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Pest control clematis and Dahlias

creina2u99Y1ve0bcreina2u99Y1ve0b Posts: 4
in Problem solving
I have 4 clematis, I think are nubia, Olympia, Dorath and White Columbine, I have barely seen the flowers this year as they have been eaten within a few days and the flower shoots too. I cut them back last year so this was my first year getting flowers. They are all in pots. I was reading up and it could be earwigs? Also my Dahlias were doing amazing and this week with loads of buds two out of the three withered, vine weevil? Any advice on pest control for next year would be great. I haven't use nematodes before, just read about them when looking into companion planting for a hopeful future allotment. If anyone can point me in the direction of a forum "pest control for newbies" I would be grateful! I have introduced a frog pond and have my first frog so I am sure he will help me next year. Thank you do much; Location Fife Scotland 

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  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Difficult without any photos.  :)
    Slugs are the biggest enemy of clematis, especially when new shoots emerge. Vine weevil can be a smaller pest, but a pest nevertheless. 
    You need to check on the correct pruning for your clematis too. Most are pruned to encourage more stems, but some get very little to none. So be careful that you aren't cutting off potential flowering stems. The pots need to be appropriate in size,  and with the right medium for them to grow in. Not just compost. 

    The dahlias may have suffered from being too dry. They can't fully develop the buds into flowers if they're short of water. Dahlias need a lot of food and water, and lack of flowers, or poor bud development, isn't always due to something recent - buds are formed early on in the plant's growth. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • creina2u99Y1ve0bcreina2u99Y1ve0b Posts: 4
    Thank you Fairy Girl, I will look into the soil more to see what I can do to improve it. I know more this year, so I will repositioning a few. All are in large pots and containers. but looking into what light conditions they like. I stopped feeding the dahlias as I thought I would be putting them into storage for winter soon so that may be it. Its been pretty wet here. Will have a look at the soil when I dig them up to make sure no larvae, thank you so much will start researching now ....learning curve for me as was an indoor plant person but loving my gardening like most this year. 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    It's all a learning curve  :)
    Even in wet conditions, and we've had even more than our fair share over here, pots need watering, because the foliage on many plants stops rainwater getting through in sufficient quantities.
    I grow a lot of sweet peas in pots, and like dahlias, they need lots of food and water. I've still had to water every day, even during the incessant heavy rain of last weekend. It doesn't penetrate the foliage well enough.
    Dahlias often have quite big leaves, which can simply shed the water off, clear of the pots :)
    I find the nematodes a bit hopeless here. By the time it's warm enough in spring for them to be effective, they're already on the rampage. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • creina2u99Y1ve0bcreina2u99Y1ve0b Posts: 4

  • creina2u99Y1ve0bcreina2u99Y1ve0b Posts: 4
    Bottom pic was it opening the day before. Next day was the others pics. No pictures of my dahlias as already cut them back. Thank you again 
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