What's Bugging my Azalea?

Good morning all, I hope you're all having a lovely time in your gardens on this lovely sunny day. (Well it is in West Yorkshire) . I wonder if anyone can tell me what's eating my Azalea. As you can see something is nibbling it and it seems to have stopped flowering. Any advice much appreciated.

 

That looks like a Dahlia not an Azalea eddybaby. It's probably slug damage.

 

But they do rhyme,

 

Duh! Thanks Sheal

 

Would the slug problem explain as towhy its not flowering? It has some great buds on it.

 

No @eddybaby, your Dahlia will start dying back for the winter which is why it isn't flowering. You have a choice of leaving it in the ground or digging the tuber out to replant next Spring as they can be tender when over wintered outside. I've grown them in the past and didn't have a problem leaving them in the ground.

 

Unless your garden has really good drainage and is quite sheltered @eddybaby I would lift and store you Dahlia corm to be on the safe side. The corms are frost tender and will rot over winter if in a soggy spot!
I have Dahlia corms which I got when my Daughter had just started school ( corms were given to me by the school's janitor)Daughter is now 31! You can get away with leaving them in the ground in certain parts of the country but it is no real issue to lift and store them. Most of mine go on top of a wardrobe in a spare room.

 

I'll give it a go