Hi everyone,
I'm new to growing clematis and planted a beautiful Andromeda. A number of blossoms have opened, but a few of them are being eaten by a bug even before they are open. They end up looking like lace and not in a pretty sense. Does anyone know what this could be and how I might treat it? I try to be organic, but do succumb periodically to some chemicals.
help! Something eating blossoms
Earwigs?
I agree with Dawn. It's earwigs.
Yes, "Andromeda" gets eaten by earwigs all the time! It seems to be better in early Fall. Also, I noticed that "Henryii", another white colored Clematis seems to be a favorite of earwigs........gggrrrr!!!
Shirley is 100% right. This was the first spring the earwigs didn't attack Henryii. They also feast on our Hagley Hybrid and Nelly Moser.
i don't think i have earwigs in the garden, but my husband saw one in the house recently.
for those of you with experience with these on clematis, what is the solution. ( want to be ready in case i get some)
I think earwigs seem to favor light colored Clematis. I also think that the growing area that I live in (very hot & humid during the Summer months) also contributes to earwigs feasting on the blooms. As I mentioned above, when the weather gets cooler and less humid during the Fall, the earwigs don't ruin the flowers as much. Florida Sieboldii is being nibbled on too! Gggrrr!
Check out these articles on earwigs and various methods of control:
http://www.entomology.wisc.edu/diaglab/hilites/a3640.pdf
http://www.gardensalive.com/product.asp?pn=2967&ss=earwigs (Organic) I haven't tried "Escar-Go Supreme" for earwigs, but it's defintiely worth a try!
http://horticultureguy.com/2005/04/09/chewed-clematis-shoots/ (using Neem Oil)
This message was edited Jun 30, 2008 1:27 PM
Wow! Thanks everyone! We definitely have earwigs here, and I am earwig ingnorant. I've gardened here for 8 years, have seen them, been heeby jeebied by them, but didn't know what damage they did. I will read up on the articles. Appreciate all of your experience. I have a Henryii also, but it is across the yard and doesn't seem affected. I do seem to have some random Clematis Wilt. I lost my Ruutel to the wilt. I'm hoping it will come back another year. I was told to cut off the foliage and leave it alone to see if it will recover another time. I'm noticing a strand of wilt among the Andromeda, and hope that the whole plant won't be affected. I don't think I can fish that strand out without hurting the rest of the plant. Is it OK to leave the strand there? Thanks for all the earwig info.
take the bad vine out of the andromedia. cut it at the base and pull down. or cut at bottom and work your way up higher cutting it and eventually yank downward.
consider using a product for powdery mildew too like " rose 3 in one" sometime i it on the ground around the clematis in the hopes it will help keep bugs down and powdery mildew.
also a solution of liquid dish soap and water is good for whatever ails i think.
if it is true clematis wilt...you will know it and nothing will work except the plant dying back, being cut off and hopefuly re appearing. but you might as well try?
Thanks Niobe. I lost a Ruutel to wilt, so I'm hoping not to lose my Andromeda. I will pull the stem out. I've not tried the dish soap solution for bugs, but want to. Oops, toddlers gone mad! Gotta run.