Although poppies are very robust and hardy, they are not always immune to diseases and pests. Aphids in particular can severely damage the plant. Quick help is needed now.
Worthy plants protect gardeners like the apple of their own eye. But that is not always a guarantee that the plant will not be attacked by pests sooner or later. It rarely occurs with poppies because the plant is very robust and resilient. But it can happen. Aphids and poppy smut in particular are special diseases that can severely affect the poppy.
However, if you quickly discover the infestation and intervene quickly, you can still save your plant.
Poppy: The most common pests and diseases
» Aphids:
Aphids are well camouflaged and can only be seen if you look closely. You often only discover the infestation when the leaves curl up. Numerous aphids gather under the leaves, which really afflict the poppy plant. The shoots wither, the plant no longer grows, the flowers suffer.
✛ Fight:
Spraying with self-made nettle manure helps against aphids.
Spraying with a soft soap solution is not biological, but very successful. The soap solution does not harm the plant or the soil. Add a tablespoon of soft soap to 500 milliliters of hot water. When the soap has dissolved, add 500 milliliters of cold water and a tablespoon of denatured alcohol. Fill the finished solution into a spray bottle and spray the poppy plants regularly, preferably in the evening, once or twice a week until the aphids are gone.
In a garden with balanced planting, beneficial insects that feed on aphids often establish themselves. Ladybugs, lacewings and gall mites are natural enemies of lice.
» poppy brandy:
Poppy smut is a bacterial disease that spreads particularly when there is prolonged moisture. The outward signs are translucent spots on the leaves that later turn brown.
✛Combat:
Protection from moisture "from above" is often difficult in our local latitudes. However, with a sufficiently large distance between the individual plants, you can ensure that the poppies at least dry quickly after a downpour. Affected plants must be completely removed and destroyed so that the poppy fire does not spread further.
» Downy mildew
Downy mildew is caused by a fungus. On the underside of the leaves you will see a whitish-grey coating that is velvety to the touch. Yellow and brown spots appear on the top of the leaves, which can also extend to the stems.
✛ Combat:
For prevention use extracts from horsetail or garlic broth. You can only combat the infestation with fungicides.