Pest identification
What's eating my tagetes tenuifolia 'tangerine gem'?
Spider Mites
Signs: Pale stippling and fine webbing on foliage; plants look bronzed and dusty in hot, dry spells.
Control: Mist foliage regularly to raise humidity; knock mites off with water jets; apply horticultural oil or insecticidal soap.
Slugs & Snails
Signs: Seedlings and young plants shredded at ground level overnight, especially in cool, moist conditions.
Control: Use iron phosphate pellets around young transplants; handpick at night; keep the area free of debris where slugs shelter.
Aphids
Signs: Soft green or black colonies on shoot tips causing sticky residue and slight leaf curl.
Control: Blast off with water; apply insecticidal soap; rely on natural predators such as hoverflies attracted by the marigold flowers.
Keep tagetes tenuifolia 'tangerine gem' pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
- What eats signet marigold — the species this cultivar belongs to
- What's wrong with my plant? — the diagnosis apps compared
- Common tagetes tenuifolia 'tangerine gem' problems & fixes
- Tagetes tenuifolia 'Tangerine Gem' watering schedule
- Tagetes tenuifolia 'Tangerine Gem' light requirements
- Full tagetes tenuifolia 'tangerine gem' care guide
Tagetes tenuifolia 'Tangerine Gem' pests — FAQ
What is eating my tagetes tenuifolia 'tangerine gem'?
Signet marigold 'Tangerine Gem' is surprisingly resistant to many pests — its pungent foliage repels some insects. Slugs and snails can damage young seedlings, spider mites may appear in hot dry weather, and aphids occasionally colonise shoot tips. Caterpillars (including loopers) chew leaves sporadically in summer.
How do I get rid of spider mites on tagetes tenuifolia 'tangerine gem'?
Pale stippling and fine webbing on foliage; plants look bronzed and dusty in hot, dry spells. Mist foliage regularly to raise humidity; knock mites off with water jets; apply horticultural oil or insecticidal soap.
How do I get rid of slugs & snails on tagetes tenuifolia 'tangerine gem'?
Seedlings and young plants shredded at ground level overnight, especially in cool, moist conditions. Use iron phosphate pellets around young transplants; handpick at night; keep the area free of debris where slugs shelter.
How do I get rid of aphids on tagetes tenuifolia 'tangerine gem'?
Soft green or black colonies on shoot tips causing sticky residue and slight leaf curl. Blast off with water; apply insecticidal soap; rely on natural predators such as hoverflies attracted by the marigold flowers.