Marianne's Response

What’s killing my marigolds?

Something is killing all my marigolds that are in my planters. I find them covered in a web like substance and it drains all the green causing the plant to turn brown but the flowers still keep there color. Can you please tell me what this may be?

marigold

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Posted by PENNEY HENRY on June 25, 2022

Marianne's Response

The clue is the web. This sounds like spider mite and this tiny insect makes a web and loves to attack marigolds especially if they are stressed from drying out.  They suck the juice from the foliage turning them a pale color.  You can try using soapy water or a mitecide spray on the marigolds but a more practical solution is to add them to the compost pile and replace with a more mite resistant annual flower. Petunias, geraniums and lantana are a few sun lovers that are less likely to be attacked by mites.  My sympathies. Keep growing, Marianne Binetti Editor's note: here's a link to learn more about marigolds