What's eating my the rocket ligularia?

Slugs and snails are the headline threat to The Rocket Ligularia, shredding its large leaves with ragged holes overnight. Aphids can cluster on new growth in spring. The bold foliage is otherwise largely ignored by deer and rabbits, making slug control the single priority from the moment new growth emerges.

Large, ragged holes in leaves; young plants can be consumed entirely overnight; slime trails visible in the morning Apply iron phosphate bait (Sluggo) around plants in spring; use copper tape barriers or sharp grit mulch; hand-pick at dusk; water in the morning so foliage is dry by evening

Clusters of soft-bodied insects on new shoots and flower stems; sticky honeydew residue; distorted or curled young leaves Blast off with a strong jet of water; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil spray; encourage ladybugs and lacewings as natural predators

Adults notch leaf margins with small, U-shaped scallops; larvae sever roots at the crown, causing sudden wilting or plant collapse Apply beneficial nematodes (Steinernema kraussei) to moist soil in late summer; shake plants over card at dusk to collect adults; use vine-weevil-specific soil drenches where available