Pest identification
What's eating my pelargonium 'fragrans'?
Aphids
Signs: Soft insects on tender shoot tips; curled, sticky leaves and slowed growth.
Control: Remove with water jet or insecticidal soap; neem oil spray; introduce Aphidius parasitic wasps under glass.
Whitefly
Signs: Whiteflies scatter from foliage when touched; yellowing leaves coated with honeydew and sooty mould.
Control: Sticky yellow traps; insecticidal soap or pyrethrin spray repeated weekly.
Spider mites
Signs: Pale stippling and bronzing on leaves; webbing visible on undersides in dry, heated conditions.
Control: Increase humidity; wipe leaf undersides; apply neem oil or release Phytoseiulus persimilis predatory mites.
Vine weevil
Signs: Ragged notches on leaf margins; grubs demolish roots, causing pots to collapse suddenly.
Control: Nematode drench in late summer; check roots at repotting and remove any cream-coloured grubs by hand.
Keep pelargonium 'fragrans' pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Pelargonium 'Fragrans' pests — FAQ
What is eating my pelargonium 'fragrans'?
Pelargonium 'Fragrans' (nutmeg geranium) is vulnerable to aphids, whitefly, and spider mites, especially when overwintered indoors or grown in a greenhouse. Vine weevil grubs can devastate plants in containers. Aphids colonising soft new shoots are the most common problem encountered by growers.
How do I get rid of aphids on pelargonium 'fragrans'?
Soft insects on tender shoot tips; curled, sticky leaves and slowed growth. Remove with water jet or insecticidal soap; neem oil spray; introduce Aphidius parasitic wasps under glass.
How do I get rid of whitefly on pelargonium 'fragrans'?
Whiteflies scatter from foliage when touched; yellowing leaves coated with honeydew and sooty mould. Sticky yellow traps; insecticidal soap or pyrethrin spray repeated weekly.
How do I get rid of spider mites on pelargonium 'fragrans'?
Pale stippling and bronzing on leaves; webbing visible on undersides in dry, heated conditions. Increase humidity; wipe leaf undersides; apply neem oil or release Phytoseiulus persimilis predatory mites.
How do I get rid of vine weevil on pelargonium 'fragrans'?
Ragged notches on leaf margins; grubs demolish roots, causing pots to collapse suddenly. Nematode drench in late summer; check roots at repotting and remove any cream-coloured grubs by hand.