The beauty of peonies can not be called modest. Lush, fragrant inflorescences are associated, perhaps, with unrestrained oriental luxury. But for this luxury to appease your gaze, it is necessary to nip any disease in the bud. And pests of peonies, and their ailments can lead to the complete destruction of plants.
Now let's deal with our main opponents in order. There are many ailments that flowers suffer, but they are quite capable of dealing with them.
Let's start with the most common disease - gray rot. It indiscriminately affects stems, buds, leaves and even roots. Perhaps the worst thing is that it is the young, immature shoots that suffer the most. Thus, diseases and pests of peonies deprive the garden of renewal. Botritis (the official name of the disease) is diagnosed by the formation of a grayish plaque at the base of the stem. If measures are not taken in time, the plant will die. At risk are flowers planted on clay and moist soils. Cold weather is also a provoking factor. Do not get involved in the early introduction of nitrogen fertilizers, especially in excess doses. Eliminate the above factors so as not to put your beauties at risk of getting sick. Strictly observe agricultural technology, timely loosen the soil, choose only high-quality fertilizing, do not overdo it with them, regularly remove weeds. If preventive measures are not enough, and you are anxious to notice the first signs of damage, then treat the plants with Bordeaux fluid. The use of fungicides gives good results.
Besides rot, there are other dangers that can destroy your
peonies. Diseases and pests can target flower leaves. Rust, brown spotting, flour dew - these ailments are recognized by a change in the color of the foliage. Yellow-orange, brown, brown blotches should alert you. In order not to give the disease a chance, it is necessary to clean and burn the remains of plants in time. Digging and loosening the soil prevents the development of fungi. As preventive measures, spraying with copper sulfate, the same Bordeaux liquid, helps.
The pests of peonies, although not numerous, are stubborn in their desire to inhabit your flowers. For example, bronze beetles love to feast on stamens, petals and pistils of inflorescences. Moreover, the most appetizing from their point of view are light-colored varieties with a bright aroma. The fight against these gourmets includes the destruction of larvae that are planted in plant sediments or manure, as well as spraying with tincture of shingles. Sometimes you have to resort to chemical means of protection.
The list of "Diseases and pests of peonies" includes turf ants. They attack the buds that produce sweet juice. In pursuit of the last goosebumps eat up the petals, preventing the inflorescence from fully developing. Therefore, basal soil and stems are treated with chemicals that repel annoying insects.
The root system is defenseless against nematodes. The fight against this scourge is not so simple. As soon as the nematodes cope with one "portion", they immediately find fresh little roots that await an unenviable fate. Experts recommend carefully inspecting the seedlings before planting. Often this is how the pest settles in the garden.
Diseases and pests of peonies should not terrify you. With comprehensive prevention and timely treatment, they are not so scary. Just do not forget to remove dead parts of plants from the site, stock up on biological and chemical garden protection products. Actively attract birds to help eradicate hordes of pests.