What's eating my viola 'sorbet raspberry'?

Viola 'Sorbet Raspberry' is a compact pansy-type viola highly attractive to aphids and slugs. Viola sawfly larvae can defoliate plants quickly in late spring. In garden beds, rabbits and birds (who peck at flowers) are real threats. Red spider mite can trouble pot-grown plants in warm dry summers.

Soft insects clustered under leaves and at stem joints; honeydew, sooty mould, and distorted flower buds. Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil every 5–7 days. Start treatment early in spring before populations build up.

Caterpillar-like green larvae eat leaf tissue from edges; plants can be reduced to bare stems in days. Inspect plants in May–June; hand-pick and destroy larvae; apply spinosad or pyrethrin spray if infestation is heavy.

Ragged holes in flowers and foliage; worst after rain or irrigation; slime trails on soil and pots. Iron-phosphate pellets around plants; copper tape on containers; grit mulch deters movement. Hand-pick at dusk.

Flower petals and heads pecked off, especially on yellow and red cultivars; damage occurs in daytime. Drape fine netting over flowering plants during peak bird activity in spring. Remove netting once plants are established and growing strongly.