This is only one of probably >100 I found on my decimated grown from seed columbine. 3 days ago I noticed that it looked a bit 'off' the plant did. Tonight watering it, there were 90% leafless stalks, and the rest covered with these little guys. I'm not sad to say that these little mean green eating machines will not be eating anymore of my garden. At least the ones I found. I guess that's one way to get a green thumb. LOL LOL
Linda
LOLOL..........sorry to read about your columbine tho.
the columbine will come back but short of chemicals there isn't much you can do about those nasty creatures
I had those on some of mine too. Think someone said they were sawfly larvae. But htey are all done here now. Now I have some larvae eating all the blossoms on my Monardas, and I can't spray them for the bees.
Where have you been Lynn? We have missed you.
Perserverence and my thumb will take care of those little devils.
First time I grew columbine from seed. It hasn't bloomed but was nice and green. The stocks i grew from seed have grown and flowered nicely.
Linda
My columbines don't bloom the first year either. Then they only last for about three years and it's time to start fresh ones. I don't mind, becasue it gives me room to try a different one and there are so many nice ones to try. I'm done with William Guinness this year. Will see if there is any seed if someone wants it. I can't grow stocks here. Actually I just prolly can't grow stocks
seems the garden has been keeping me too busy to be a virtual gardener (as well as horses, work, aged mother, and aging self) thanks for the sentiment
I think those little green eating machines have also visited Ottawa as most of my Columbines are bare stems at the moment. The curious thing is that this year I've not actually SEEN anything on the plants. They keep poking up new growth; so I'm hopeful for the future.
Ann
Linda the little green eating machines will continue now that you have them. I know to expect them and take great care in inspecting the plant just after it leafs out. You need to turn the leaves over and have good eyesight to get them at the begining. The other thing to look for is their poops, small black dots that look like dust will direct you to where they may be.
I have sometimes used a systemic just on that plant, early, and have found that works too but mostly I pick and squish a lot in the begining. Once they are under control the plant comes along nicely. I only have two columbines due to the big job of worm picking.
The other thing that works is if your plant is infested and you don't want to pick ... cut the plant back to the soil and it will come again.
Good luck and dilligence will pay with some outstanding flowers !
Ann
Thanks everyone.
Annabell, I've seen their 'black dust' on my neighbouring plants and wondered what it was. So you can imagine what I"ll be doing this morning.
squish, squish, squish.
I had meant to post this one first last night, but got side tracked, here's what the columbine looked like when I found it. The good news is that today I went over what was left, and didn't find any. The columbine in the back yard is full of leaves, not a bug on them... yet.
I found similiar mean green eating machines on two of my potato vines. Did the squishy thing and then pinched off the damaged growth and garbaged it (along with any attached eggs). Plant is showing new growth now and looking much, much better.
This message was edited Jul 30, 2005 10:57 PM
Linda, sorry to hear about your columbine, along with everyone else's worm eaten plants. I'm having the same problems here. I think my little green worms are the cabbage worms. My nasturtiums look just like your columbine. Also have tent caterpillars. My neighbours beside & behind have trees full of them. Last week I got fed up & my husband & I went over & cut them all out, at least the ones we could reach. My neighbours do absolutely nothing when it comes to yard maintenance, but I won't get started on that. The tent caterpillars are eating my plectranthus & my red monarda to pieces. The other day I squished between 7-8 dozen of them. I have to do that every day now. Like Ann states, they are all underneath the leaves. Don't want to spray anything because of the hummers & the bees. Gets very discouraging........Linda
Linda, I agree it is discouraging when others around you don't take care of their yards. Especailly when it starts to have a detrimental effect on yours. On the up side though, your place must look like an oasis conpared to theirs.
.......... Linda
Linda
I loved the photo of the sticks you posted as that is exactly what I have found in the past. It just looks so pitiful. I just cut off the sticks and a new plant grew!
Broots I feel for you as one of my neighbors does the same thing and I fight a huge tree that is dripping every year with aphids to the point where people slip on their sidewalk!!. So fighing aphids in my yard is a loosing battle. So I too just do what I can.
Balancing it off is the other neighbor who is a sweetheart.
Ann
Aw, what a drag Linda. If it's not slugs it's caterpillers. I've had some trouble with the green cabbage butterfly larvae. It's amazing how fast and how much they can eat.
