1. Mollusks :

This mainly includes various snails, terrestrial snails, and slugs (commonly known as "slugs"). They are active at night or on rainy days, mainly feeding on plant stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, and roots, leaving behind black, thread-like excrement. These mollusks have an astonishing appetite, capable of devouring large areas of tender shoots, leaves, and flowers overnight, ruining your hard work.

Solution:

Once you catch them, remember not to crush them in the garden or flowerpots, otherwise their eggs will remain in the soil and hatch soon. The best way is to put them in a garbage bag first, then crush them. Promptly removing fallen and diseased leaves, and denying them the conditions to survive, can effectively prevent their reproduction.

A small amount of beer in a small-mouthed bottle can be used as bait . For manual capture , it should be done at night, as they usually hide on the undersides of leaves or flowers. When the numbers are large, it is recommended to use chemicals such as metaldehyde (the active ingredient), which is moderately toxic; use only if the safety of children and pets in the home is ensured.

2. Red spiders

Spider mites, belonging to the family Tetranychidae of the class Arachnidae, are approximately 0.42–0.52 mm in size. Many plants are susceptible to this pest, which is most prevalent in hot, dry, and poorly ventilated environments . They damage plants by piercing their leaves with their mouthparts and sucking sap, destroying chlorophyll and rendering the plant unable to photosynthesize.

Symptoms: Leaves show grayish-yellow spots or patches, leaves turn orange-yellow and fall off, or even fall off completely, which can lead to the death of the plant in severe cases .

Recommended medications: Abamectin, miticides such as fenvalerate, fenvalerate, and fenpyroximate , mixed according to the instructions. In severe cases, two medications can be mixed. Key point: After disease onset, the underside of the leaves must be sprayed; spraying after rain is more effective. Regular monthly spraying of the above-mentioned medications can effectively prevent disease.

3. Long, thin worms

This includes caterpillars, leafhoppers, moth and butterfly larvae, stem borers, sawfly larvae, and stem wasp larvae. They are most prevalent in late summer and early autumn. Some of these worms have venomous stings that are extremely painful; it is not recommended to handle them. When moths and butterflies linger on plants, they are finding a place for their offspring to nest. Once the larvae hatch, they feed on tender buds and leaves at an alarming rate, potentially ruining the entire flowering season. Therefore, prevention is crucial, and any discovered worms must be treated immediately.

Recommended medication:

First choice: Bacillus thuringiensis , diluted approximately 1000 times (i.e., 1 gram to 1 liter of water), is effective for both prevention and treatment. Other insecticides such as imidacloprid, chlorpyrifos, and abamectin are also effective during the larval stage.

4. Aphids

Also known as plant lice or honey bugs, they are a type of herbivorous insect, which can be black or green.

Symptoms: These symptoms can lead to reduced plant growth, leaf spots, yellowing, stunted growth, leaf curling, decreased yield, wilting, and even death . They are most common during periods of mild weather.

Treatment methods: You can squeeze it by hand , spray it with water , or use various low-toxicity pesticides such as imidacloprid or chlorpyrifos . These pesticides can also be used for prevention.

5. Scale insects

It commonly affects succulents, but can also occur on other plants, and is more prevalent in dry environments . It mainly attaches to the undersides of leaves and stems, feeding on the plant. It is highly contagious, so it should be removed promptly upon discovery.

Recommended medication:

Effective treatment: Spray and water succulents with " Flower Protector " according to the instructions. When spraying succulents, the leaves only need to be slightly moist; if there is standing water, remember to dry it thoroughly. Do not expose them to direct sunlight after spraying. Burying " Bayer Little Green Medicine " in the growing medium can also prevent this.

6. Thrips (ji mǎ)

A tiny, nocturnal pest that sucks sap and damages leaves and flowers ( charring and wrinkling ) while feeding, affecting both appearance and plant growth.

Recommended pesticides: Imidacloprid, abamectin, and other insecticides, mixed according to the instructions. Key point: Spray the insecticide after dark, once every 3 days, for a total of 3 sprays. This should be sufficient to eradicate the pests. These pesticides can also be used for preventative purposes.

7. Stem wasp

Belonging to the class Hymenoptera, order Hymenoptera, this insect has a slender body. Its body color is usually black with yellow bands and other markings. The eggs are round and laid in plant tissue. The larvae are pale, with a wrinkled epidermis, degenerate legs, and a tail-like projection at the end of the abdomen . They bore into plant stems and trunks . Infested branches wilt and wither, especially young rose branches. Both prevention and treatment can be achieved using Bacillus thuringiensis .

8. Powdery mildew

This is a common fungus affecting roses, prevalent in spring and summer, and requires fungicide treatment. Fungicides such as tetraflufenicol, azoxystrobin, mancozeb, thiophanate-methyl, and propineb can all be used for treatment. In severe cases, a "cocktail therapy" can be used, mixing two or more fungicides and carefully spraying both the upper and lower surfaces of the leaves. After 1-2 applications, the plant should recover. For preventative care, spray with thiophanate- methyl or mancozeb (also known as blue powder) every two weeks or once a month.

9. Black spots

Black spots are mainly treated with fungicides such as " DuPont Fuxing ", " Tebuconazole ", " Xiangshan Killer King ", and " Zinc (also known as Blue Powder)". Generally, when the disease occurs, it should be treated every 3-7 days, and when there is no disease, it should be prevented about once every half month, especially after a long period of rain, when disinfection is necessary.