A crowd of different crawling creatures makes life difficult for balcony plants in boxes and pots. Most pests feed on plant sap. Other bold pests eat leaves and flowers. Get an overview of the typical symptoms of a pest infestation here. Benefit from tried-and-tested tips for effective combat without chemicals.
How do you recognize and combat pests on balcony plants?
Typical symptoms of pest infestation on balcony plants are curling leaf edges, discoloration and sticky coating. Methods such as vigorous showering, soft soap solution or alcohol-soaked cloths are suitable for combating it. Stop the infestation early to avoid the use of insecticides.
Identifying pest infestations – typical symptoms
A lot of dreaded pests are far too small to be spotted with the naked eye. Only when, as a result of an explosive proliferation, hordes of pests cavort on balcony plants does the dilemma become obvious. The following symptoms indicate early on that aphids and their ilk have established themselves:
- Rolling leaf edges and stunted shoots
- Discoloration of leaves and shoots
- Sticky, black coating on the leaves
Some particularly destructive pests feast on leaves and flowers. Smooth feeding marks indicate voracious snails, whereas jagged wounds indicate insatiable caterpillars.
Identifying and combating pests – tips & tricks
If you notice pests on your balcony plants early on, resorting to chemical insecticide is unnecessary. Biological control methods are summarized in the following overview:
| Common pests on balcony plants | scientific name | Appearance | Combat early stage | Combat advanced stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aphids | Aphidoidea | 0, 5 to 7 mm in size, in a variety of colors | strong shower, also overhead | Soap solution |
| Scale insects | Coccoidea | 0, 8 to 6 mm in size, sit under white or brown protective shields | wipe with alcohol-soaked cloth | Soapy water, dust with diatomaceous earth |
| Leaf leaf miner larvae | Agromyzidae | 2 to 3 mm long, yellowish-white | cut off and burn affected plant parts | Hang up glue traps, sprays containing neem oil, |
| Nudibranchs, slugs | Arionidae | up to 25 cm long, brown-orange, no housing | collect individually | Sprinkle coffee powder on the substrate, spray with liverwort extract |
Under high infestation pressure, even immobile scale insects become mobile. Before you dedicate yourself to combating pests, please quarantine the affected balcony plants.
Tip
Cold-sensitive balcony plants ideally overwinter in a frost-free basement. Cunning pests also like comfortable winter quarters. Therefore, check the plants carefully before putting them away. Ideally, for this purpose you should take a magnifying glass (€18.00 on Amazon) and examine the leaves, leaf axils and substrate for stowaways.
