Pest identification
What's eating my tagetes patula 'boy orange'?
Spider mites
Signs: Fine webbing on leaf undersides; foliage turns bronzed and stippled in hot, dry conditions.
Control: Blast plants with a strong jet of water daily; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray; ensure adequate watering to reduce plant stress.
Aphids
Signs: Clusters of small soft insects on shoot tips and buds; sticky honeydew and distorted new growth.
Control: Knock off with water; spray with insecticidal soap or diluted neem oil; encourage ladybirds and lacewings.
Slugs and snails
Signs: Ragged holes in leaves and stems of seedlings, especially at soil level; silvery slime trails.
Control: Apply iron phosphate slug pellets around plants; use copper tape on pots; hand-pick at night; clear debris where they shelter.
Budworm (Helicoverpa spp.)
Signs: Holes bored directly into flower buds; buds fail to open or are hollowed out.
Control: Pick off caterpillars by hand; apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spray to buds at first sign; remove affected buds promptly.
Keep tagetes patula 'boy orange' pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
- What eats french marigold — the species this cultivar belongs to
- What's wrong with my plant? — the diagnosis apps compared
- Common tagetes patula 'boy orange' problems & fixes
- Tagetes patula 'Boy Orange' watering schedule
- Tagetes patula 'Boy Orange' light requirements
- Full tagetes patula 'boy orange' care guide
Tagetes patula 'Boy Orange' pests — FAQ
What is eating my tagetes patula 'boy orange'?
French marigolds like 'Boy Orange' are famously pest-resistant, but they do attract spider mites in hot dry spells and aphids on young shoots. Slugs and snails chew seedlings at soil level. Budworm caterpillars (Helicoverpa) bore into developing buds. Their scent actually deters many pests from neighbouring plants.
How do I get rid of spider mites on tagetes patula 'boy orange'?
Fine webbing on leaf undersides; foliage turns bronzed and stippled in hot, dry conditions. Blast plants with a strong jet of water daily; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray; ensure adequate watering to reduce plant stress.
How do I get rid of aphids on tagetes patula 'boy orange'?
Clusters of small soft insects on shoot tips and buds; sticky honeydew and distorted new growth. Knock off with water; spray with insecticidal soap or diluted neem oil; encourage ladybirds and lacewings.
How do I get rid of slugs and snails on tagetes patula 'boy orange'?
Ragged holes in leaves and stems of seedlings, especially at soil level; silvery slime trails. Apply iron phosphate slug pellets around plants; use copper tape on pots; hand-pick at night; clear debris where they shelter.
How do I get rid of budworm (helicoverpa spp.) on tagetes patula 'boy orange'?
Holes bored directly into flower buds; buds fail to open or are hollowed out. Pick off caterpillars by hand; apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spray to buds at first sign; remove affected buds promptly.