What's eating my clustered bellflower?

Clustered bellflower is most threatened by slugs and snails, which shred tender young leaves and can demolish emerging crowns in spring. Aphids occasionally cluster on flower stems, and vine weevils may notch leaf edges or damage roots in containers. Overall pest pressure is low on established plants growing in well-drained soil.

Irregular holes in leaves and shredded new shoots; seedlings and freshly divided crowns can be destroyed overnight in wet weather. Use ferric phosphate pellets around crowns; set beer traps; handpick at dusk; apply copper tape to pots.

Dense colonies on flower stems and shoot tips; leaves may curl and sticky honeydew promotes sooty mould. Blast off with water; introduce lacewings or ladybirds; treat with insecticidal soap for stubborn colonies.

Adults notch leaf margins with characteristic U-shaped cuts; larvae feed on roots underground, causing sudden wilting especially in pots. Apply pathogenic nematodes (Steinernema kraussei) to compost in late summer; pick off adults at night by torchlight.