There are a number of pests and diseases that can affect Gazania. To avoid greater damage, please pay attention to the following tips.
When the Gazania opens its flower heads in the midday sun, life comes into the bed. The daisy family originally comes from Africa, but has become very well established in our latitudes and is very easy to care for and resistant to diseases and pests. With the right care, numerous damage patterns can be largely avoided. Find out now which diseases and pests can occur in Gazania and what you can do effectively against them or for general prevention.
❶ Powdery mildew - danger for the leaves
A reliable indicator of powdery mildew infestation is a white, flour-like coating that spreads on the leaves. The upper sides of the leaves can be affected as well as the undersides of the leaves. The fungus does not form its spores in the tissue of the plant, but grows directly on the tissue in order to invade later. To do this, he uses so-called haustoria. In order to develop, the fungus needs living tissue. Infected plant parts can therefore be disposed of on the compost heap after they have been removed, since there are usually no living organisms there.
➔ Tip: Infestation with powdery mildew can also occur in dry weather. Therefore one also speaks of the “fair weather mushroom”.
What to do?
Infected leaves and plant parts must be removed immediately. A proven household remedy consists of a solution of water and whole milk. This is mixed in a ratio of 8:1 and the plants are sprayed directly with it. Multiple applications will be necessary for successful treatment.
The hobby gardener can also do a number of things to ensure that the fungus does not attack the Gazania in the first place, namely by not placing the plants too close together and making sure they are in a sunny location.
❷ Deformed leaves due to gray mold
Infestation with gray mold can also be localized well. The leaves are covered with a gray coating. The underlying tissue dies with theFrom time to time, conspicuous red-brown spots also form on the leaves. The leaves begin to shrink from the top and eventually fall off.
➔ Tip: Gray mold is particularly common in warm and humid weather.
The spores of the fungus also begin to germinate on he althy tissue. However, penetration is only possible in weakened plant tissue.
What to do?
Grey mold can be controlled in a similar way to powdery mildew. In addition, make sure not to use too much nitrogenous fertilizer. An oversupply of nitrogen weakens the plant.
❸ Aphids - unyielding but harmless
Infestation with aphids is often due to incorrect site conditions. The voracious pests can severely deform the leaves within a short time, but an aphid infestation is usually harmless, especially if it is detected early and action is taken quickly.
What to do?
A shower of soapy water is a proven aphid control. A hard jet of water is sufficient for light infestations. In any case, the shower should be repeated several times. To prevent the aphids from falling into the soil and then crawling back onto the plant, it is a good idea to cover the soil with foil.
Aphids have some natural predators that will do the work for you:
- Lacewings
- spiders
- Ladybug
- Ball Gnats
❹ Snails - voracious leaf predators
Especially in spring, when the first tender leaves appear, slugs are on hand to feast on a wide variety of ornamental and useful plants, causing considerable damage.
What to do?
You can lie in wait every evening to collect the snails, because the pests are nocturnal. However, attaching plant hoods is far more effective and less time-consuming. These hoods are known from lettuce plants, but flowering plants can also be effectively protected with them. The hood must be fixed very well in the ground so that there is no entry hole.
Access to the bed is reliably prevented by a snail fence. The small fences have an edge that protrudes backwards. This edge denies the snail access to the bed and is also completely harmless and environmentally friendly. Opinions may be divided about variants with a built-in stun gun. The snail itself is merely deterredand not killed. However, these tools are quite expensive and their function may be limited in the rain.
An old home remedy for snails is the beer trap. A vessel is filled with beer and buried in the ground. The snails are attracted and drown in the liquid. However, other small animals are not safe from the beer traps either.
Some plants don't like snails on their menu at all:
- Thyme
- Lavender
- Rosemary
- Cress
- Garlic
Avoid diseases of the Gazania with proper care
Many damaged images are due to maintenance errors. If the plants are wilted and the leaves are hanging, they were probably watered too much or too little. Be sure to check the soil and change your watering behavior accordingly. In most cases, the plants recover after a while. However, if waterlogging caused the roots to rot, there will probably be no salvation for the plant. An immediate measure is the complete replacement of the soil. So the gazania is taken out of the ground and planted again in a new location.
Overview of care tips for he althy plants
| Care Measure | Explanation |
| Location | ▶ The location should be in full sun. ▶ Only when the Gazania is in full sun will it open its flower heads. ▶ If the light requirements of the plants are not met, they will begin to wither. |
| Casting | ▶ The water requirement of the plants is normal. ▶ Water regularly, but neither too much nor too little. ▶ The plant should not dry out completely and it should not be too waterlogged as this will attack the delicate roots and eventually kill the plant. |
| Fertilize | ▶ Gazania has a rather average nutrient requirement. ▶ To promote flowering, moderate fertilization is allowed. ▶ Over-fertilization, especially with nitrogen, should be avoided.▶ When planting, compost can be mixed in. ▶ Fertilizers containing phosphorus must only be applied to very poor soils. |
Gazania he alth starts with planting
The foundation for he althy and strong plants is already laid during planting. So thatyoung plants are not victims of night frosts, wait until mid-May, i.e. after the Ice Saints, before planting. The Gazania needs sufficient light. Plants that are too narrow encourage diseases and pests. The distance between the plants should therefore be about 20 centimeters. The floor should not be too heavy. Loosen it up well and mix in sand or gravel. This makes the soil more permeable and there is less waterlogging.