shamrock or biting through seedlings. The roots of affected plants appear tangled and frayed. Because the mole cricket tunnels across the soil surface, it forms many tunnels that separate seedlings from the soil, and seedlings often wither and die from water loss.

4. Control Measures

① Agricultural control:

The mole cricket cannot tolerate flooding. Irrigating will force adults to float out of the soil, making them easy to catch and kill. Avoid applying undecomposed organic fertilizer. Search for mole cricket burrows and destroy both the eggs and female insects together.

② Physical control:

Taking advantage of the mole cricket's phototaxis, set up black light traps to attract and kill adults during their emergence period.

③ Chemical control:

First fry 5kg of blighted grain, wheat bran, soybean cake, cottonseed cake or crushed corn kernels until fragrant, then use 0.15kg of 90% trichlorfon at 30 times dilution, add an appropriate amount of water, and mix until moist. Applying it on a windless, muggy evening gives better results. You can also use 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate at 10 times dilution or other insecticides to prepare bait.

How to Make Purple Shamrock Grow into a Full Pot: Learn Six Techniques for Both Beauty and Vigorous Growth

Among plants of the Oxalis genus, the purple shamrock, native to South America, is known for its brilliantly colored flowers. It is not only easy to grow but also grows very fast. However, to make it both beautiful and fast-growing still requires some techniques. So how do you make purple shamrock grow into a full pot? Below, the editor will teach you six techniques.

How to Make Purple Shamrock Grow into a Full Pot

1. Light should be moderate

When planting, it is best to place it in a semi-lit environment, such as under the eaves, indoors near a window, on a balcony, and so on. Do not let the purple shamrock be exposed to direct sunlight, and at the same time avoid an environment with too little light, otherwise the leaf color will become dull and the plant may become leggy.

2. Water should not be excessive

In the cultivation methods for purple shamrock, it is best to use spray irrigation when watering. The method is to spray water onto the plant with a spray bottle. Besides being able to rinse the leaves, the excess water will naturally flow into the soil and be absorbed by the roots. However, note that watering frequency should not be too high; wait until the soil is slightly dry before watering, and absolutely avoid waterlogging.

3. Pruning should be timely

Many flower enthusiasts water reasonably but still do not find that it grows quickly. So how do you make purple shamrock grow into a full pot? At this point, pruning also needs to be done well. Some branches and leaves grow quickly and interlock with each other, which is not only bad for light penetration but also affects the sprouting of new buds. Therefore, during daily care, pay attention to observation, and when a large number of branches and leaves become dense, thin them out.

4. Change the pot and soil regularly

The soil used for growing purple shamrock should be replaced once every 1 or 2 years, to avoid the soil becoming dry and compacted, with poor aeration and poor drainage, and at the same time to reduce the possibility of pest sources lurking in the soil. The replacement soil is best disinfected to ensure a good soil environment, which is conducive to making it grow into a full pot.

5. Temperature should be suitable

In summer, try to keep the environment around the purple shamrock below 30°C. If the outdoor temperature is high, it can be moved to a cooler place. In winter, ensure the temperature stays above 5°C, so that it can enter dormancy smoothly without being frostbitten. Only with proper dormancy can it grow more vigorously in the 2nd year.

6. Prevent pests and diseases

The more common pests of purple shamrock include Oxalis mite, onion thrips, mole cricket, wild slug, and so on, while its common diseases include leaf spot, root rot, and so on. They are extremely harmful to oxalis, but we can reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases by strengthening care and management, and the method is to make the environment suitable.