Forum home› Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

young tulip leaves being eaten and glued together?

StreathamDebsStreathamDebs Posts: 6
in Plants
Can anyone tell me what this problem is likely to be. Second or third year I've had this on new tulip bulbs planted previous autumn/winter. Young shoots about 4 inches long where the outside leaves have oblong holes eaten in them. And some have the leaf points pulled through said holes several times over "blocking" the flower shoot from being able to grow through - as if it's a nest for something inside - catepillar of some sort? But not seen one. Some flower shoots eaten and leaves left untouched. Any suggestions?

Posts

  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    At first l thought it was slug or snail damage Debs, but l've never seen anything like that. It's very intriguing. Hopefully someone on here may know what's causing it.
    Any chance of a photo please ?
  • StreathamDebsStreathamDebs Posts: 6
    I undid the damage of the leaves being bound together yesterday but you can see the holes clearly. 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I think that’s snail damage done when the leaves are small and still just poking through the soil furled around each other.  They start as small holes but as the leaves grow so do the holes. The inner leaves may well poke through some of the holes. 

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





  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    That makes sense @Dovefromabove
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited March 2021
    Flippin' molluscs  🐌 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱

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





  • StreathamDebsStreathamDebs Posts: 6
    And what's the best way of keeping them at bay at that point in time? They came after my dahlias big time last year too, so chucking them next door didn't work! Is there a "nice" erradication method?
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    edited March 2021
    Yes, slug nematodes (applied when the soil is warmer) will reduce the population so you should see less damage next early spring, if you apply them at the recommended times later this year.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    You could also try beer traps. Effective but somewhat messy 🐌.
Sign In or Register to comment.