What's eating my bedding begonia?

Bedding Begonia is an outdoor annual targeted by slugs (which rasp foliage and can sever stems), thrips, and spider mites. Vine weevil grubs attack the roots of container-grown plants. Good air circulation, morning watering, and iron phosphate slug bait address the most common problems.

Irregular holes rasped in leaves; soft stems severed at soil level overnight; slime trails visible on soil and foliage in the morning. Apply iron phosphate bait around plants; sprinkle diatomaceous earth in a 5 cm ring around stems; hand-pick at dusk; reduce debris and mulch nearby.

Irregular reddish-brown streaks and silvering on upper leaf surfaces; flower petals develop brown edges and may fail to open fully. Remove badly infested flowers and foliage; spray with insecticidal soap or spinosad; blue sticky traps help monitor adult numbers.

Fine yellow stippling on leaves with delicate webbing on undersides; leaves eventually yellow and drop; worst in hot, dry conditions. Mist foliage regularly to raise humidity; spray with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil, targeting leaf undersides; repeat weekly until clear.

Grubs eat roots in containers, causing wilting and plant collapse; adults may notch leaf margins, though the grub damage is far more serious. Apply beneficial nematodes to pot compost in late summer; repot annually to inspect roots and remove any white C-shaped grubs found.