Beware! Take Care of Your Flowers This Season

After taking the time and the money to plant annuals and care for perennials, it can be down right sickening to watch them fall pray to disease and insect damage. Here are 5 flower culprits to be on the look out for.

Beetles – Regardless of the type, leaf-eating beetles are nasty buggers. Beetles will chew holes in the plant leaving 1/8 an inch in diameter. When you have a surplus of holes, your leaves will become discolored or die. In large numbers, beetles can do serious damage to your flowers. As soon as you spot beetles lurking on your flowers, take action. Purchase an insecticide that contains permethrin, esfenvalerate or carbaryl.

Aphids – Neon green, aphids seem to run rampant no matter the garden. These tiny insects are 1/3 to 1/8th an inch making them nearly impossible to spot. While they will munch on just about any part of the plant they can get their hands on, aphids love new growth best of all. You can spot aphids by searching for stunted or yellowing leaves. Turn the leaves to the underside as this is an aphids favorite lair. To get rid of an aphid infestation, try using an insecticidal soap or wipe the plant with mild soap.

Black Spot – This fungal disease is especially common with roses. When struck with black spot, leaves begin to yellow around the spots and may fall off. They will also appear on the rose flower itself. When flowers are kept wet for over 7 hours disease may occur, so water properly and keep your flowers in sunny places where water can evaporate quickly.

Azalea Lace Bugs – These bugs have suckers that cause stippling on the leaf surface of azaleas. Nasty cases result in a yellow leaf with green veins. Drought like conditions caused during the summer and increase azalea susceptibility to lace bugs. 

Crape Myrtle Scale –  Crape Myrtle Scale can cause black sooty mold on bark and can make blossoms look poor. To treat crape myrtle scale, apply a root drench of an insecticide and look into dormant oils.

Need help caring for your flowers? Check out our flower care program at Vivid Lawn below: