Phlox & Delphinium pests?

My wife's just discovered that her newly purchased Phlox paniculatas and our established Delphiniums seem to be getting "munched" by something to the point where there's no top growth left!

Never had a problem like this with Delphiniums before but these Phlox are a recent purchase and they are not close to each other either.

My wife's getting quite upset about it now.

She's out there finding more plants damaged - it's a nightmare because we've no idea what's doing this so it's hard to know what measures to take!

Any ideas? stevmk2

Re: Phlox & Delphinium pests?

Could be earwigs or slugs.
I think it will mean a night time raid with a torch!

Re: Phlox & Delphinium pests?

I would try spraying them with washing up liquid diluted in water, it works well on greenfly and aphids and doesn't harm your plants

Re: Phlox & Delphinium pests?

Don't forget to add garlic to the mixture Honey

Re: Phlox & Delphinium pests?

oh 'eck!

Re: Phlox & Delphinium pests?

My phlox have had simalar attack ,i put slug pellets down and also looked under leaves picking off some small snails ..they have since recovered but now marigolds are being eaton away .

Re: Phlox & Delphinium pests?

I have tried to grow potatoes in wooden planters..I am not a gardener but I try..my mother could take a dead stick..plant it..and it would bloom..

However..my last years potatoes were rubbish..when I turned them out..the soil was literally writhing with wood lice...

Re: Phlox & Delphinium pests?

Steve our phlox has flowered and gone now, it is a big one that blooms every year.
Here's a link that maybe of help...

http://touch.organicauthority.com/or...7b5670b37976/1

Re: Phlox & Delphinium pests?

Going around with a torch late last night and we found the culprits, our garden seem to be infested with slugs and snails!
Over the years we've never really had any problems before so we didn't think of that at first but we put down slug pellets last night after finding that lot!

We had a hedgehog family resident in our garden, (sometimes next door), for many years so we didn't want to hurt them but there's been no signs of them at all since our other next door neighbour got in a so-called gardener who promptly wrecked the place!

Looks like the Somme now............

They're paying this person too!

I grow Taters too, but in the ground and in heavy duty green bags lilac, with no problems from woodlice - and we've got thousands too. stevmk2

Re: Phlox & Delphinium pests?

I'm glad the torch trick worked Steve.
Our hedgehog family got bitten by a fox, so our vet thinks, he had to put them all down