What's eating my dahlia 'american dawn'?

Dahlia 'American Dawn' is susceptible to the same pests as all garden dahlias: slugs decimating new growth, earwigs feeding in the blooms, and aphids on shoot tips. Thrips can mark the pale petals of lighter-coloured dahlias like this one. Slugs are the primary threat from planting through early summer.

New shoots eaten at or below soil level; leaves riddled with holes; tuber surface damaged. Ferric phosphate pellets applied at planting; reduce surface moisture with grit mulch; hand-pick at dusk.

Petals and leaf margins eaten at night; earwigs congregate inside bloom heads. Straw traps in upturned pots on bamboo canes; empty into soapy water each morning.

Colonies on tender growth tips; sticky honeydew; yellowing and distorted new leaves. Knock off with hose; insecticidal soap spray; neem oil; encourage natural predators.

Pale silvery flecking and streaks on petals; flower distortion on badly infested buds. Remove affected blooms; sticky blue traps; spinosad or insecticidal soap spray in the evening.