Begonia white coating on the leaves what to do

White coating on begonia leaves: reasons for its appearance

When a bush is infected with the fungus Oidium begoniae, a white powdery coating forms on the above-ground part of the begonia. First, spots appear, gradually the tissue turns glassy and the leaf dies.

Powdery mildew appears due to leaves being wet for a long time and high air temperatures. Also, the disease can be provoked by the application of nitrogen fertilizers in large quantities with a simultaneous lack of calcium in the soil. Powdery mildew actively develops on begonia bushes with low turgor, since such a plant does not resist fungus well. If growing conditions are favorable for begonia, pockets of powdery mildew are localized and do not cause serious harm to the bush. Most often, the disease manifests itself when the temperature drops to 18-20°C and the humidity rises to 60-80%.

How to cure begonia from white plaque?

It is clear that it is necessary to create favorable conditions for begonia: ventilate, regularly water, provide sufficient light and temperature. Dried and diseased leaves are carefully removed from an infected begonia. If there are few foci, diseased shoots are cut off.

How to treat begonia? You can apply this treatment, maintaining a gap of a week: first, spray with a solution of potassium permanganate (2-3 g of granules, 10 liters of water), then the leaves are washed with a soapy solution of soda ash (10 liters of water, a little less than half a bar of soap, 50 g of soda). A week later, the begonia is sprayed with garlic infusion, for which 15 g of crushed cloves are taken per liter of water (the product needs to infuse for a day).

You can spray the affected begonia with a mixture of antibiotics (diluted 1:1) - penicillin tablets 100 units/ml, terramycin (same dosage). As for fungicides, Skor, Topaz, Benomyl, Anvil, Baykor, Rubigan, Vectra and other preparations of similar action are used to treat begonias against powdery mildew.

Experienced gardeners use fermented slurry to suppress the growth of powdery mildew fungus. To prepare the solution, dissolve 1 part manure in 3 parts water and leave the liquid for 3 days. Before use, you need to dilute the product in a ratio of 1:3.

Begonia diseases can quickly turn a gorgeous flower into an unsightly, tortured specimen. Therefore, for flower growers who purchase an ornamental plant called begonia, diseases and the fight against them become one of the main problems.

When improper care is to blame

Begonia cannot be called unpretentious. The plant needs good care. Otherwise, illnesses begin to overcome him.

Leaves curl and dry

In this state, the plant signals a severe lack of moisture in the soil and air. To save it, it is necessary to urgently water it and remove it from the bright sun, and to prevent such situations in the future. Begonia is light-loving, but direct sunlight is not an easy test for it.

New leaves grow small

This is how begonia reacts to a decrease in soil nutrition. The plant needs to be fed. Liquid fertilizer for domestic flowering plants is optimal for quick help. And in the future you should not neglect feeding, do it every 2 weeks. Leafy begonias need fertilizers rich in nitrogen, while flowering begonias need fertilizers rich in phosphorus.

Important! The best soil for planting begonias is considered to be a mixture of leaf soil (1 tsp), humus, peat and sand (0.5 tsp each).

Stems and tops are affected by rot

This is a continuation of root rot, which appears when there is excess moisture. To eliminate it, it is necessary to stop watering for a while, place the begonia in the sun, and in the future avoid waterlogging.

Important! The flower does not like changes in location, so this is done only in vital cases.

In winter the leaves fall

Discoloration and winter fall of leaves eloquently indicate too cool a temperature or the presence of drafts, which begonia really does not like. Eliminating these reasons will return everything to its place.

Begonia: leaf diseases, photos, how to treat.

The main wealth of the group of leaf begonias is the pubescent leaves that appear immediately from the root. They can be not only green, but also red, yellow, white, silver and even brown, and have a variety of shapes, borders and multi-colored spots. Diseases can irreparably disrupt this splendor.

Spots and yellow rings on leaves

Such manifestations of begonia disease and subsequent deformation of the leaf blades indicate a cucumber mosaic virus, against which there are no methods of combating. All that remains is to eliminate the diseased plant as quickly as possible in order to stop the further spread of the infection.

Gray mold

It is also called gray rot. First, the leaves become covered with wet white spots with a gray coating. Subsequently, the leaf blades turn black and dry out. The cause of this begonia disease is the Botrytis fungus, the appearance and reproduction of which is promoted by dampness, which should be removed urgently. Affected areas of the plant will have to be removed. If the disease is just beginning, you can try to limit yourself to treatment with Bordeaux mixture (1 percent solution) or an aqueous mixture (1 l), laundry soap (20 g) and copper sulfate (2 g). If the result is negative, Fundazol and stronger antifungal fungicides are used - Topsin, Euparen, Polycarbacin, BMK, Rovral.

Powdery mildew

The onset of this fungal disease of begonias can be recognized by round plaques of white, flour-like plaque, which then spreads to all the leaves, which turn brown and dry out. The reason is excessive saturation of air and soil with moisture, high temperature.

Control measures include processing:

Foundationazole (0.1% solution);
a liquid of copper sulfate (2 g), tar soap (20 g) and water (1 l);
ground or colloidal sulfur;

The photo shows root rot in begonia

you can use Fitosporin, Alirin-B, Planriz;
In particularly difficult cases, use Strobin and Topaz.

Black root rot

When plants stop growing and wilt, be sure to look at the condition of the roots. If they turn black and begin to rot, there are symptoms of black root rot - a disease that appears under conditions of excessive watering. Removing diseased roots and spraying with Benomyl will help to cope with it.

Diseases

Not many diseases affect begonia, but it is important to carry out timely treatment to prevent the death of the flower. We present to your attention the diseases of this plant, their signs and methods of rehabilitation.

Powdery mildew

First of all, let's consider what to do if powdery mildew appears on begonia. This disease is more common than others and affects all components of the plant that are located above the soil surface. The first sign of appearance is round spots with a white coating on the leaves. Over time, they grow, covering the entire plate. If no action is taken, the foliage will turn brown and fall off.

Treatment consists of the following medications:

solution of morestan (0.05%) or foundationol (0.05-0.1%);
colloidal sulfur solution (0.3-0.5%) – spraying is carried out during the growing season;
2 grams of copper sulfate and 20 g of tar soap are dissolved in a liter of water - a fairly effective remedy that can be prepared from scrap materials available to any gardener.

Gray rot

When studying tuberous begonia diseases and their treatment, one should not exclude the possibility of the formation of gray rot, whose appearance is associated with a microscopic fungus called botratis. Its development is promoted by a large amount of moisture and warm air in the room. As a result, spores form and move to other plants in the room when watered or due to the wind.

Signs include the appearance of watery, gray spots on leaves and buds. Usually the damage starts from the top of the plant. Subsequently, the spots become similar to wet rot, the flower stalks become covered with mucus, and the stems rot and die. The foliage turns black and falls off completely.

Treatment consists of spraying the begonia with a soap solution (in the ratio indicated in the list above) or Bordeaux mixture (1%).

Note! If the plant is grown in a greenhouse, then sufficient ventilation should be provided and watering should be reduced to the required minimum.

If the flower is severely damaged, spray with a special solution, which consists of the following components:

Topsin – 0.05-0.2%.
Polycarbacin - 0.4%.
BMK - 0.05-0.1%.
Fundazol in the same concentration.
Euparen – 0.2%.

Bacterial spot

The first stage of the disease appears as small watery spots on the back of the plate. When brown spots are noticed on the leaves of a begonia, we can talk about the second stage and a severe disease of the plant. At the same time, blackening of the buds and petioles occurs. There is no effective treatment, so the flower is destroyed. The soil must be disinfected before reuse, but it is better not to risk it and throw it away.

As a preventive measure, treatment is carried out with a suspension of copper oxychloride (0.5%). The procedure is repeated after 2 weeks.

Banal dry air should not be ruled out. In this case, brown spots form only at the tips of the leaf blade. A solution might be to place a container of water nearby or install an automatic humidifier.

Ring spot

This disease is caused by a tomato virus. Appears as yellow-green concentric lines or spots. The plant may acquire a bronze color, and some areas become necrotic. Often the carrier is one of the types of sap-sucking pests. Insects should be removed immediately to prevent infection of other flowers.

There are no effective methods for rehabilitating begonia, so the plant will have to be thrown away. Even when treated with fungicides, the virus will remain in the root system and make itself felt next spring.

Black root rot

Due to this begonia disease, the leaves wither at the edges for no apparent reason. You can detect signs when replanting the plant - black spots of rot will be visible on the roots. The damaged areas are removed, after which they are treated with Benomyl.

Prevention lies in proper watering - the soil should not be flooded, moisture is replenished only after the top layer of soil dries out.

Vascular bacteriosis

Signs: the edges of the leaf turn yellow, then become darker, acquire a brown color, and oily spots appear. The vessels through which the juice moves turn black. Treatment consists of removing the affected leaves and treating with fungicides.

Blooming begonia: diseases and their control

The group of flowering begonias is even more demanding on growing conditions, because the formation of buds, flowering, and seed formation lead to an increased consumption of vital energy. The slightest failure can cause illness.

Leaves are limp and dry

This is a consequence of a lack of water at the roots and in the air. A flowering plant needs full watering. The art of the gardener is not to overwater the begonia, but also not to starve it.

Important! For begonias, which originate from the tropics, high air humidity is vital. However, the result of spraying is brown spots. It is best to turn on a humidifier or place flower pots on a tray with expanded clay or moss moistened with water.

Yellowed leaves

Drooping, yellowed leaves clearly indicate that the plant is watered too often, but does not provide the necessary warmth. As a result, problems with flowering appear. All these shortcomings require immediate elimination.

Rot has settled at the base of the stems

This is also an indicator of excessive water use. Control measures: the soil must be dried urgently and the correct conclusions must be made regarding watering. Otherwise, the plant will die.

Leaves, flowers, buds rot

When the bases of the stems are not damaged, but the leaves of the begonia, its flowers, and buds are affected by rot, this

Flowering begonias are affected by pernosporosis (downy mildew)

the result of frequent spraying of a plant for which such a procedure is absolutely contraindicated. Begonia is defenseless against excess moisture.

Downy mildew

Along with ordinary powdery mildew, flowering begonias are affected by pernosporosis - downy mildew. The spores of these fungi are contained in the soil and are activated when soil and air humidity increases. The disease appears as white spots that are soft to the touch, spreads instantly and leads to the death of leaves. Control measures are similar to treatment for powdery mildew.

Begonia diseases and their treatment, pests and their control

Begonia leaf diseases

The leaf becomes covered with small light spots, which, gradually growing, cover the entire surface of the leaf blade with a white powdery coating, the leaf darkens and dries out? You are experiencing symptoms of powdery mildew.

Treatment: 2 grams of copper sulfate, 20 grams of tar soap per 1 liter of water or any fungicide for indoor plants.

White spots with a slight gray coating appear on the leaves, tops of shoots and flowers, they gradually darken, become brown, damp, the stems rot and break off, when the humidity decreases, the rotten areas on the leaves dry out and fall out, the leaves become covered with large holes? This disease is called gray mold.

Treatment: 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture, solution of 2 grams of copper sulfate and 20 grams of soap per 1 liter of water, fungicides.

The underside of the leaf becomes covered with watery spots, similar to glass fragments, over time they darken to brown, do the leaf petioles darken? This is bacterial spot.

The disease cannot be cured ; the diseased specimen is destroyed and the pots are disinfected.

Prevention: treatment with a 0.5% suspension of copper oxychloride, repeating spraying after two weeks.

The leaf gradually becomes covered with light spots, dead areas, does the leaf turn bronze? We are seeing ring spotting.

The diseased plant is destroyed, since ring spot is of a viral nature; the virus is well preserved in the cells and cannot be cured. The carriers of pathogens are insect pests, so it is important to destroy them in a timely manner and take appropriate preventive measures.

Determining the disease by the condition of the flower

Are the flowers covered in brown, damp rot? This is a sign of gray rot.
Blackening of flowers is observed with ring spotting.

Determining pest infestation and the type of parasites based on the condition of the leaves

The begonia is weakened, blooms poorly, the leaf becomes lighter and deformed, can there be a sugary coating on which the fungus settles? The plant is affected by soft scale insects.

The soft scale insect is an insect up to 5 mm, transparent, covered with a waxy, yellowish coating; it and its larvae inhabit the edges of the leaf, veins and feed on sap, which entails its weakening and death.

Methods of protection:

spraying with garlic infusion, 10 grams of garlic per 1 liter of water, repeated spraying after 12 - 14 days.
Spraying with any pesticide for indoor plants according to the instructions for the product, repeated spraying is required.

The leaf turns yellow, on its underside clusters of oval-shaped insects are clearly visible, their size reaches 2.5 millimeters, and the color is light yellowish or greenish - these are aphids and their larvae. They feed on sap, weakening their host, and can carry dangerous viral diseases.

Methods of protection:

a solution of laundry soap at the rate of 20-30 grams per 1 liter of water.
shag infusion, 20 grams per 1 liter of water, infusion time - 2 days.
any insecticide of your choice.

Yellowing of the leaves is observed; insects up to 1.5 mm can be found on the underside of the leaf. with 2 pairs of wings covered with a white coating? This is a diptera; it and its larvae, like aphids, feed on plant sap and transmit diseases.

Methods of protection: Regular spraying with a solution of laundry soap at the rate of 40 grams per 1 liter of water.

Begonia is severely stunted in growth, the leaves become discolored, turn yellow, and brown insects up to 1.5 mm in size can be found on the leaves. with 2 pairs of wings? These are thrips.

Methods of protection:

spraying with a solution of laundry soap at the rate of 40 grams per 1 liter of water.
spraying with tobacco infusion or decoction, 100 grams per 1 liter of water.

A slowdown in plant growth is associated with the appearance of a root-knot nematode; this is a worm up to 1.2 mm in length that inhabits the roots and lower part of the stem and forms galls to lay eggs. The nematode causes rotting of the root system and the death of its host.

Methods of protection: Begonias are watered with heterophos at the root.

Do the shoots thicken, bend, light spots appear on the leaves, and do severely affected specimens die? This is due to a tiny worm measuring up to 1 mm. - leaf nematode.

Methods of protection: Treating the plant with heterophos solution.

Read our resources on caring for begonias, including planting, pruning, propagation and flowering. There is also an article about garden varieties.

Determining the type of pest by the type of flower damage

Buds, flowers and leaves of begonia fall off - the cause may be infection of the plant by aphids

The flowers are misshapen and are most likely caused by thrips.

Proper agricultural technology will help your pets to always be healthy and delight you with the beauty of their appearance. They say that there are no ugly flowers, only unkempt flowers. Sick plants are more likely to upset you than to please you - so let your begonias always be healthy!

Main pests of begonias

Despite their small size, begonia pests are aggressive, insatiable and can lead to the death of the plant. Fighting them is not an easy task and requires patience and perseverance.

Greenhouse whitefly

A tiny (1.5 mm) butterfly, having settled on the leaves of a begonia, multiplies incredibly quickly and actively sucks the juices from the plant. In an apartment, a harmful insect is eliminated with a solution of 10 liters of water and 40 g of soap. Leaves on which larvae have settled on the reverse side will have to be destroyed. In greenhouses and open ground, potent intexicides are used: Apploud, Aktaru, Teppeki, Mospilan - three times, at weekly intervals.

Nematodes – leaf and root-knot

Leaf nematodes target the stems, leaves and buds of begonias, gall nematodes settle on the roots and lower part of the stem, but the final result of the activity of microscopic worms is the same - the death of the plant. Pests detect their presence by light green spots that turn brown over time and specific swellings.

Preventing the appearance of nematodes is much easier than getting rid of them later. Therefore, the planting soil must be steamed. If a pest is detected, the affected areas are removed, and the plant is watered with Heterophos at a concentration of 0.05-0.2 percent.

Soft false scale

Another parasitic insect is the soft scale insect. These begonia pests actually hide inside the plant, which stops growing and eventually dries out. The only method of control is painstaking manual cleaning with a soft brush moistened with garlic infusion of the areas of the plant that have been infested by pests. The operation is repeated continuously after 2-3 weeks.

Spider mites on begonia leaves photo

Red spider mite

If a thin web begins to entangle the begonia, it means that the plant has been chosen by spider mites - lovers of warmth and abundant humidity. Over time, the color of the leaves will become marbled, and then they will turn yellow and fall off. Pests will retreat after spraying the diseased plant with Decis.

Greenhouse aphid

Pests reproduce like an avalanche: 1 female produces up to 100 new insects every 7 days. And they are all busy sucking the juice from the withering plant. At home, you can get rid of aphids by spraying with tobacco infusion (100 g of shag is infused for 2 days in a liter of water, diluted 2 more times before use) and a solution of soap.

Greenhouse thrips

Due to their rather large size, pests are clearly visible. The harm they cause is also visible to the naked eye: the leaves lose color, the plant stops growing, and loses its beauty. Thrips love humidity and high temperatures, so they most often attack begonia in the summer.

Control measures include the use of:

soap solution;

combined infusion of tobacco and celandine (100 g of mixture per 1 liter of water).

Begonia pests

When considering begonia diseases, one should also take into account pests that have a negative impact on the development of the flower. There are two main methods to combat them: mechanical or chemical. The first involves manually removing insects from the leaves and shoots of the plant, and the second involves the use of appropriate preparations by spraying.

Since in most cases begonia is grown at home, it is recommended to first turn to natural preparations for processing. They are various infusions and juices from potatoes, dry tops, garlic, onions, lemon and other elements. When it comes to harvesting herbs, it is recommended to dry them in a draft in a dark room. The product is then crushed and stored in a dry room.

Important! When using mass-produced chemicals, you need to cover your face with a bandage and wear protective clothing. In good weather, spraying is best done outside. If the procedure was performed at home, upon completion you should thoroughly wash the floor and window sill.

Greenhouse aphid

The insect is yellow or green in color, reaches 2.5 mm in length, and has no wings. Aphids suck the juice from the plant, and adults and larvae pose a danger. The female leaves up to 100 larvae at a time on the back of the leaf. Reproduction in greenhouses continues continuously. Insect death occurs at temperatures of 0 degrees and below. This is also facilitated by the heat in June with a sharp decrease in air humidity.

Now let's figure out how to fight aphids on begonias at home. A 2-4% solution of green or laundry soap is suitable for these purposes; tobacco infusion is also effective. To prepare the latter, soak 100 g of shag in a liter of heated water and let it stand for 2 days. Then the mixture is filtered and diluted with an amount of water that will be 2-2.5 times larger.

In greenhouses, a solution of soap (0.4%) or benzophosphate (0.15%) is used. Actelic (0.1%), Selecron (0.05%), and croneton solution (0.05-0.1%) have also proven themselves well.

Greenhouse whitefly

The insect has a light yellow body up to 1.5 mm long and fairly large wings. often settles on begonias grown in greenhouses, but it cannot be ruled out that it can be infected in open ground in the summer. The first signs appear on the leaves; they become discolored. The female can live up to 1 month; during this period she lays up to 500 eggs on the back of the leaf. The larvae are born after 10 days. The danger of the insect lies in the transmission of viral diseases that can completely destroy the plant.

In home growing conditions, a solution of soap and water (40 g per bucket) will be an effective remedy. In greenhouses, triphos emulsion (0.5%) or a mixture of rovicurt (0.05%) and actelik (0.1%) is used.

Spider mite

When a white coating is found on begonia leaves, it is important to know what to do. If measures are not taken, they will soon fall off, and the plant may become very sick. The Putin tick is very small - only 0.1-0.3 mm in length, so it is difficult to notice. A sign of its appearance is the formation of a white cobweb on the leaf and a change in the color of the leaf to marble.

For the fight, the drug Decis and the like are used. An alternative is a mixture of Neem oil and water. The pesticide Pyrethrum also gives good results.

Soft false scale

The insect is quite large (up to 4 mm), so control can be carried out by manual removal from the surface of the plant. The larvae have the ability to move, but as they mature, they attach to the begonia and lose this skill. The pest can be found on leaves, stems, petioles and veins.

The activity of the false scale insect affects the appearance of the flower; it becomes discolored and loses its shape. Also, in the process of life, the insect produces sugary secretions with a dark coating, which eventually become infected with sooty fungus.

At home and in the garden, plants are manually cleaned and sprayed with garlic infusion or pyrethrum infusion - 10 g of the substance is diluted per liter of water. Until the insects are completely destroyed, spraying is carried out once every 2-3 weeks. In greenhouse conditions, plants are treated with a solution of hostavik (0.1%), chlorophos (0.2%), actelik (0.1%) - from April to September.

Leaf and root-knot nematode

The pest manifests itself as light green spots on begonia leaves, which turn brown over time. The leaf nematode itself looks like a 1 mm long worm. Prefers warm, moist environments and light soils. For minor lesions, a heterophos solution (0.05-0.2%) is used. If the plant is too deformed, it will have to be destroyed.

The root nematode has the same size, but is located on the roots and lower part of the stems. Signs include the appearance of swellings and growths in habitats. Over time, the growths open, releasing larvae that spread to untouched areas. It is important to take action as soon as possible, otherwise the begonia will die.

The fight is to remove the affected areas. Watering is carried out with heterophos solution in the same concentration in a volume of 1 liter per 1 m2. For prevention, the soil is disinfected with steam or thiazone (1%).

Greenhouse thrips

One of the reasons why begonia leaves curl is greenhouse thrips. This insect is 1.5 mm long and has two pairs of wings. Its activity is associated with the loss of color of begonia, its deformation, stunting of growth and yellowing of leaves. The female lays eggs in the leaf blade, and the pest overwinters in the tubers, under the top layer of soil. The larvae are painted bright orange, and the adults have a dark brown body. Development from a larva to an adult occurs in 30 days, provided the air temperature is 30 degrees and humidity is 85%.

To fight at home, an infusion is used - 100 g of tobacco in a liter of water. Soap solution is also effective. To prevent the appearance of the pest after planting the plant in the ground, it is necessary to treat the tubers with karbofos (20 g of the substance dissolves in a bucket of water).

In the greenhouse, pollination is carried out with pyrethrum or benzophosphate (0.1%). Methylitrophos (0.1-0.2%) and hostaquik (0.1-0.15%) are also used. The interval between spraying is 7 days.

Powdery mildew

Powdery mildew is a fungal disease, and if left unchecked, it can develop into an epidemic.

Powdery mildew on begonia

Symptoms of powdery mildew

The main sign of powdery mildew is the appearance of a gray or white coating on the leaves and stems, which is easily erased. This plaque is a collection of thousands of parasitic fungi. They quickly spread throughout the plant and upon contact are transferred from one plant to another. The spores of these fungi penetrate the plant tissue and take nutrients from it. This leads first to growth cessation and then to the death of the plant.

Over time, powdery plaque forms small bags of spores. At first they are yellow in color, and then they darken and turn brown. In the fall, the spores “fall asleep” and in the spring they begin to spread again.

Most often, powdery mildew affects garden and garden plants, such as cucumbers, pumpkin, currants, gooseberries, raspberries, apple trees, etc. Among indoor plants, begonias, violets and hibiscus suffer from powdery mildew.

The main sign of powdery mildew is a white or gray coating on the leaves.

Prevention of powdery mildew

The occurrence and spread of powdery mildew is caused by unfavorable conditions such as too high air humidity, dry soil and improper care. Plant leaves should always be kept clean: wipe the dust on them with a damp cloth or spray them with a spray bottle. Fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers increases the likelihood of powdery mildew, and the use of phosphate and potassium fertilizers, on the contrary, reduces it.

Powdery mildew affects not only leaves, but also buds and flowers

Treatment of powdery mildew

If a plant shows signs of such a disease, it must be isolated from other plants. Next, depending on the degree of damage, choose one of the options: remove all damaged leaves or simply wipe off the plaque with a cloth. If the plant is severely affected, it must be destroyed.

After this, it must be treated with a suitable fungicide (from the Latin fungus - mushroom and caedo - I kill) - a drug that destroys fungal diseases. On sale you can find the following fungicides that help in the fight against powdery mildew: Bayleton, Quadris, Zlato, Topaz, Fundazol, Fundazim, Vitaros, etc.

Traditional methods of treating powdery mildew

Ash tincture: pour 1 tablespoon of ash into 1 liter of boiling water and leave for 2 days. Then strain and add 5 ml of liquid soap (or dilute regular soap in water). Carry out the treatment 2-3 times with an interval of 7 days.

Garlic tincture: finely chop 5-6 cloves of garlic and pour 1 liter of boiling water. Let it brew for 4-5 hours, then filter and treat the plant. Repeat treatment after 7 days.

Potassium permanganate solution: dilute 2.5 g of potassium permanganate in 10 liters of water. Treat the plants several times at intervals of one week.

Rules of care

Failure to comply with plant maintenance conditions has a detrimental effect on its development and appearance. The following signs and causes of deterioration in the condition of begonia associated with improper care are identified:

The formation of brown spots and gray plaque on the leaves - the cause of the disease is insufficient ventilation of the room, excessive watering. It is possible that the flower is located away from the light source.
Yellowness of the leaves - the plant does not have enough sun, a violation of the soil moisture regime.

Shedding of leaves means little sun.
The leaves dry out and curl - the room is too hot.
The green cover withers and rots - excessive watering, the pot does not have a drainage layer and holes for removing excess moisture.
The tips turn brown - the air in the room is dry.
The leaves turn white, signs of rotting appear - excess moisture in the pot.
When flowering, buds and leaves fall off - the plant is in a draft, excessive moisture, a sharp change in air temperature.

If all the rules for maintaining the plant are followed, you should dig deeper - perhaps a pest has settled on the begonia or it has become infected with some disease. Let's look at this issue in more detail.

White coating on begonia leaves

Many people have begonia blooming on their windowsill, and some of its species are planted in outdoor flower gardens. However, this beautiful plant is susceptible to many diseases that gardeners have to contend with. Sometimes it is very difficult to recognize the true cause of the disease, but not in the case of white plaque appearing on the leaves. This is the result of begonia being affected by powdery mildew.

White coating on begonia leaves: reasons for its appearance

How to prevent the development of white plaque on begonias?

First of all, you need to monitor compliance with the plant’s nutritional regimen, avoiding applying nitrogen fertilizers in excess. This is especially important when the begonia begins its budding period.

To increase the plant’s immunity to resist powdery mildew, it needs to be fed with potassium and phosphorus fertilizers. The third important point is to ensure normal ventilation. When humid air stagnates, powdery mildew actively spreads.

How to cure begonia from white plaque?

Powdery mildew on indoor plants: prevention and treatment

Powdery mildew can occur on many types of plants, both outdoors and indoors. In indoor conditions, powdery mildew can be found on roses, gerberas, cineraria, Kalanchoe, begonias, cissus, and violets. The cause of the disease is stagnant, humid air and sharp fluctuations in room temperature.

Powdery mildew spreads when a diseased plant comes into contact with a healthy one, during watering, and is carried by insects or air flow. Treatment of powdery mildew should begin as early as possible.

Causes of powdery mildew on indoor plants

First of all, this is due to stagnant, humid air in the room and sharp temperature fluctuations. The spread of the disease also occurs through contact between sick and healthy plants, during watering, with air flow, and also when carried by insects.

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The cause of the development of the disease can be excessive use of nitrogen fertilizers, as well as a lack of calcium in combination with high temperature and humidity in the room. At the same time, abundant watering is not at all a reason for the development of powdery mildew.

Signs of damage to indoor plants by powdery mildew

Powdery mildew (powdery mildew) is caused by powdery mildew fungi. There are many species of these fungi that parasitize a wide variety of plants, including indoor plants (for example, Oidium species). The first sign of powdery mildew appearing on your plant is a characteristic white coating on the leaves (mycelium) in the form of small shapeless spots, which is easily cleaned off.

Gradually, the whiteness takes over the stems and other parts of the indoor plant. Over time, the spots increase in size, the mycelium thickens (becomes felt), the plaque darkens and acquires a brownish color.

It should be noted that flowers can also be affected by downy mildew (downy mildew), the external signs of which are similar to real linen. But, unlike real mildew, downy mildew in the form of a coating appears only on the underside of the leaf blade, then the spots turn yellow, increase in size and then acquire a brownish color.

Folk remedies for combating powdery mildew on indoor plants

There are many folk remedies for powdery mildew that are safe for humans and plants. For example:

soap-soda solution: dissolve 50 g of soda ash or baking soda and 20 g of liquid or grated soap in 10 liters of water and treat the plants at least twice at intervals of a week;
whey solution: pour 1 liter of whey into 10 liters of water, stir and apply three times in dry weather with an interval of 3 days;
kefir solution: stir 1 liter of fermented kefir or yogurt in 10 liters of water and treat the plants three times with an interval of three days;
horsetail decoction: pour 100 g of horsetail with one liter of water, leave for 24 hours, simmer for two hours over low heat, cool, strain, dilute with water 1:5 and carry out 3-4 treatments at intervals of five days. Undiluted, the decoction is stored in a cool, dark place for about a week;
mustard solution: dilute 2 tablespoons of mustard powder in 10 liters of warm water and spray or water the plants;
potassium permanganate solution: dissolve 5 g of potassium permanganate in 10 liters of water. This solution stops the development of the disease and washes away the fungus from the fruit;
ash solution: add 1 kg of wood ash to 10 liters of water, stir, leave for 7 days, carefully drain, dissolve 20 g of liquid or grated soap in the infusion and treat the plants with this composition every other day;
garlic infusion: 50 g of garlic pulp (crushed cloves and shoots of garlic) are poured with two liters of water, infused for two days and filtered. Use the infusion undiluted;
infusion of onion peels: 200 g of onion peels are poured into 10 liters of boiling water, infused for two days, filtered and sprayed on the plants before flowering, after it and before leaf fall.

Special chemical preparations for powdery mildew on indoor plants

If powdery mildew appears on your flowers, combating it is most effective with the help of modern fungicidal agents. They have a detrimental effect on the fungus, stop harmful processes in plant cells, protect and treat it. Spraying is carried out 1-4 times with an interval of 7-10 days (depending on the chosen drug).

Articles for flower growers

The most effective drugs for powdery mildew:

A well-known fungicidal drug is phytosporin, the active ingredient of which is a concentrate of the bacteria Bacillus subtilis in a powder of chalk and humates. Despite the fact that phytosporin is considered a medicinal agent, it is practically useless against existing powdery mildew. However, as a preventive measure, it will work flawlessly.

Prevention of powdery mildew on indoor plants

Like most other plant diseases, powdery mildew is easier to prevent than to cure. Therefore, prevention is the first remedy against such a fungus. And any prevention is, first of all, correct agricultural technology. To minimize the risk of infection you should:

- regularly thin out plantings; - remove old leaves in contact with the ground; - water the plants only after the top layer of soil is completely dry; — do not abuse nitrogen fertilizers;

— carry out phosphorus-potassium fertilizing on time.

Another type of prevention against powdery mildew can be carried out in early spring, before the leaves bloom. Berry bushes and other perennials are simply scalded with boiling water. This must be done quickly, using a watering can with a diffuser. You should pour over all the branches as a whole, without lingering long in one place.

A short-term exposure to very hot water does not have time to harm plants that have not yet fully awakened after winter. But spores, mycelium, as well as pathogens of other diseases, die. A jet of steam under pressure produced using a household steam cleaner has a similar effect.

Therapeutic and preventive treatment of begonia

Diseases of tuberous begonia can destroy the plant and their treatment is a necessary rescue action. In most cases, the process is performed using fungicides. These drugs destroy and stop the further spread of spores, mycelium and bacteria. Let's consider the use of different groups of drugs:

Protective fungicides are used as preventive measures to prevent infection of healthy begonias.
Systemic fungicides are used to protect new growth. They move through the plant’s vascular system, so they very quickly have the necessary effect.
Medicinal fungicides are accordingly used to eliminate bacteria and spores that have managed to settle on the plant.
Contact group preparations are designed to protect individual areas of the flower, and their effectiveness depends on the amount of precipitation.
Treatment preparations are used to prevent diseases in planted begonias. Both seeds and tubers with bulbs are processed.

The following drugs are most effective in combating diseases: phytosporin-M, Topaz, copper sulfate, HOM, Skor, Vectra.

The information presented in the article will allow you to understand why begonia leaves curl, spots appear, the stem becomes deformed, and color is lost.

Important! It is necessary to carry out all the necessary measures to preserve the plant in a timely manner. Unfortunately, some diseases cannot be treated, and the only solution may be to destroy the begonia.

Pests more often attack plants in open spaces and in greenhouses, but their occurrence in residential areas should not be ruled out either. Often, to eliminate insects, it is enough to carry out treatment with folk remedies, without the use of chemicals.