What's eating my pelargonium 'madame layal'?

Pelargonium 'Madame Layal', an angel-type pelargonium, is most vulnerable to aphids on tender shoots and buds. Whitefly, caterpillars, and vine weevil larvae in containers are the next most common problems. Deer and rabbits rarely bother pelargoniums, making insect management the priority for this cultivar.

Colonies on shoot tips and flower buds; sticky honeydew, leaf curl, and stunted growth. Squash by hand or knock off with water; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil; attract beneficial insects.

Adults fly up when disturbed; leaves sticky with honeydew and blackened with sooty mould. Yellow sticky traps; pyrethrin or insecticidal soap spray targeting the undersides of leaves; repeat weekly.

Ragged holes in petals and leaves, sometimes with webbing or rolled leaves sheltering larvae. Handpick larvae; apply Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) spray; remove damaged foliage to prevent re-infestation.

C-shaped white grubs eat roots of container plants, causing wilting; adult beetles notch leaf edges at night. Apply beneficial nematodes to compost in late summer; consider imidacloprid-based vine weevil killer for containers.