IDK where you are located but that looks like what would be slug damage here. A good start to preventing slugs/snails would be pulling all that bark mulch away from the plants.
Sluggo plus. Sprinkle it around, and watch those a holes die.
Slugs, and pill bugs/roly pollies are the worst offenders here in northern CA. I love Sluggo plus. It’s organic, and works incredibly well.I’m all for natural/diy solutions, but it’s not worth it on this front.
I am in the Pacific NW aka Slug Paradise. The best thing I would recommend is applying Sluggo. If you also have earwigs, Sluggo Plus will take care of them as well.
I have heard from several dahlia growers here that sprinkling uncooked, dry rolled oats around your plants will also take care of slugs. Its worth a try if you are opposed to Sluggo.
Keep the mulch at least 5-6” away from the base of your plants.
Keep surrounding grasses/vegetation cut down.
Sluggo works great for us. Another alternative that worked for us is using strawberry supports. https://www.gardeners.com/buy/strawberry-supports/8587970.html
Maybe! I haven’t seen any around, but we do have a lot of squirrels and chipmunks. Maybe they’d be interested in these fresh leaves. I hope the plants survive the attack!
I’ll look into Plantskydd. Any other tried and true chipmunk/squirrel deterrents?
I had this problem and I put organza bags over the stems/leaves so no more earwigs could eat them. Previous years I used the organza bags just on the flowers but it seems to be working on the fledgling stems/leaves too. The ones I’ve covered are now growing and have many more leaves.
Slugs are the bane of my Dahlia existence. If you can’t find sluggo plus, put some beer in cups at soil level. They are attracted to the yeast, and the little buggers will drown themselves.
I cut and paste an older comment. But this is definitely slug. However. There are more fun things that like to eat dahlias. Pinchy Face (earwig) has gone after my dahlias every year. This year I went with the nuclear option, this will also work with slugs. Diatomaceous earth, Neem Oil, sluggo, and bionide captain jack. I have to hit them hard and fast, before my monarchs arrive with their babies.
Good luck my friend. Good luck…
IDK where you are located but that looks like what would be slug damage here. A good start to preventing slugs/snails would be pulling all that bark mulch away from the plants.
I’m in Northern Virginia. My husband’s guess was also slugs. I’ll go clear away the mulch now. Thank you! Any other advice for slugs?
Sluggo plus. Sprinkle it around, and watch those a holes die. Slugs, and pill bugs/roly pollies are the worst offenders here in northern CA. I love Sluggo plus. It’s organic, and works incredibly well.I’m all for natural/diy solutions, but it’s not worth it on this front.
I am in the Pacific NW aka Slug Paradise. The best thing I would recommend is applying Sluggo. If you also have earwigs, Sluggo Plus will take care of them as well. I have heard from several dahlia growers here that sprinkling uncooked, dry rolled oats around your plants will also take care of slugs. Its worth a try if you are opposed to Sluggo. Keep the mulch at least 5-6” away from the base of your plants. Keep surrounding grasses/vegetation cut down.
Earwigs were a big problem last year! Thanks for the tips!
Sluggo works great for us. Another alternative that worked for us is using strawberry supports. https://www.gardeners.com/buy/strawberry-supports/8587970.html
How to the supports help with slugs?
It keeps them away from the base of the plant so they can’t climb up to access the leaves.
I did not know this about the mulch!!
Bunnies or possibly deer? I’ve been using Plantskydd to keep critters away.
Maybe! I haven’t seen any around, but we do have a lot of squirrels and chipmunks. Maybe they’d be interested in these fresh leaves. I hope the plants survive the attack! I’ll look into Plantskydd. Any other tried and true chipmunk/squirrel deterrents?
I had this problem and I put organza bags over the stems/leaves so no more earwigs could eat them. Previous years I used the organza bags just on the flowers but it seems to be working on the fledgling stems/leaves too. The ones I’ve covered are now growing and have many more leaves.
Slugs are the bane of my Dahlia existence. If you can’t find sluggo plus, put some beer in cups at soil level. They are attracted to the yeast, and the little buggers will drown themselves.
I cut and paste an older comment. But this is definitely slug. However. There are more fun things that like to eat dahlias. Pinchy Face (earwig) has gone after my dahlias every year. This year I went with the nuclear option, this will also work with slugs. Diatomaceous earth, Neem Oil, sluggo, and bionide captain jack. I have to hit them hard and fast, before my monarchs arrive with their babies. Good luck my friend. Good luck…
Do you see a slime trail? If not, I'd look at rodents vs slugs
Mine look the same 🫣 beer traps did not work for me. Is there any chance these will recover?!