The elfin spur is a popular pot and balcony plant that is actually very robust. Insect infestation can still occur if care is not taken.
Diseases and pests are quite rare on the elf spur (Diascia). However, care errors can lead to general damage to the plant, which makes it more susceptible to diseases.
Even pests then have an easy time. If mistakes in care are recognized in good time, the plants can usually still be saved through courageous intervention.
The most common care mistakes at a glance
| Care mistakes | Sequelae on the plant |
| watering too little | ▶If the plant doesn't get enough water, it will droop its leaves and flowers and gradually wither. |
| watering too much | ▶ Too much water damages the roots. ▶ The damp environment is a breeding ground for fungi and bacteria. ▶ Persistent waterlogging results in root rot. |
| too dark stand | ▶ If the plant is too dark, it will only grow very sparsely and will develop few or no flowers. |
| unprotected location | ▶ If the location is not covered and there are persistent downpours and storms, the flowers are snapped off and the planters are quickly under water, which results in waterlogging. |
Gray mold on plants that are too wet
If the elf spur is watered too much, gray mold can result. This is one of the most common fungal diseases affecting plants. As a rule, only plants that already show injuries or are weakened by incorrect watering behavior are attacked. Plants that have been planted too densely or have received too little light are also at risk.
How to identify gray mold?
The disease is easy to recognize. The leaves are covered with brown spots. Leaves and flowers can be affected. Affected plant parts soon appear covered with a furry gray covering. In the further course the leaves fall off and the flowers do not open,but also fall off. If you don't react in time, you risk dying off the entire plant.
What to do in case of an infestation?
All affected plant parts are generously removed.
➔ Warning: Infested plant parts do not belong in the compost. The fungus can survive there and spread throughout the beds with the compost.
You should act quickly because the neighboring plants can become infected. It is better to dispose of more heavily infested plants completely or treat them with a fungicide. Unfortunately, the hobby gardener doesn't get very far with home remedies.
Gray horse in keywords:
- attacks weakened and too wet plants
- lets leaves and flowers dry up and fall off
- also spreads to neighboring plants
- Do not dispose of infested plant parts on the compost
- Disinfect tools after use
- Dispose of plant or treat with fungicide
Help, the potting soil is moldy
Not only the leaves, but also the soil can get mouldy. This can happen, for example, if the soil is too wet and comes into contact with fallen leaves and flowers.
What to do?
If there is a moldy covering on the substrate, remove the soil from the planter.
➔ Attention: In order not to come into contact with the fungus spores, you should work with gloves and a face mask.
Remove the affected substrate completely from the roots. The infested soil must be disposed of with household waste and must never be put in the compost. The roots should be thoroughly cleaned. This is best done under running water. The plants are then placed in fresh substrate.
➔ Tip: To be on the safe side, also use a new planter. Old tubs or boxes should be cleaned with a vinegar solution before replanting.
Home remedies against mold
| Home Remedies | Application |
| Activated Charcoal | ▶ The activated charcoal is crushed and sprinkled onto the infested soil. |
| Tea Tree Oil | ▶ Tea tree oil can be added directly to the irrigation water. ▶ Cloths soaked with a few drops of tea tree oil can also be placed on the moldy substrate. |
| cinnamon | ▶ If the soil is generously treated with cinnamon, the fungal spores will die off. |
What can be done to prevent itbecome?
- Loosen substrate
- Cover substrate with bird sand
- water less
- Avoid waterlogging
- Provide substrate with soil activator
Root rot due to poor watering
If the elf spur suddenly begins to wither, this often indicates root rot. This happens when the plant has been too wet for a long period of time because it was simply watered too much or the water could not drain off. Since the damage spreads from the roots, the plant is usually already severely damaged when the symptoms become visible.
What to do?
Remove the plant from the substrate. All parts of the plant already affected should be removed. You can try to dry the roots and then put them in new substrate. In most cases, however, root rot means the end of the plant.
Aphids - annoying but harmless
There are few plants that aphids stop at. The small pests are clearly visible on the leaves. Signs of pest infestation are leaf discoloration or deformed leaves. If you look at the underside of the leaves, you will discover a sticky coating when aphids are infested. This is honeydew, the excrement of the aphid.
What to do?
Aphids are comparatively harmless and can be combated with natural means. It is often helpful to treat the elf spur with a hard jet of water. If the infestation is severe, soapy water will help. The soap solution is sprayed onto the affected parts of the plant. Tobacco brew can also help.
Snails - voracious and persistent
The snail infestation will probably only become a problem if the elf spur has been planted outdoors. Balcony plants and traffic light plants are usually spared. If the plants are checked regularly, the snails can be identified and collected at an early stage. However, you can also use snail traps or use slug pellets or similar pesticides in the event of a heavy infestation. Beer traps are not recommended. This will only attract unnecessarily many animals.
White bow tie - small but mighty
The whitefly only grows a few millimeters in size and can still cause considerable damage. The elf spurs in planters are particularly endangered. Insects are usually found on the underside of leaves. The pest infestation usually does not go unnoticed, because the insects fly up when touched. At the sucking points of the moth-likePests arise yellowish spots. The leaves dry up and ultimately there is a risk of leaf fall.
What to do?
Yellow panels can be used successfully against pest infestation. The yellow boards are placed in the plant pots, the pests are attracted to them and stick to the sticky surface. With parasitic wasps, the whiteflies have natural predators. The wasps can be purchased in specialist shops and are placed directly on the affected plants.