Pest & Disease Control
Pests and diseases are the bane of every gardener and plant lover. No matter how green-fingered you are, everyone will encounter pests and diseases at some point. Like in the animal kingdom, the plant kingdom suffers from pests and diseases that are a natural part of the ecological system. The trick is to manage and control pests and diseases preventatively and with the correct treatment once the condition is established. Boma garden centre stocks organic and non-organic pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides covering most diseases and pests. Some of the products are catalogued online, but there is a much larger range in-store at the garden centre.
About Pest & Disease Control
Countless pests attack or feed from garden plants. Some target specific plant types such as lily beetle and rosemary beetle along with other widespread types- Mealybug and most common Red Spider Mite and Thrips.
Concerning pest control, there are 3 main types of power- biological, chemical, and physical.
Some of the pesticides that Boma stocks are a chemical form of control and are usually the most effective. However, some pests respond best when you use several methods simultaneously- chemical and physical.
An excellent example of this is controlling mealybug on houseplants; it's best to try and physically remove/ crush them and use a chemical treatment such as SB Plant Invigorator for the most effective results.
When it comes to plant diseases, these can be slightly trickier to control- there are 3 main types bacterial, fungal, and viral.
Many plant diseases can be brought on by environmental stresses such as drought, over-watering, and lack of air circulation- common fungal infections due to lack of air movement include powdery mildew, botrytis, and downy mildew.
Fungal diseases can be treated by removing the worst affected parts of the plant and treating them with a fungicide.
Unfortunately, when it comes to bacterial and viral diseases, there is no treatment, you can remove most affected parts of the plant, but this will only delay the inevitable and potentially infect other plants- it's best to discard any infected plants.
Identifying pests and disease plant problems is more accessible nowadays as there are photographs and videos online with close-ups of the symptoms. One can use a magnifying glass for small plant insects that are sometimes difficult to see. Sure signs are discolouration of leaves and loss of foliage or holes or chunks removed from the leaves. It's also helpful to look on the underside of leaves where insects may hide from the sun.
Fortunately, the Boma horticulture team are expert and diagnosing and recommending the appropriate treatment for all plant pests and diseases for all indoor and outdoor plants. So if you are in doubt, or have any questions, don't hesitate to contact the team.
Never fear; Boma is here.