Clematis

Hi there,
Something is eating my clematis! I have sprayed it with a general garden bug spray but to no avail, can't find any insects on it and i have several other varieties in other places in the garden which are perfectly ok. This is on a trellis on the side of a wooden shed, south facing. Help! Rik. (new member, first message)

 

Hi Ricky
Have you checked for slugs/snails? I know in my garden they are quite partial to a nibble on clematis, but only some cultivars (What sort of Clematis is yours?)

 

Thanks Bayleaf, Yes I have checked for slugs/snails as they are a problem in my garden - I have treated the whole area. Sorry don't know the variety of these three plants but I'm working on it.Rik.

 

Hi Ricky,
it could be earwigs, just a thought :confused:

 

You could try going out at night with a torch it may be a night diner some of mine are.

 

My garden has been infested with earwigs this year. Horrible little things they are!

 

Betch its slugs or more likely snails, like Bayleaf say - with the recent rain they are definitly chewing on my plants. I go with Hans - try a torch patrol after dark. In my garden snails tend to attack the stem eroding til the stem falls and the can then consume at their leisure, and occasionally the flowers - slugs tend to go for the leaves - prolly a question of weight.

 

I've only got a patio out the back of my flat. the area is quite wet and full of snails and slugs.. When I first started out, my patio was a smorgas board of delicacies.. I didn't want to use pesticides or anything like that and 'night patrol' was too much effort.. I came to the conclusion that they hate Vicks and copper.

I put a flat copper band on the edges of the patio all around the paving stones (got it from the garden center) and smeared my pots with a ring of vicks.. NOT ONE SINGLE slimey thing crossed it's path! I had to check all the hidie holes on the patio and just threw the culprites over the 'other side' copper band..

totally organic and totally effective and I didn't have to kill anything (kinda Bhuddist ya see).. although I need to replace the Vicks for this Autumn.