Dahlia trouble

[porkchop]

When I put small dahlias among other small plants the dahlias are attacked by some sort of bug or insects and the other plants remain unaffected. What is the reason for this. Have the dahlias got some thing extra that makes them more prone to attack than other flower plants.

[woofgang]

yes. I never buy them because they get eaten to shreds in my garden, I got some free with a plant order this year so I planted them and .......they have been eaten to shreds.

[chi-chi66]

slugs love them.

[julia-mag]

I make up some liquid slug-killer , tear some lettuce leaves up small, put them in the mixture then place them round my dahlias. Succes! The slugs love the lettuce more......................

[woofgang]

I have pets so can't use poisons

[julia-mag]

I no longer have my own pets, but enough of neighbours cats visit and they don't seem to be put off by anything, still look fit and healthy waiting to catch the birds that visit our feeding stations! I used to have my own cat who never went out of our garden, and made a bee-line for the back door when it got dusk to make sure she didn't get shut out for the night! What characters they are!

[chi-chi66]

woofgang...you don't need to use poison..bury small tubs with beer or lager in them, just level with the soil..the slugs crawl to the edge then fall in..die
happy. You may get a tipsy dog or cat though!

[woofgang]

thaat's why i cant use alcohol methods either. The birds and hedgehogs keep the slug numbers down and I am just realistic about what i can grow.

[sir.prize]

The problem could be earwigs - try this link

http://www.gardenseek...wigs_control_kill.htm