What are the methods for preventing and controlling pests and diseases in indoor flowers?

Aphids

Use plant-based insecticides to spray the affected parts; garlic juice, scallion juice, pepper and orange peel juice can be used. Cut these plants into small pieces, put one teaspoon of chopped scallion or half a teaspoon of crushed garlic in a glass of water and keep it for a day and a night, then water and brush several times.

Grind 50-70g of bitter pepper, put it into 0.5-0.7L of water and boil for 1 hour, cool for a day and a night, then filter, and store in a glass bottle with a ground-glass stopper. Before use, add 8-10g of the pepper stock solution and 4g of laundry soap to 1L of water, mix well and spray to wash the plants. This preparation is suitable for controlling pests with piercing-sucking or chewing mouthparts.

Take 1000g of fruit peel (orange, mandarin, lemon), crush it with a grinder, add 3L of water, put it into a glass bottle, cover tightly, and keep it in a warm, shaded place for 5 days and nights; after mixing well, filter through gauze, quickly put the resulting stock solution into a bottle, cover with a stopper, seal with paraffin, and store in a cool, shaded place. When spraying, add 25g of stock solution and 10g of laundry soap to 2.5L of water, mix well and use; after 10 days the aphids can be eliminated.

Tobacco leaf liquid is also very effective for controlling aphids. Put 200g of yellow tobacco leaves into 5L of water and soak for a day and a night, then boil for 2 hours and filter to form a stock solution. Before use, dilute it at a 1:1 mixing ratio, and add 200g of soap to 5L of the diluted tobacco liquid and mix for use.

Spider mites

They can be controlled by washing the plants with cool water, and plant-based pesticides can also be used. Soak 8g of pyrethrum in 50g of alcohol until a stock solution forms after 15 days; before use, add 6 parts of the stock solution and 1 part of diluted soap liquid to 20 parts of water, mix well and use. Alternatively, soak 600g of fresh or 300g of dry potato stems and leaves in water for 4 hours, filter and spray the affected plants, but some plants cannot be controlled with this solution, such as cacti and downy plants.

Spider mites and aphids can also be killed by the vapor of turpentine and garlic juice, that is, arrange the diseased plants around a small dish filled with turpentine or garlic juice, wrap them tightly with plastic film, and after 3 hours rinse the plants with clean water; repeat this several times.

Scale insects

Scale insects are pests with piercing-sucking mouthparts. The larvae crawl on the plant body, and adults and larvae suck plant sap; affected plants turn yellow in the leaves, and the branches become deformed and lose ornamental value. Some scale insects secrete a honey-scented sticky liquid that attracts fungi to settle, covering the plant body in black. To control scale insects, they can be carefully picked off by hand, and then 1 part soap dissolved in 6 parts water can be made into a liquid to wash the plants.

Thrips

Thrips are black or brown; the severe damage period is spring and summer, and the suitable environment is warm and dry. Thrips rest on the underside of leaves and absorb leaf sap. In the early stage of damage, many shiny small spots appear on the leaves, and later the leaves fade and turn brown, with leaf drop, bud drop and flower drop. The secretions of thrips cause sooty mold, making the plants lose ornamental value. The control methods are the same as for aphids, spider mites and scale insects.

Root rot (black stem disease)

Root disease causes the roots and stems of plants to turn black (Coleus, violet); excessive moisture, insufficient light, poor ventilation, high temperature and overly concentrated plant sap can cause root rot to occur on a large scale. Prevention must ensure correct management methods; according to the characteristics of various plants, prune the plants at any time, maintain the supply of nutrient solution, maintain a suitable temperature, and pour potassium permanganate into the soil (put 3g into 1L of water) or spray scallion juice (put 20g of chopped scallion into 1L of water, soak for a day and a night, filter), spraying 2-3 times every 6 days.

Powdery mildew

Powdery mildew causes white sticky matter to appear on plant leaves and branches; affected leaves curl, deform and dry up, and the plant does not bloom.

The prevention method is to provide sufficient light, ventilation and frequent fertilization; diseased plants are sprayed with copper sulfate soap liquid or crude sodium carbonate solution (4-5g dissolved in 1L of water) for control. Spray diseased plants with a mixed fertilizer liquid.

Garlic juice can also be used to control plant diseases (25g of crushed garlic mixed with 1L of water and soaked for a day and a night), washing the plants once every 6 days. A mixed liquid composed of 1g of salicylic acid, 3g of baking soda, 5mg of denatured alcohol, 10g of soap and 1L of water can also be sprayed, used after being diluted 3 times.