A pest infestation on rosemary is particularly evident after a winter that is too dry. Improper overwintering weakens the plant, making it susceptible to infestation. However, the various types of lice, flies and mites are usually quite easy to combat: immerse the rosemary under water for about 15 minutes (but not the roots!) and keep the air as humid as possible for several days, e.g. B. by covering the plant with a perforated plastic bag.

Rosemary has lice - mealybugs and aphids

Plant lice are considered the ultimate nuisance. Rosemary is primarily attacked by aphids, but also by mealybugs and mealybugs.

aphids

Aphids sit on the underside of the leaf, where they suck the juice and excrete what they cannot use as a sticky mass. New shoots and leaves can be damaged, crippling affected plants. An aphid infestation is often accompanied by sooty mold because this fungus lives on the honeydew excreted by aphids.

Mealybugs and mealybugs

An infestation with scale, mealybugs or mealybugs is shown by weakened plant growth and a crust of countless scales on the wood. These lice also suck the plant sap and excrete a sticky mass that is preferably colonized by the sooty mold fungus. You can recognize the fungal infestation by a greasy, black coating on the leaves and stems. Organic control can be carried out with the help of soft soap (44.90€), with which the affected areas are washed off.

Rosemary infested with mites - thrips and spider mites

An infestation with spider mites is indicated by small, whitish spots on the leaves. The leaves often turn lead gray to bronze. The mites themselves are very small, reddish animals. Mites love dry air, which is why you can usually cope with a greatly increased humidity. Also thrips, often better known as thunderstorm creatures, occur especially when it is too dry.

Whiteflies on rosemary

The tiny whiteflies are usually indicated by white dots that appear on the underside of the leaves. In addition, the leaves become mottled and turn yellow. Like the plant lice, the whitefly secretes a sugary secretion that promotes colonization with the sooty mold fungus. It occurs more frequently in warm, humid summers. Affected leaves should be removed immediately. The whole plant is then treated with a soft soap solution.

tips and tricks

Pests can also be effectively controlled biologically through the use of beneficial insects. Use predatory mites against spider mites, parasitic wasps (€22.99) against whiteflies, lacewings against aphids and thrips and ladybirds against aphids, mealybugs and mealybugs.

IJA

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Vegetable garden