What's eating my bishop of llandaff dahlia?

Bishop of Llandaff dahlia, with its distinctive dark foliage and scarlet flowers, attracts all the classic dahlia pests. Slugs attack shoots from the moment they emerge. Earwigs riddle the decorative blooms. Aphids cluster on tender tips. Capsid bugs cause distorted, tatty-looking shoot growth. Its dark leaves may make pest spotting slightly harder — check the undersides regularly.

Eat through young stems at or below soil level, or rasp large holes in leaves; damage is worst in wet springs and where soil stays damp overnight Ferric phosphate slug pellets at planting; wool pellet or sharp-grit mulch barrier; water early in the day; hand-pick after dark

Nocturnal feeders create ragged holes and chewed petal margins in blooms, ruining the ornamental display — especially damaging to show-quality flowers Upturned pot traps filled with damp newspaper or straw on canes; clear leaf litter; pyrethrin spray in severe cases

Suck sap from developing shoot tips in spring and early summer, causing small brown spots that become ragged holes as leaves expand — growth looks tattered Remove weeds and debris that harbour capsids; pyrethrin or bifenthrin spray targeting shoot tips; pick off affected tips to limit spread

Pale green or black colonies on buds and shoot tips cause distortion and wilting; sooty mould follows on honeydew deposits Insecticidal soap or neem oil spray; strong water jet to dislodge early colonies; encourage lacewings and ladybirds