mulleins are hardy plants. However, aphids and root rot can bother them. But you can do something about it.
Mulleins are resistant to most diseases and pests. If the plants are sluggish, growing poorly and hardly flowering, the soil is often too moist or contains too many nutrients. Root rot can occur under these conditions. The leaves and flowers are sometimes attacked by aphids. However, you can combat them with biological means.
Detecting and combating aphids on mullein
Curled, wilted leaves and sticky leaf surfaces are most common signs of an aphid infestation. The problem: the honeydew, which you see as a sticky coating, can also cause sooty mold to settle. In addition, the small green aphids multiply rapidly. It is therefore important that you combat an infestation quickly.
➜ Combat:
Strengthen the plants by watering your mulleins with diluted nettle or garlic decoction. But please don't water too much, because the plants prefer a predominantly dry soil! If a lot of aphids have already settled on the plants, it helps to spray the mulleins with soapy water. Instead of soapy water you can also use water with a few drops of tea tree oil.
Furthermore, natural enemies such as ladybugs are useful. They feed on aphids and put a quick end to the spook. Lacewings and earwigs are also good aphid hunters. In an ecologically balanced garden, natural enemies usually appear by themselves. You can also help out by building the earwigs a home.
How to do it:Fill a flower pot with lots of straw and hang it upside down on a nearby branch. Fix the straw by sticking two flexible, thin branches crosswise into the opening.
Wrong location and soil lead to root rot
The mullein stays he althy in a dry, well-drained and nutrient-poor soil. The undemanding plant feels right in a sunny environmentwell. It needs little water and is not susceptible to diseases. With a heavy, compacted soil, on the other hand, irrigation water or rainwater cannot drain off properly. A fungus can then trigger root rot on the root ball. You can recognize the disease by the fact that the mullein hardly grows, does not bloom or blooms only a little and the leaves wither. There is also a foul smell coming from the ground.
➜ Combat:
There is no antidote to root rot. Remove the entire plant and place new mulleins in a more suitable location. If the rot isn't too advanced, you can dig up the mullein, remove the affected root sites, and replant the plant in another spot with dry, sandy soil. The plants often regenerate themselves. If the soil is heavy, you can mix in sand and small pebbles to ensure good starting conditions.
Growth may also slow down in older mulleins. Just take the plants out of the bed. By self-replicating via the seeds, new mulleins are constantly being created in your garden. As a result, the plants rejuvenate themselves.