we love them geraniums. In addition to being a typically Spanish plant that we can see on balconies and windows of towns and cities in our country, it is a plant that is easy to care for, quite resistant to heat, and is also very striking thanks to its many-colored flowers. . But unfortunately, the geranium has several enemies that, year after year, threaten its existence in terraces and gardens: butterflies or geranium worms.
If you are lucky you will see the butterfly flutter around your plants, and you will be able to take action in time. But most of the time, we realize that our geranium is affected by this pest when we start to see how it is poached. This butterfly, of African origin, was unknown in our country a few decades ago. But today, the geranium butterfly is present for much of the year. They start to see each other in springas soon as the temperature exceeds 20º, and its presence extends well into autumn.
The butterfly itself is not dangerous to our plants. It is a symptom of the danger that is coming, since the problem we have is with the caterpillars. The brown or grayish butterfly lays its eggs on the plant, and when the eggs hatch, the tiny larvae begin to feed on the geranium’s cocoons, and as they grow, they make holes in the trunk, where they burrow into the trunk. silent, eating her insides. That’s why they are called boring caterpillars. When drilling the trunk, the sap that gives life to the plant cannot circulate, so the geranium begins to feel weaker, until it dries up.
The solutions to end the geranium butterfly
As we have seen, the geranium is affected by this plague in a silent way and that we realize. That’s why, it is especially important that we check the plant every time we water it. As soon as we see that it begins to dry out, or that there are holes in the trunk, it is time to act. Probably, in these reviews we will come across caterpillars along the trunk: pay special attention, because the caterpillars are green, and are barely distinguishable from the trunk of the geranium thanks to their adaptation.
If you don’t see holes, but you touch the trunk or branches of the plant, and you see that they are not firm, that they are easily crushed, then you have another sign that your plant is affected by this silent invader. If you see black spots on the leaves (it’s their droppings), flower buds that are black, or empty, you should also take action immediately.
Undoubtedly, the main thing to combat the geranium butterfly is to try by all means to prevent its appearance by using preventive insecticides for this insect. The anti-drill insecticides (6.50 euros) are sprayed on the leaves, preventing moths from landing on our geraniums. There’s also geranium anti-butterfly insecticides (8.79 euros) that does not need to be diluted, and that is applied directly to the plant. It is best to apply them every two weeks since temperatures begin to rise.
ANTI-DRILL FLOWER GERANIUM INSECTICIDE 3 X 3ML
COMPO Geranium Insecticide, Specific for Geranium Butterfly, 750 ml
If you are looking for an ecological insecticide to kill the plague, neem oil (37.13 euros) gives good results.
250 ml Neem Oil for Plants Super Concentrated (1% Azadirachtin) Ecological Insecticide. 250ml
Once we have seen that the plague is affecting our plant, we must act from the root. Must cut branches and trunks that are affected without contemplation if we want to save the rest of the plant. In addition, there is also fertilizers to regenerate geraniums (11.95 euros) and that help flowering after the attack of the worms.
KEXMY ASOCOA – Fertilizer Regenerator Geraniums. Recovers bloom after Butterfly Attack.
Another solution: choose geraniums that are immune to the butterfly
Apart from these methods, there are experts such as El Buen Jardinero who opt for another option to avoid the action of the butterfly: choose geraniums that are immune to this plague. The African butterfly dreams of attacking the zonal geranium, and the gypsy girls. But it does not attack pansy geranium (Pelargonium grandiflorum) and aromatic geranium (Pelagronium graveolens, capitatum and cripum) because of the scent of the leaves.
- Pack of 2 units of pansy geraniums. Price: 19.95 euros.
Geranium Pelargonium Pack 2 Units of Geraniums Natural Plants
- 15cm pot of Pelargonium Citrodorum/Graveolens. Price: 11.49 euros.
Citronella – Anti-mosquito plant – Pot 15cm. – Pelargonium Citrodorum/Graveolens – Aromatic Plant – Live Plant – (Shipping only to the Peninsula)
In Decosphere | Seven tips from experts to care for geraniums on the balcony, on days of intense heat, saving water
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