What's eating my flame nasturtium?

Flame nasturtium (Tropaeolum speciosum) suffers from aphids above all, which swarm tender stems and may go unnoticed against dark foliage. Slugs and vine weevil grubs damage roots and shoots at soil level. Growing through a cool hedge gives some natural protection but does not eliminate aphid pressure.

Colonies on shoot tips; sticky honeydew, leaf curl, and weakened flowering stems. Knock off with water; use insecticidal soap or introduce Aphidius parasitic wasps. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers that promote soft growth.

Notched leaf margins from adult beetles at night; grubs eat roots, causing sudden wilting. Apply pathogenic nematodes (Steinernema kraussei) to the root zone in late summer; use physical barriers around containers.

Silvery slime trails and ragged holes in leaves and young stems at the soil line. Lay copper tape around pots; scatter iron phosphate pellets; collect manually at night.