Alright, let’s talk about them pesky pests on geraniums. You know, the little critters that like to munch on your pretty flowers. I’ve seen my fair share of ’em, I tell ya. Makes a body wanna just stomp on ’em!
First off, you gotta know what you’re dealing with. It ain’t always easy, them bugs are sneaky. Some are big, some are small, some you can barely even see. But they all leave their mark, one way or another. Like, them geranium budworms, they come out at night, them little devils. Chewing on your buds, so you don’t get no pretty flowers. And them aphids, they’re tiny little things, but they suck the life right outta your plants. Leaves get all curled up and yellow, just ain’t right.
- Aphids: These are little suckers, literally. They suck the sap from your plants. You’ll see ’em bunched up on the stems and leaves. Sometimes they’re green, sometimes black, sometimes even red. They make a sticky mess too, called honeydew. And that honeydew attracts ants, so you got a whole party going on, and you ain’t invited!
- Thrips: These are even smaller than aphids, hard to see with your naked eye. They scrape at the leaves and flowers, causing them to get all distorted and discolored. They like to hide in the buds too, the little sneaks.
- Whiteflies: Now these are easy to spot. They’re little white flies, like tiny moths. When you shake a plant, they all fly up in a cloud. They suck the sap too, just like the aphids.
- Mites: These are the worst, in my opinion. They’re so tiny you can barely see ’em, but they do a lot of damage. They make the leaves get all stippled and yellow, and then they fall off. And if it’s bad enough, they’ll even kill the whole plant.
- Geranium budworms: These little worms are the larvae of moths. They come out at night and munch on your geranium buds, so you don’t get any flowers. If you see holes in your buds, or they look chewed up, that’s probably what it is.
So, what do you do about these pests? Well, you gotta fight back, that’s what! There’s lots of ways to do it. Some folks like to use them fancy sprays from the store. Them insecticidal soaps or horticultural oils. They work pretty good, I gotta say. Just make sure you spray the whole plant, every nook and cranny. Get under the leaves, and all over the stems. You gotta drown them little buggers.
But you know, I ain’t always got time for that fancy stuff. Sometimes, I just use good old soapy water. Just like you wash your dishes, you can wash your plants! Get a bucket, fill it with water, add some soap, and go to town. You can dip the whole plant in there, if it ain’t too big. Or just spray it on real good. Make sure you get every part of the plant covered.
And another thing, you gotta keep an eye on your plants. Don’t just stick ’em in the ground and forget about ’em. You gotta check ’em regular, see if there’s any bugs starting to show up. Catch ’em early, and it’s a whole lot easier to get rid of ’em. And make sure your plants are healthy too. A healthy plant can fight off pests a lot better than a weak one. So give ’em plenty of water, and some good fertilizer. That’ll help ’em stay strong.
Now, if you’re talking about overwintering your geraniums, that’s a whole ‘nother story. You gotta bring ’em inside before it gets too cold. And them pests, they can come inside with ’em! So you gotta be extra careful. I like to put mine in a paper bag, or a cardboard box. Keep ’em in a cool, dark place, like the basement. And they’ll go dormant, kinda like sleeping, until it’s time to bring ’em back out in the spring. But even then, you gotta check ’em for pests. Them little buggers can hide anywhere.
So, that’s about all I know about pests on geraniums. It ain’t rocket science, but it takes a little bit of effort. You gotta be vigilant, and you gotta be willing to get your hands dirty. But it’s worth it, when you see them pretty flowers blooming. And don’t forget to identify the most common geranium plant pests early, it can prevent common geranium pests and diseases.
And if you can’t seem to control your pest problem, you might consider contacting an expert from your local extension to help you identify the type of pests that are damaging your geraniums. They will probably give you information on how to deal with them effectively.
So, go on out there and take care of your geraniums. And don’t let them pests get the best of ya!
Tags: [geraniums, pests, aphids, mites, whiteflies, thrips, budworms, insecticidal soap, horticultural oil, plant care, overwintering]
