How exactly does a plant actually get sick? And how do you define a healthy plant? We explain everything you need to know about plant diseases and plant health so that you can better understand your green roommates and take optimal care of them!
What are the most common indoor plant diseases?
The plant disease triangle states that the health of a plant depends on the interaction of three factors: a favorable environment, the presence of a pathogen, and a susceptible and suitable host plant. If only two of these factors come together, there is no disease. When all three of these factors come together at the right time, an illness occurs. The good thing is that you can influence the individual factors and thus minimize the chance of disease in your houseplant.
Prevent plant diseases and pest infestations
- The population of the pathogen must be reduced. This can happen, for example, when the life cycle is broken or the pathogen is weakened. If no pathogen, for example a bacterium or a fungus, is present, then the plant cannot become ill.
- The environment must be ideal for the plant so that it is vital and cannot be weakened by stress factors such as dry air, waterlogging or lack of light. The environment should also not provide a suitable habitat for pathogens such as fungi, gray mold, powdery mildew and root rot.
- The plant should be strong and resilient so that it is not susceptible to pathogens. This is achieved through good care of all parts of the plant, especially the leaves, and access to all essential nutrients in the substrate.
Identify diseased indoor plants
It is important to recognize infested houseplants in good time in order to rid them of disease or pests. The signs of a disease can be varied - damage symptoms are often leaf spots, a coating on leaves or rotting root balls. If there are brown or yellow spots on the leaves, a leaf disease cannot be ruled out. It is important to differentiate between care errors caused by too little or too much humidity, drafts, a lack of nutrients or water that is too calcareous and a disease or infestation. However, improper care can weaken houseplants and also result in plant diseases. Early detection and treatment of diseased houseplants, for example by replacing the substrate, neem oil or cutting off affected roots, leaves and shoots, can help the plant to become healthy again.
Avoid diseases of indoor plants through care mistakes
The Plant Health Pyramid states that there is a development of resistance to various pathogens and pests that affects the state of health of a plant. Different processes within a plant ensure that it can ward off different types of diseases and insects. Houseplants are most commonly affected by spider mites, gray mold rot, chlorosis, fungus gnats and downy mildew. For optimal health, all processes within a plant must run perfectly. This is achieved through the right environment and access to all the nutrients it needs. You can find a suitable fertilizer for your plants among the FARBIO® organic liquid fertilizers .
What makes a healthy plant?
- Successful photosynthesis forms the basis of a healthy plant. This enables the formation of complete carbohydrates, which is essential for the metabolic processes and thus the survival of a plant. Only a healthy plant is resistant to soil pathogens. Sufficient amounts of nitrogen, magnesium, manganese, iron and phosphorus should be provided for successful photosynthesis. Phosphorus is not directly involved in photosynthesis, but is required for metabolism with increased sugar production.
- The second level of plant health is achieved through the production of complete proteins. All of the nitrogen taken up by a plant must be converted into complete proteins to ensure protection from simple insects . Sufficient amounts are particularly important for the process of protein synthesis quantities of Sulfur, Magnesium, Molybdenum and Boron . boron does not contribute protein synthesis, rather for pest resistance at.
- If a plant can store excess energy as lipids, it gains resistance to airborne pathogens. Healthy soil with high microbiological activity ensures that nutrients are more readily available to plants. These ensure that high lipid production and energy storage within the plant are possible.
- The microbiome of the roots, i.e. the bacterial community there, reacts to pathogens that want to penetrate the plant and activates the plant's immune system. Part of the immune response is the production of phytochemicals that protect the plant from insects and pathogens.
With our FARBIO® organic micro-complex special fertilizer, the focus is on the natural protection of your indoor plants. By supplying them with essential trace elements, you ensure that plants become more vital and resistant! The vegan foliar fertilizer with nanoparticle technology promotes rapid absorption of complex micronutrients and strengthens the self-protection mechanism of your plants. The effects of severe pest and disease infestations are thus reduced.
