Even the robust pansies are not entirely spared from disease and pest infestation. With the short lifespan of the plants, however, the damage is usually limited and the effort involved in saving them needs to be considered.
Pansies are rarely affected by diseases
Pansies are not only very popular because of their flowers. They adorn our gardens and balconies with their bright and cheerful colors on cloudy autumn days and in early spring. The small plants are also easy to care for, hardy and not susceptible to disease. They owe their robustness to their origins as meadow and field plants.
Identify diseases and pests
In rare cases, pansies can be attacked by the following diseases and pests:
- gray mold (grey coating on the leaves),
- Powdery mildew and downy mildew (floury coating on the top and bottom of the leaf),
- root rot (root rot, leaf discoloration, plants succumb or die),
- leaf spot disease (dried spots and discoloration of the leaves),
- aphids (stunted leaves),
- spider mites (light-colored dried leaves speckled with white spots),
- Cutworms (sudden disappearance of whole plants by nocturnal caterpillars).
remedy
If individual plants or parts of plants are affected, hobby gardeners have various home remedies available as "first aid". Spraying the plants with garlic or onion decoction can sometimes provide a quick remedy for powdery mildew. The aphids can be driven away with the strong scent of lavender or the taste of coffee. In the rarest case - when the entire plantation is affected - one will have to consider whether the rescue measures such as e.g. B. Treatment with sprays is worthwhile or only immediate removal and destruction can help.
Grow hardy pansies yourself
The home-grown outdoor pansies are more robust than the potted ones grown in the greenhouses. Pansies sown in autumn in particular are not only characterized by longer flowering times and abundance, but also by their vigorous growth, frost resistance and resistance to diseases. The pansies can be sown yourself with little effort. To have pansies blooming in early spring, sow in August/September outdoors or in a cool room during the winter months.
tips and tricks
In most cases, only the severely neglected plants are attacked by diseases and pests.