In order to prevent pests and diseases of hydroponics plants, make sure that you keep the surrounding area clean. Adopt the current practices like supplying well-balanced plant nutrients to keep your plants healthy. It is a known fact that less pests and diseases affect healthy plants. In order to be safe, make sure you start hydroponics from healthy seedlings and plants.
However, on the whole hydroponic plants have less pests and diseases compared to plants growing in soil because there is no easy access and homes for bugs, fungus and bacteria.
What are the pests and diseases of hydroponics plants?
Although you use no soil and virtually eliminate pests and diseases, the chances of pests and diseases of hydroponics is still there. Listed below you will find some common pests and diseases of hydroponics plants.
Common pests of hydroponics plants:
- Aphids are small and light colored insects that leave a sticky residue on the leaves. They damage leaves of the plants.
- Caterpillars are considered as pests because they eat the leaves of the plants.
- Colorado Potato Beetle are inch long striped beetles and their larvae eat everything on the plants.
- Earwigs are small dark brown centipede-like insects. They usually come out in the night and are easily identifiable because of their pincer tails.
- European Corn Borers are small caterpillars that bore into the plant stem and eat them from inside out.
- Spider Mites are red, yellow or green microscopic bugs that form cobwebs.
Common diseases of hydroponics plants:
- Rust is slightly raised powdery red pustules on the underside of the leaves. It causes the leaves to turn yellow then brown and ultimately the leaves die. This is highly contagious and thrives in high humidity.
- Club Root is when the roots turn into a mass of club shaped tubers. It stunts the plants.
- Crown and Stem Rot is a fungus that causes the plant turn pulpy and then it rots.
- Root Rot is a fungus that causes the roots of the plant to rot.
- Powdery Mildew is a fungus that thrives in high humidity. It causes whitish spots on the underside of the leaves and they eventually die.
- Early Blight can be spotted because of dark brown spots on leaves, stems and fruit. It seriously weakens the plant.
- Black mold is a fungus and you know your hydroponics plant is infected if it has sooty black or grayish white leaf growth.
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