Why discoloration of Pelargonium and also Easter Cactus leaves?
doriswk
10 months ago
last modified: 10 months ago
We are in Zone 5, Greater Toronto area. These geraniums have been outdoors now for about a month, in an area where it gets morning sun, and then again some sun in late afternoon. I noticed that several leaves have changed color. Some also have brown spots. Would this be geranium leaf rust ? Could this be caused by fungal gnats that I recently discovered on my plants ? What can I do about it ?
I bought some dematiaceous earth, recommended to deal with gnats, but have not figured out how to use it successfully. They say to keep the surface dry, impossible to do with the geraniums that need daily watering when its warm outside.
And an Easter cactus ( kept in a shady area) has also developed brown spot. Another fungal problem ? Would spraying with Sulphur (Safers, the same kind I use for rhododendrons? ) be useful ?
Curious why this is happening. What should I do ?
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floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
10 months agolast modified: 10 months agoken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 months agoRelated Discussions
Easter Cactus and no buds.
Comments (18)Hi all, I don't know that EC comes in white I was just guessing its does because the others have a white one. I have not seen any EC in the stores yet, I asked at Lowe's and Wal-Mart and my local store but none yet I am hoping to get a couple this year...here is a pic of my christmas cactus it has one flower and I didn't loose it, I just moved this plant to my house from a friend 3 weeks ago... and heres a pic of my other all in bud......See MoreMy Easter Cactus (new) looks sick
Comments (16)I would keep an eye on the part dead center of the last picture. The yellowish green stem in particular. This could be a problem. It could either be the beginning of a corked stem or a couple diseases common to Holiday cacti. Is it soft or mushy? Keep an eye out for blisters on this stem or spreading of the discolor. If blisters occur it is Edema, which will kill your plant if you don't take action immediately. Edema occurs when the growing media remains moist and the greenhouse air is cool and moist. The plant roots absorb water at a faster rate than is transpired through cells causing the cells to rupture. This rupturing of the epidermis and the inner cells causes the raised, crusty appearance on the underside of the stems. This can be fixed, however. Fusarium wilt is also common and if it spreads, with no blisters this could be the problem. Fusarium is a virus which colonizes the water-conducting vessels (xylem) of the plant. As a result of this blockage and breakdown of xylem, symptoms appear in plants such as leaf wilting, yellowing and eventually plant death. Fusarium is used as an herbicide in South America, where Holiday cacti are native to. It is usually fatal to your plant, unless you can take cuttings of the noneffected areas quick enough. I'm not trying to scare you, but make sure you keep the plant's soil as dry as possible until you can repot. If it were my plant, I'd take a few cuttings as insurance, then either take it back, or repot in new soil and pot immediately after a good bleach bath....See MoreNeed Help with Christmas/Easter Cactus!
Comments (6)Well Entero, I can't really help you with these, as I don't grow them well (yet) myself. I am just posting to inform you that your description of your current mix sounds exactly like what peat based mixes tend to do & why many of us try to avoid it. It's soggy when wet, they dries out so completely & hardens off, that it become impossible to wet. If you choose to change mixes, you'll likely need to soak the plant to soften this rootball enough to get that mix off the plant. I suspect the center of your rootball is completely hard & likely bone dry, essentially depriving the plant of water....See MoreSpots on Easter Cactus
Comments (18)What I see are water droplet sized spots that haven't scared up as of yet. In second responce a fertilizer that isn't seen on soil line isnt going to make them disapear either but a fert will help the EC grow. I think it's fair to let the original poster know that the pale spots wont go away even if a fert is used but would if they want to prune them off with some plant loss or newer existing growth. I find it easier to let the OP know the spots will slow down in the area of vigor but the EC will eventually continue growing with the discoloring that has yet to scare. As seen in a second pic that was posted by me the scareing is still there after a few years of growing an EC as well. I think it fair to say thanks for some really wild fetched idea of a myth that caused the scaring is why I keep my scaring on my EC foliage. Intentions are to allow someone to have visual aide to help them understand the scaring wont effect future growing of an EC and should be concidered over some myth idea that has no valid resoning....See Morefloral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
10 months agodoriswk
10 months agolast modified: 10 months agodoriswk
10 months agolast modified: 10 months agofloral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
10 months ago
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floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK