Content
- Cacti with brown spots - What to do?
- These care mistakes cause brown spots
- Sucking pests leave brown spots
- Tips
On too much wetness cacti sometimes react with brown spots
Cacti with brown spots - What to do?
If brown spots develop on a cactus, this damage pattern is due to various causes. In most cases mistakes in care are responsible for the dilemma. Rarer are diseases or pests behind it. We have compiled the most common causes with tips for the correct course of action here for you.
These care mistakes cause brown spots
On failings in the care program, cacti react with, among other things, brown spots on the prickly epidermis. This is true for both inappropriate siting, as well as an imbalanced water and nutrient balance. Common causes are summarized in the following overview:
Although cacti are sun worshipers, they may still be sunburned. If the plants settle after the wintertime to their full-suned place on the windowsill, they should first acclimatize for 8 to 10 days in a partially shaded place. This precaution is also relevant if you place your cacti on the balcony in May.
Sucking pests leave brown spots
If failure to care can be ruled out as a cause of brown spots, it is very likely that you are dealing with pest infestation. Stinging and sucking insects injure the epidermis, causing brown spots to develop there. Spider mites are also among the culprits, as well as scale insects and aphids. Examine the affected cactus with a magnifying glass to locate the pests. In the early stage, the infestation can still be tackled with simple home remedies:
By placing the infested cactus in an airtight plastic bag for 3 to 5 days, remove the pests and their brood from the oxygen supply.
Tips
If cacti are getting older, different types tend to cork. This is a natural process, in the course of which the fabric is lignified, which can be recognized by brown spots. Young cacti, on the other hand, react by corking to high humidity and pouring cold, hard tap water. In addition, epidermis corks when the cactus suffers from sunburn.