zinniae) is a common disease, which occurs under conditions of extended leaf wetness.Penn State Dept. See Table 1 for examples of insecticidal soap products. Check with your local Cooperative Extension Service for pest controls recommended for your area. Follow label directions for mixing and use. Keep plants in good vigor. Viruses: Many virus diseases affect zinnias. Along with diseases, pests can also cause problems. Cercospora Leaf Spot: This fungal leaf spot, caused by Cercospora zinniae, occurs less commonly than Alternaria leaf spot, powdery mildew, or bacterial leaf spot, but it can be just as damaging. There are two diseases to look for, too, in zinnias, which are powdery mildew and alternaria blotch. Therefore, it is best to always water near the base of the plants. Are there ragged openings chewed across the veins of the leaves? It is carried by aster leafhoppers (Macrosteles quadrilineatus), which are insects that feed on the sap of the plants. You can set traps for earwigs by placing shallow bowls of vegetable oil under the infested plant. In the people these flowers are known as majors. You can treat the infestation with insecticide, but be careful of chemicals that do more harm than good. Always spray flowering ornamentals in the late evening. Whiteflies also excrete honeydew, and it causes the leaves of your zinnia plant to turn yellow and die. Zinnias have few insect pests, but aphids, spider mites, and whiteflies may damage plants, especially during hot, dry weather. Pour diatomaceous earth on the soil near the Zinnias plant. If this document didn’t answer your questions, please contact HGIC at hgic@clemson.edu or 1-888-656-9988. All recommendations are for South Carolina conditions and may not apply to other areas. Discarded affected plant parts and keep the area around the plant neat. More. Zinnias are either annual or perennial plants with colorful round flowers. There is no control method once the flowers have been infected, and plants with symptoms should be promptly removed and discarded in the trash. For centuries, zinnias have graced gardens and spread their glorious colors throughout flower beds and … Mosaic Virus. Only two diseases are commonly troublesome on zinnias (Zinnia elegans), powdery mildew and Alternaria blight. Zinnia—Zinnia spp. Aster Yellows: Aster yellows is caused by a phytoplasma and is similar to a bacterium. Also, destroy the attacked plant to prevent the aphids from spreading. Join our mailing list to receive the latest updates from HGIC. Name: Lily (Zone 11) cornflower Nov 6, 2016 8:39 AM CST. When to start inside:4 to 6 weeks before your average last frost date. Usually, these insects are present in summer. Prune out diseased tissue and destroy it. This is the best strategy for avoiding powdery mildew. Plant owners that are not familiar with insect pests may be unable to identify the Japanese Beetle as the culprit. Zinnia Pests & Diseases. Space plants at the recommended distance so that they all have good airflow. Deer scat is different from rabbit droppings, so look for paw prints and scat to identify the pest. Also, you can spray insecticides with imidacloprid on infested plants to kill the earwigs. This disease appears as a grayish-white, powdery coating on zinnias. Copyright © 2020 Clemson UniversityClemson Cooperative Extension | 103 Barre Hall Clemson, SC 29634864-986-4310 | Contact UsHGIC@clemson.edu. See Table 1 for examples of brands and products containing copper. Plants are 12-18 inches in height and extremely disease resistant. This method works because the female parasitic wasps use Aphids as hosts to lay their eggs. Thus, zinnia does … However, zinnias often carry powdery mildew and other diseases. It's nice to have new home, new domain. Always spray flowering ornamentals in the late evening. Always spray plants in bloom during the late evening. Usually, they bore tiny holes into the Zinnias leaves and flowers. Stem and Root Rot Stem and root rot diseases cause black, mushy growth, and often kill zinnias. Additionally, they feed mostly at night. Don’t be surprised when they start feeding on them. Here's a link to an OSU article on the subject, with photos of the leaves before the centers drop out of the infected tissue. Powdery mildew affects the plant and takes away its nutrients. Practice good cultural methods. Fortunately, aster yellows is not extremely common. That means you may wake up one day and discover that only the stem of your plant is left behind. Serious infections cause the leaves to turn brown quickly and shrivel. All recommendations for pesticide use are for South Carolina only and were legal at the time of publication, but the status of registration and use patterns are subject to change by action of state and federal regulatory agencies. College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences, Centipedegrass Yearly Maintenance Program, Ferti-lome Horticultural Oil Spray Concentrate, Bonide Insecticidal Soap Concentrate; & RTU, Spectracide Immunox Multi-Purpose Fungicide Concentrate, Bonide Sulfur Plant Fungicide (dust or spray), Bayer BioAdvanced Disease Control for Roses, Flowers & Shrubs Concentrate, Cleary’s 3336-WP Turf & Ornamental Fungicide. How can you identify them? A white film develops on the leaves. This will lessen or delay the occurrence of diseases the following year. Can anyone tell me what is wrong with my zinnias? The fungus may persist in seeds for up to 7 years but for only 2 years in plant debris. See Table 1 for examples of brands and products. Pests and Diseases. The better fungicides to control Alternaria leaf spot are chlorothalonil, copper fungicides, and mancozeb. Moreover, they often leave behind some of their droppings when they are done snacking on the leaves. For this reason, this article will help you to figure out what pests could be eating your precious plants. Gardeners Yards is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, 6 Pests That Could Be Eating Your Zinnias. Also, there will be control methods provided to help you get rid of them.eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'gardenersyards_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_9',108,'0','0'])); If you have rabbits as pets, you will be amazed to know these sturdy animals with whiskers are the ones eating your Zinnias. Do the spraying early in the morning to allow the water to dry early and prevent mildew. The fungus overwinters in plant debris in soil or through contaminated seed. Moreover, it prevents Japanese beetles that have consumed the oil from laying eggs that hatch. 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