Spider mites often appear on indoor balsam plants. It can be quite difficult to notice. Pest control usually begins after the flower is damaged, when the leaves become covered with black dots and a thin cobweb. You can fight ticks with folk remedies or with the help of chemicals. To prevent pest attacks on balsam, you should use preventive methods to protect balsam from insects.
Brief description of the plant
The perennial houseplant balsam is also called the wet Vanka flower and the Impatiens flower. It is very difficult to care for, but beautiful, with a bushy stem and oval, toothed leaves. Impatiens blooms from May to December with irregularly shaped flowers of white, yellow or red.
What kind of pest
Spider mites are the most common among the Arachnida family. This is a small insect with a convex back and a flat belly, with a color ranging from yellow to green, and in females - red. The size of the female reaches one millimeter, the males are half that size. They reproduce very quickly - on average, two weeks pass from laying eggs to adulthood.
How to identify
Among indoor flora, spider mites primarily choose balsam because of its succulent stems and leaves. Detecting the pest is quite difficult, given its tiny size. When examining a flower, you should pay attention to the red dots, which may be female spider mites.
If this stage is missed, then black dots with a thin cobweb on the leaves are a reason for immediate pest control.
Reasons for the attack
The main reason for insect attacks on plants is drought. The pest thrives in dry and hot environments. If the flower is rarely watered and not sprayed with water, there is a high probability that the balsam will be damaged by spider mites.
Possible consequences
If you do not rid the flower of the disease in time, it may die. Many pests accumulate on the leaves, the greenery of the Impatiens turns white and looks scorched, and the flowers are entangled in cobwebs. As a result, the balsam sheds its leaves and flowers and dies. Spider mites also pose a threat to indoor flora representatives growing nearby.
How to fight at home
There are two ways to fight spider mites: by resorting to chemicals or using folk remedies. It all depends on the degree of infection of the plant.
Acaricides
Acaricides are chemicals developed to kill mites on crops. Effectively affects parasites of animals and birds.
Aktellik
Actellik is a chemical substance of the second hazard class, toxic to people, animals, and birds. Completely safe for plants.
When treating balsam with a solution Actellica active ingredients of the drug enter the sap of the plant, thereby destroying spider mites in hard-to-reach places. Also, pests are destroyed by the vapors of the drug, the result can be seen the very next day. One ampoule of the drug is diluted in two liters of water.
The disadvantage of Actellik is its strong, unpleasant odor. Therefore, it is better to treat the plant on the balcony with the windows open.
Sunmite
Sunmite is an odorless anti-tick product that is ideal for treating indoor plants. When spraying, it is necessary to treat the leaves, stems and top layer of soil. Sunmite destroys eggs, larvae, and adult insects within four hours and continues its effect for three days.
One gram of powder must be diluted in a liter of water. After treatment, the remaining product cannot be stored further.
Apollo
Apollo is considered one of the effective preparations. It fights against many types of mites; when sprayed, it destroys not only adult insects, but also their larvae. This product is not hazardous to pets or people. But when treating a plant, as with any acaricide, do not forget about safety rules. Dilute one drop of the drug in a liter of water.
Rules of application
If there is a need to use acaricides at home, you should follow several rules.
- First you need to prepare your workplace, remove unnecessary objects and food from the surface.
- Wear rubber gloves and a respirator.
- Before starting to prepare the solution, read the instructions
- When spraying acaricides, there should be no people or pets in the room.
- It is necessary to treat not only the plant, but also the place where the flower was located. Two hours after treatment, ventilate the room and do a wet cleaning.
Treatment with folk remedies
Not all indoor plant lovers resort to using chemicals to combat spider mites. Many people prefer proven folk remedies.
Before using the infusion, it is necessary to remove leaves and flowers damaged by mites. Rinse the plant with a warm shower; After the balsam leaves have dried, treat with a folk remedy.
On a note! If an indoor flower is infected, you should inspect nearby plants for infection. Afterwards, do preventative spraying.
Garlic composition
One of the popular folk remedies for pest control is garlic infusion, which is not difficult to prepare.
Pass a small head of garlic through a press. Transfer the resulting slurry to a jar, pour 0.5 liters of water into the container, and close with a nylon lid. Keep the garlic infusion in a dark place for five days. Afterwards, strain the mixture, dilute it with water one to one, and treat the plants.
Dandelion roots
An infusion of dandelion roots is popular among gardeners. In this recipe, the root of the plant can be replaced with leaves.
Heat five liters of water to 40 degrees, add four hundred grams of crushed dandelion root. Cover the container with the liquid and let it brew for three hours. Afterwards, strain the broth through cheesecloth or a fine sieve. Treat the plants with the resulting decoction.
Prevention
It is possible to rid a plant of spider mites, but the appearance of this pest will have a detrimental effect on the flower. Therefore, it is easier to prevent the appearance of a parasite than to try to get rid of it.
There are several rules that will help prevent balsam from becoming infected:
- Inspect the plants every day to identify the first signs of a mite.
- Wipe the leaves of the flower with a damp cloth twice a week. During the process, rinse the fabric in hot water.
- Monitor watering of the plant and do not let the soil dry out.
- Spray regularly. Dry air and lack of moisture can lead to spider mites.
- Apply fertilizers on time.
- Keep the soil surface clean and promptly remove fallen leaves.
- It is not recommended to place a newly purchased indoor plant next to other flowers. First, you need to make sure that the plant is not infected; to do this, the pot with the flower is isolated from other plants for three weeks.
