What if the azaleas turn black and fall off?

Azalea (from Latin Azalea) belongs to the genus Rhododendron and is divided into two groups: deciduous and evergreen.

The homeland of Azalea is England. The most comfortable conditions for the growth of this plant is winter, the flowering period of azaleas lasts from 2 to 3 months.

In the article, we will examine in detail why leaves darken and fall, how to deal with these reasons, and also learn what should be the proper care for azalea.

Causes of foliage blackening

The first sign of leaf disease in azalea is the appearance of dark spots on the back of the leaf plate, and sometimes the entire stem of the plant.

Characteristic color of spots:

• brown;
• Gray;
• dark grey;
• the black.

Spots appear due to improper care of the flower., the development of various viral diseases, the appearance of certain types of parasites.

Why do rhododendron blacken the tips of the leaves or the entire leaf plate? This is possible for several reasons:

1. On their surface can settle black thrips - pest insect, which is almost imperceptible to the naked eye. The insect lives on the inner side of the leaves, where black spots appear. The upper part of the leaf plates in this case has a grayish color. The leaves affected in this way fall off, leaving the stem of the plant completely naked.
2. Blackening of the leaves and stem of the azalea can cause disease fusarium. In this case, dispel all doubts will help ordinary watering - if after it the plant becomes even darker, then the reason lies precisely in this ailment.
3. Another reason for darkening sheet plates is rhododendron tickwhich leaves characteristic spots on the surface. It is easy to detect such a pest, because its dimensions range from 3 to 3.5 millimeters.

Blackening of azalea leaves does not depend on the season. The following factors influence this process:

• improper care of the plant (excessive watering);
• the appearance of fungal infections;
• viral diseases;
• ticks.

Find out more nuances about this ailment and other plant lesions, as well as the reasons for their appearance, from our material.

What to do to solve the problem?

When leaves are affected by black thrips, they must be treated with a special chemical preparation, for example, a prepared emulsion of malathion. Blackening in this case can be either partial, at the tips or along the edges of the sheet plate, or integral, on the entire surface of the sheet.

It is impossible to cure azalea from Fusarios at a late stage, so you will have to get rid of the missing plant. If the disease is detected at an early stage, then it is necessary to use the drug foundationazole. In the fight against rhododendron tick, the chemical drug diazinon is the most effective.

If parasites became the cause of blackening and falling of leaves, first of all it is necessary to completely destroy them, and then reanimate the liberated plant. First, all parasites can be removed mechanically using a cotton swab and a soap solution. For maximum effect, you will need to process not only the flower itself, but also the entire space around it: the window frame, glass and the windowsill on which it stands. And only after that proceed with the restoration of the plant.

After using various drugs, you need to get rid of the affected parts of the plant. It is necessary to remove all the remaining damaged leaves without touching the twigs, even if they become completely bare. Then check the condition of the root system and transplant the azalea into the new soil. The air temperature in the room during the recovery period should be about 20 - 22̊ Сand lighting without direct sunlight.

For more information on how to reanimate the dying indoor azalea, see this article.

Plant Prevention and Care

In order for the azalea to retain its beautiful appearance for a long time and delight others with lush flowering, it is very important to monitor the intensity of its irrigation and the temperature of the water. The ideal water temperature for irrigation is the same as indoors or a maximum of 1 to 2 degrees higher. Such water is easily absorbed by the root system and saturates it with useful elements.

Water for irrigation should be soft. Before watering it must be boiled, cooled and drained the upper part. It is strictly forbidden to use the lower layer of water where the harmful sediment is located. From time to time it is advisable to water the azalea with slightly acidified water and lemon juice. The proportion of liquid for irrigation: 3 drops of lemon juice per 1 liter of warm water.

After the disease, the air around the plant should be even more humid. To increase immunity, azalea must be sprayed with a special solution prepared from an elin preparation. Watering should be carried out with acidified water at least 3-6 times a week.

For the prevention of diseases in azalea, it is important to consider the following factors:

• light intensity;
• air ionization and watering;
• room temperature;
• soil feature;
• soil fertilizer;
• special care during the flowering period.

Azalea should be kept in a bright or darkened room.where there is no access to direct sunlight. It feels best of all on balconies, loggias, where the temperature does not fall below + 5̊C, on the northern and western windows.

For watering, it is necessary to use melt or boiled water, avoiding stagnation of liquid in the pan of the pot. The most comfortable conditions are above 12 - 15 ° C. For planting azaleas, you need to use heather land or a mixture of peat, needles and river sand.

Azalea must be fertilized in summer and winter. In the warm season, you can use ammonium sulfate, and in the cold - superphosphate. Pinch and cut the plant - after flowering, in the spring. At the end of summer, azalea must be thinned out and trimmed by weak processes, carefully treating the cut sites with a special tool.

Watch the video: Brown Spots on Azalea Leaves (December 2024).