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Peony buds have holes in

alonabettinson1974alonabettinson1974 Posts: 2
in Problem solving
I have an issue with my peony.  All the buds on the plant have holes munched all the way through.  What is causing this? 

Posts

  • amancalledgeorgeamancalledgeorge Posts: 2,736
    Is the residue visible on the nearby leaf slime from a slug maybe? Otherwise worth looking under the foliage in case there are any caterpillars that may have hatched on the plant. Such a shame! 
    To Plant a Garden is to Believe in Tomorrow
  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601
    That is infuriating! It doesn't look like slug damage because slugs usually go across rather than in. I have several peonies but have never had damage like that. Someone else will know. Welcome to the forum, by the way!
  • Janie BJanie B Posts: 963
    I have just been out to look at my peony buds... no holes, but each bud is covered in ants! Are mine next for the chomping...? 
    Lincolnshire
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited May 2020
    @Janie B  😊 GW did a feature on peonies the other week ... they explained that when the flower buds are about to open the pressure from the leaves against the green sepals encasing them is so powerful that the petals exude a sweet sap ... it’s that sap that the ants are drinking ... they’re not damaging the bud and will cease their interest in it as soon as it’s open and there is no more sweet sap being squeezed out. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    @Janie B, l remember the peony lady on Gardeners World  mentioning this. Apparently the ants are after the nectar that the buds are secreting , but they don't cause any harm. 
  • alonabettinson1974alonabettinson1974 Posts: 2
    Thank you all. There is no slime on any other leaves.  Someone mentioned earwigs on another site?Its really sad as all of the buds have these holes for 2 years now. 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It could be earwigs, if it isn't slugs.
    You can do that thing of an upturned small pot full of straw [or similar] on a cane placed nearby. They go in there to shelter, so you can collect and dispatch if necessary. Not something we get bothered with here. They're few and far between, but can be quite a problem elsewhere.
    Ants do no harm whatsoever, as already explained. You often get greenfly on peonies too, as the soft growth appears, so ants are common. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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