After many years of careful picking off, I have had my first year free of sawfly on my Solomon's seal I'm hoping it may continue now I've broken the life cycle. My garden is isolated, surrounded by open country, so no other plants in the immediate vicinity to cross contaminate. It must be harder if you have other gardens with plants nearby. I like the leaves, they are so simple and elegant, and always hate to see the first holes appearing.
There's not really any point in adding to the unnecessary application of pesticides by spraying sawfly larvae or a lot of others. They have a place in the web of life. For what it's worth, my Solomon's Seal hasn't been affected yet, and when they are, long after the plants have done their thing for this year, I see it as being an interesting and fascinating process by which nature uses its resources, rather than a nuisance.
I hate using insectocides ever. In all my life the only thing I've ever sprayed in the garden is Solomon's Seal for sawfly.
We spent 20 years picking them off EVERY year and then my new gardener ... also not "a sprayer" said I'd never shift them without serious warfare and so reluctantly I agreed to what he recommended just 2 years ago and never had them back since.
Thanks, nut; I was really asking NorthernLass, because I don't really see a problem. Once the caterpillars start gnawing at the leaves you can just cut them back like any other perennial that has become food for all sorts of critters and fungi.
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After many years of careful picking off, I have had my first year free of sawfly on my Solomon's seal
I'm hoping it may continue now I've broken the life cycle. My garden is isolated, surrounded by open country, so no other plants in the immediate vicinity to cross contaminate. It must be harder if you have other gardens with plants nearby. I like the leaves, they are so simple and elegant, and always hate to see the first holes appearing.
There's not really any point in adding to the unnecessary application of pesticides by spraying sawfly larvae or a lot of others. They have a place in the web of life. For what it's worth, my Solomon's Seal hasn't been affected yet, and when they are, long after the plants have done their thing for this year, I see it as being an interesting and fascinating process by which nature uses its resources, rather than a nuisance.
Joe
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I hate using insectocides ever. In all my life the only thing I've ever sprayed in the garden is Solomon's Seal for sawfly.
We spent 20 years picking them off EVERY year and then my new gardener ... also not "a sprayer" said I'd never shift them without serious warfare and so reluctantly I agreed to what he recommended just 2 years ago and never had them back since.
Do the larvae affect the plants during the flowering period?
No, not in my garden. But before the sawfly invaded the leaves stayed and turned a lovely yellow late on.
No insecticides here, no exceptions. I don't want that stuff in the food chain.
I'm planning to shift them, wash off the roots and hope to break the cycle. We shall see. Not a big deal if it doesn't work
In the sticks near Peterborough
Thanks, nut; I was really asking NorthernLass, because I don't really see a problem. Once the caterpillars start gnawing at the leaves you can just cut them back like any other perennial that has become food for all sorts of critters and fungi.