I presume the question comes as a result of Monty Don claiming that slugs and snails only attack weak plants. That is absolute ........... (insert your own word). There is some logic that weak plant will succumb more quickly,but maybe they are weak because they've been attacked rather than the other way round.
I think a plant that's already struggling will be affected more badly by pests. If a plant is healthy, growing well, producing lots of new growth etc. an attack by pests doesn't seem to look as bad as it does on one that isn't doing well to begin with. But I don't think a struggling plant actually attracts more pests than a healthy one.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
I presume the question comes as a result of Monty Don claiming that slugs and snails only attack weak plants. That is absolute ........... (insert your own word).
It wasn't an invitation to have a go at anyone. It's a commonly held "fact" in the permaculture and organic growing world that you don't need sprays or other pest protection if you feed the soil and create strong, healthy plants. You hear much the same about people - that if you feed them right, they don't get sick and therefore have no need of medicine.
But I don't see much evidence of selective pest attack in my own garden. Spanish slugs, for example, seem to target new growth on new plants regardless of health. Sawfly, aphids, rabbits and deer seem to take whatever they can get. I haven't had scale or weevil.
I presume the question comes as a result of Monty Don claiming that slugs and snails only attack weak plants. That is absolute ........... (insert your own word).
You hear much the same about people - that if you feed them right, they don't get sick and therefore have no need of medicine.
I voted yes, but having now read @Loxley ’s explanation as to why it’s a ‘no’, that also makes sense.
I voted yes because, as a total novice, I noticed that all my newly planted hostas that were weak and stressed, due to being planted in the wrong type of soil, were attacked by slugs.
When I changed the soil, the (almost totally disseminated) hostas thrived and have hardly been touched by the slugs.
In terms of other pests - blackfly and greenfly - they seem to be attracted to everything and anything in our garden.
I read it as 'are already weakened plants more likely to be affected by other pests and diseases?' and answered that way. Yes. However, I didn't really think about the connotations of using 'attract' in the question so whether they 'attract' pests is a difficult question to answer and is non-binary. Some pests and diseases do indeed cause some plants to emit pheromones, and it may well be that some of those attract other pests. Pests may also emit pheromones which attract more of the same insect.
I'll officially change my answer to "I refuse to answer stupid yes/no gardening questions" now, as the answer is clearly a bit of both.
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
I presume the question comes as a result of Monty Don claiming that slugs and snails only attack weak plants. That is absolute ........... (insert your own word).
You hear much the same about people - that if you feed them right, they don't get sick and therefore have no need of medicine.
And sadly that isn't true either.
A rather fit and healthy footballer had a heart attack and almost died on the field recently. I'm not sure how much more fit and well fed anyone can be than he.
I presume the question comes as a result of Monty Don claiming that slugs and snails only attack weak plants. That is absolute ........... (insert your own word).
You hear much the same about people - that if you feed them right, they don't get sick and therefore have no need of medicine.
And sadly that isn't true either.
A rather fit and healthy footballer had a heart attack and almost died on the field recently. I'm not sure how much more fit and well fed anyone can be than he.
Posts
I voted yes because, as a total novice, I noticed that all my newly planted hostas that were weak and stressed, due to being planted in the wrong type of soil, were attacked by slugs.
In terms of other pests - blackfly and greenfly - they seem to be attracted to everything and anything in our garden.