Pest identification
What's eating my dryopteris carthusiana?
Slugs and snails
Signs: Irregular holes and ragged frond edges; slime trails visible on soil and foliage after rain
Control: Use iron phosphate pellets around crowns; lay grit mulch as a surface deterrent; hand-pick after dark
Vine weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus)
Signs: Adults notch leaf margins; grubs chew through roots, causing plant collapse in late summer
Control: Water in biological nematodes (Steinernema kraussei) in late summer to moist soil; lift and inspect crowns if wilting occurs unexpectedly
Deer
Signs: Fronds browsed down to stubs, most damaging in spring; can stress plants but rarely kills them
Control: Use deer repellent sprays or erect deer fencing around plantings in at-risk areas
Keep dryopteris carthusiana pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Dryopteris carthusiana pests — FAQ
What is eating my dryopteris carthusiana?
Dryopteris carthusiana (narrow buckler fern) is a trouble-free garden fern. Slugs and snails are its most consistent pest, feeding on young fronds in spring. Vine weevil grubs can damage roots in waterlogged or heavily mulched beds. Deer may browse spring growth in wilder woodland settings.
How do I get rid of slugs and snails on dryopteris carthusiana?
Irregular holes and ragged frond edges; slime trails visible on soil and foliage after rain Use iron phosphate pellets around crowns; lay grit mulch as a surface deterrent; hand-pick after dark
How do I get rid of vine weevil (otiorhynchus sulcatus) on dryopteris carthusiana?
Adults notch leaf margins; grubs chew through roots, causing plant collapse in late summer Water in biological nematodes (Steinernema kraussei) in late summer to moist soil; lift and inspect crowns if wilting occurs unexpectedly
How do I get rid of deer on dryopteris carthusiana?
Fronds browsed down to stubs, most damaging in spring; can stress plants but rarely kills them Use deer repellent sprays or erect deer fencing around plantings in at-risk areas