Beware Of Dwarf Ornamental Plants, Recognize The Causes And How To Handle Them

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JAKARTA - Dwarf plants or stunting is a nutritional problem that causes disturbances in growth, so that plants become shorter or stunted than their standard age. By diagnosing the cause of the slow growth of ornamental plants, it will be easier to determine steps to overcome stunting in plants.

You may need to treat a disease, apply additional fertilizer, or change growing conditions so that your plant can thrive.

In fact, there are three basic things that cause the slow growth of plants, such as poor environmental conditions, lack of nutrients, to certain diseases.

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Environmental factor

Environmental factors are usually the main cause of stunted plants. Each plant has different needs for sunlight, soil type, soil pH level, and water requirements.

Make sure the plant gets enough sunlight every day. Some plants thrive in the shade, while others require full sun. Extreme temperatures can cause stunted ornamental plant growth. If the air outside is too hot or too cold, you can try putting it in a room.

Dwarf plants can also be caused by improper watering or poor soil conditions. Evaluate your watering schedule to make sure each plant is getting enough water. Some drought-tolerant plants can show poor growth if they are in dry conditions.

Meanwhile, there are also some plants that thrive in wet conditions and many have difficulty growing in waterlogged soil. Make sure your soil is pH balanced and consider doing a soil test to determine the soil pH. Change the soil according to the needs of the ornamental plants you have.

Malnutrition

Then you can check the soil to diagnose whether or not your ornamental plants have enough nutrition. If the pH of the soil is too high, too low, or the texture of the soil is sandy, it will be difficult for plants to absorb nutrients properly. So, make sure to improve the pH of the soil and apply fertilizer according to the plant's needs.

To determine the right fertilizer, you need to carefully observe the appearance of the leaves. Nitrogen deficiency causes yellowing of the leaves and dry plants. Potassium deficiency causes fruit and flowers to grow brown. While the lack of phosphorus makes the leaves look dull.

Pests and Diseases

Stunting is also a symptom of diseased plants. If previously healthy plants and good growing conditions suddenly experience stunting, then try checking the surrounding environment to identify growing pathogens or other possible problems.

Researchers at the University of Kentucky report that the most common plant diseases are caused by fungi. In addition to stunting, symptoms of fungal infection include wilted leaves and spots, rotting fruit, and thick, curled leaves.

Powdery mildew, downy mildew, sooty mold, root rot, and crown rot are plant types caused by fungi. To prevent the spread of the fungus, you need to remove and destroy diseased plant parts. In some cases, treating the plant with a fungicide can help control the infection.

Insects and other pests can also damage crops. If the infection gets worse then the plant can also be stunted.

Nematodes, small roundworms, can also attack plants and cause stunted growth. Other symptoms include yellowing, wilting, and death of the plant. You can use a nematicide, a type of pesticide that works to eradicate nematodes or worms.