This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
What's eating my rudbeckia?
Dirty Harry
Posts: 1,048
And how do I stop them?
These 2 pictures are taken a week apart.
I could find one small, white flying insect under a leaf that soon flew off but nothing else.
0
Posts
Slugs/snails, have you found slime trails?
Last edited: 02 October 2017 20:35:11
Have never seen any in the flower bed and I have been keeping an eye out.
Looked a bit more into this and it was likely whitefly that I saw.
Has anyone used a homemade spray deterrent with any effect?
Garlic spray has worked for me, as long as it doesn't rain
Garlic spray has worked for me, as long as it doesn't rain go out with a torch and some scissors on a damp night, you'll be surprised how many S&S's you find
Thanks for that. It does seem the damage is typical of slugs having seen what whitefly damage is likely to look like, I did only see a couple after all.
Think I'll invest in some of this too-
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01B5UZSCI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&psc=1
Just gone outside there as it's just started raining and found 2 small slugs/snails, each a lot smaller than a pea.
No wonder I couldn't see any trails! At least that stuff will come in handy now.
What's best to be done with the plant itself and the damage sustained so far?
Last edited: 06 October 2017 20:05:22
Just leave them - they'll be going dormant soon. As the leaves become really tatty and brown you can remove them.
Whitefly is an indication of poor ventilation and airflow. It usually happens if planting is very close, but won't really cause any longterm problem.
The small slugs and snails often do more damage than the bigger ones. Just be aware that these pelltes need using very sparingly. It can create more problems if you use too many. It'll attract even more slugs and snails to your garden.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Agree with Fairy, it's only a problem when the plant starts to surface in Spring and can be subject to a feast. Personally against poison, encourage wildlife like hedgehogs, blackbirds and frogs to predate the S&S.