Pest identification
What's eating my agapanthus 'navy blue'?
Aphids
Signs: Soft green or blackfly colonies massing on tender shoot tips and flower stalks; honeydew promotes sooty mould growth.
Control: Knock off with water jet; introduce beneficial insects; spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil if colonies persist.
Vine weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus)
Signs: Grubs devour fleshy roots; plants wilt and die with no obvious above-ground cause; adult beetles leave notched leaf margins.
Control: Apply pathogenic nematodes to moist compost in late summer; drench pots with approved vine weevil killer; repot annually to check roots.
Slugs and snails
Signs: Ragged holes and slime trails on young leaves, especially in cool, damp spring weather.
Control: Use ferric phosphate slug pellets; remove debris where slugs shelter; hand-pick in the evening after rain.
Keep agapanthus 'navy blue' pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Agapanthus 'Navy Blue' pests — FAQ
What is eating my agapanthus 'navy blue'?
Agapanthus 'Navy Blue' shares the genus's general pest resistance but is vulnerable to aphids on new growth and flower stems, vine weevil grubs at the roots when container-grown, and slug damage to emerging spring shoots. Rabbits occasionally graze the strap foliage.
How do I get rid of aphids on agapanthus 'navy blue'?
Soft green or blackfly colonies massing on tender shoot tips and flower stalks; honeydew promotes sooty mould growth. Knock off with water jet; introduce beneficial insects; spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil if colonies persist.
How do I get rid of vine weevil (otiorhynchus sulcatus) on agapanthus 'navy blue'?
Grubs devour fleshy roots; plants wilt and die with no obvious above-ground cause; adult beetles leave notched leaf margins. Apply pathogenic nematodes to moist compost in late summer; drench pots with approved vine weevil killer; repot annually to check roots.
How do I get rid of slugs and snails on agapanthus 'navy blue'?
Ragged holes and slime trails on young leaves, especially in cool, damp spring weather. Use ferric phosphate slug pellets; remove debris where slugs shelter; hand-pick in the evening after rain.