Pest identification
What's eating my dahlia 'karma naomi'?
Slugs and snails
Signs: Young shoots eaten at ground level; tuber surface gnawed; slime trails on stems.
Control: Ferric phosphate pellets at planting; dry bark mulch reduces moisture slug habitat; hand-pick at night.
Earwigs
Signs: Notched petals and holes in leaves; earwigs shelter inside large bloom heads.
Control: Straw-stuffed pot traps on canes; check daily and drown in soapy water; avoid mulching directly against stems.
Aphids
Signs: Colonies on shoot tips and bud bases; sticky honeydew and stunted growth.
Control: Blast with water hose; insecticidal soap; neem oil; ladybirds and lacewings as biocontrol.
Thrips
Signs: Fine silvery streaks and flecks on petals; flowers may be distorted or fail to open fully.
Control: Remove and bin badly affected blooms; sticky blue traps; spinosad spray in the evening.
Keep dahlia 'karma naomi' pest-free
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Dahlia 'Karma Naomi' pests — FAQ
What is eating my dahlia 'karma naomi'?
Dahlia 'Karma Naomi' is a popular cut-flower dahlia with large decorative blooms attractive to earwigs. Slugs threaten tubers and new growth, aphids colonise tips, and thrips can mark the pale-pink petals. Slugs are the worst early-season threat; earwigs become problematic as blooms open.
How do I get rid of slugs and snails on dahlia 'karma naomi'?
Young shoots eaten at ground level; tuber surface gnawed; slime trails on stems. Ferric phosphate pellets at planting; dry bark mulch reduces moisture slug habitat; hand-pick at night.
How do I get rid of earwigs on dahlia 'karma naomi'?
Notched petals and holes in leaves; earwigs shelter inside large bloom heads. Straw-stuffed pot traps on canes; check daily and drown in soapy water; avoid mulching directly against stems.
How do I get rid of aphids on dahlia 'karma naomi'?
Colonies on shoot tips and bud bases; sticky honeydew and stunted growth. Blast with water hose; insecticidal soap; neem oil; ladybirds and lacewings as biocontrol.
How do I get rid of thrips on dahlia 'karma naomi'?
Fine silvery streaks and flecks on petals; flowers may be distorted or fail to open fully. Remove and bin badly affected blooms; sticky blue traps; spinosad spray in the evening.