What's eating my pelargonium 'scarlet unique'?

Pelargonium 'Scarlet Unique' is an aromatic Unique type whose scented foliage deters most browsers. The main threats are aphids massing on flower buds and shoots, geranium bronze butterfly caterpillars boring into stems, and vine weevil grubs attacking roots in containers. Whitefly may be troublesome in sheltered positions.

Dense colonies on young growth and flower stems cause distortion, sticky honeydew, and secondary sooty mould infections. Blast off with water; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray. Introduce aphid predators such as ladybirds in garden settings.

Caterpillars bore into stems and buds, leaving frass-filled tunnels; flower buds fail to open or shoots wilt unexpectedly. Remove and destroy infested growth immediately. Spray with spinosad or pyrethrin-based insecticide. Monitor flower buds for eggs.

Root-feeding grubs cause rapid wilting and death in container plants; adults notch leaf edges nocturnally. Apply nematodes (Steinernema kraussei) to moist compost in late summer. Inspect root balls at repotting and destroy any cream-coloured grubs.