Succulent problem

Magical Meerkat · December 2018

Hello,

I have quite a few succulents I've brought in for the winter. I just noticed one of my large Aeoniums has been ringbarked by something munching it.

After digging around in the pot I found vine weevils grubs. Cry...

I've disposed of the compost and chopped above the damage on the stem and will re root the head. Although it is huge so might need some support.

I had noticed the soil looked like worm casts on the surface, but I guess it was grubs casts. Wish I checked it earlier.

Do you think I can just check for signs on all my others? They all seem fine at the moment and no soil casts on the surface. Could they just be in that one pot?

I don't use chemicals so soaking the pots is not an option.

Also found a cheeky micro moth caterpillar had eaten away the stem on a Echeveria in secret under the rosette. Whole thing came away in my hand...

Arghhhh

wild edges · December 2018

I'd recommend nematodes but they need damp soil to work and that's not going to be good for the succulents over the winter. I had the grubs in quite a few pots over the winter last year and only realised when it came to spring and the tops fell off loads of plants. Most of them re-potted fine in the spring though and grew on well. I've added a deeper layer of grit this year to see if that prevents them.

Succulent problem

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