Asked on Sep 01, 2013
What's wrong with my petunias? Aphids?
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I'm hoping to get some advice from one of you garden experts. I have been noticing my petunias have started to look "sick" in places. When I was deadheading today, I noticed the leaves looked weird (see photos). I live in Eastern Washington state. Anybody?
9 answers
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yep looks likes aphids and a possible smattering of white flies and a dash of sooty mold to soon follow. Spray some insecticidal soap on them to see if you can get it under control. Looks to be a pretty nasty case. If it has only started in one spot you might want to just pull the worst of the lot out and spray the remainder.
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360 Sod (Donna Dixson)
on Sep 01, 2013
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Sometimes it just happens. They come in on storms, on your neigbor's plants, on new plants. Timing is also a factor as well as temperatures. It sounds like you take good care and careful care of your plants, so I don't think it is anything you have or have not done.
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360 Sod (Donna Dixson)
on Sep 02, 2013
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Donna's right on track! If they had quit blooming I would have thrown in petunia bud worm, which are rampant here in Kansas City, hatching about mid July and proceeding to eat the flower buds from the inside, resulting in no blooms from the plant beginning around the 1st or 2nd week of August (depending on how one's plants were faring to begin with!). Make sure to get the spray on the undersides of the leaves and that should solve the problem. Good luck!
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Joanie1051
on Sep 03, 2013
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yes aphids and donna is right the only thing I have to add is to use the soap every 3 -4 days so that you can interrupt the cycle if you have no luck w/ soap switch to horticulture oil or mix your own with mineral oil 4T per gallon and 1/2 t of cinnamon oil and only use late in the evening so as the cinnamon does not burn your flowers we have used the cinnamon mixture extensively in our annual flower crops for years and it works well
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April E
on Sep 03, 2013
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It looks like the seed pods are just bursting open to me. the leaves and stems are kind of sticky so the seeds are sticking to them. Petunia seeds are very dark and tiny. Unless you are seeing movement I'll stick to my seed theory. All petunias look crappy after awhile. Cut them back and feed them and they will become beautiful again. Well, unless it snows first.:)
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Sharon
on Sep 03, 2013
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Not all plants die at the same rate. Especially this time of the year. That plant is doing what it was born to do. Flower, set seed and die. You might be able to prolong flowering by cutting it back to about 6 inches. A plant can only do 1 process at a time. It either works on making blooms or it works on making seed. You can also save the seed. I cut off parts of the plant with the seed attached and just let it all dry on a plate. The plant part dries and the seeds just sort of fall off. sprinkle the seed on top of moist seed starting mix. It needs light to germinate so DON'T cover with soil. Just press it lightly into the soil. Mist top of soil with water and cover with something clear to keep in the moisture. I set mine on a towel on a regular regular heating pad on medium until they germinate. Then remove the cover and set them close to the light. When they have at least 4 leaves I put them in separate pots. I do this in February as they are very slow growers at the cooler temperatures in my basement.
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Sharon
on Sep 04, 2013
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@Tawsha and Patti @organizedCHAOS , try Diatomaceous Earth. It's great for getting rid of aphids. It's super inexpensive on our website, here is the link if you want to check it out: http://www.kelp4less.com/shop/diatomaceous-earth/. Best of luck!!!
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Kelp4Less
on Sep 04, 2013
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no it wouldn't and the cinnamon is only effective for a short time as the sun and moisture breaks it down
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April E
on Sep 04, 2013
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@Tawsha and Patti @organizedCHAOS , you will love it! I made the hubs use it outside our house to get rid of ants, and it works wonders on that, too!!! Only took about 2 hours and they were pretty well gone and haven't been back, except the occasional one here and there. :)
![Kelp4Less]()
Kelp4Less
on Sep 10, 2013
360 Sod (Donna Dixson)
on Sep 01, 2013
Joanie1051
on Sep 03, 2013
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