Im being attacked left, right, and center!

[JittyJohnser]

Please help me identify and get rid of all these pests. This is exhausting!


Dianthus:

I just bought these and they have these scab-looking things on them. I pulled 2 slugs off of this plant just before potting it. Are these slug egg sacs? 🫣 There are also some leaves with spots underneath them.

Kalanchoe:

This is the first time in the several years I’ve had this plant, that I’ve had any issues. It has spots now and is looking overall pretty ill since they appeared.

Petunias:

I just planted these Petunias a couple of days ago. As if it’s not traumatic enough being transplanted, now something is munching them all up!!

Hydrangeas & Holly Hock:

Could whatever has been munching on my Petunias have started munching on my Hydrangeas and Holly Hock??

This feels like an emergency. The leaf and flower munching has to be stopped immediately or I’m going to lose a lot of plants. I did find a snail in one of my other plants. I’m not sure if that could be the culprit or if it’s something else or both. Does anyone have any suggestions?

I’ve worked especially hard caring for my hydrangeas over this past year and they’re looking pretty good and will start blooming soon if I can keep them safe. So out of all this I would say that is my number one concern.

Is there anything that I can use to fix ALL my issues?

 

[Tetters]

Please help me identify and get rid of all these pests. This is exhausting!


Dianthus:

I just bought these and they have these scab-looking things on them. I pulled 2 slugs off of this plant just before potting it. Are these slug egg sacs? 🫣 There are also some leaves with spots underneath them.
View attachment 102932
View attachment 102934

Kalanchoe:

This is the first time in the several years I’ve had this plant, that I’ve had any issues. It has spots now and is looking overall pretty ill since they appeared.
View attachment 102935
View attachment 102936


Petunias:

I just planted these Petunias a couple of days ago. As if it’s not traumatic enough being transplanted, now something is munching them all up!!
View attachment 102937
View attachment 102938


Hydrangeas & Holly Hock:

Could whatever has been munching on my Petunias have started munching on my Hydrangeas and Holly Hock??
View attachment 102939
View attachment 102940



This feels like an emergency. The leaf and flower munching has to be stopped immediately or I’m going to lose a lot of plants. I did find a snail in one of my other plants. I’m not sure if that could be the culprit or if it’s something else or both. Does anyone have any suggestions?

I’ve worked especially hard caring for my hydrangeas over this past year and they’re looking pretty good and will start blooming soon if I can keep them safe. So out of all this I would say that is my number one concern.

Is there anything that I can use to fix ALL my issues?

There is no magic wand, and it's not so simple to have all the answers from photos, but we can try. For a start, have a look at the following link, to see if you think you can see some sort of scale insect https://www.gardentech.com/insects/scale
If you've had a fair share of rain, as we have here, the slugs will be out in droves, munching anything they can find. One of the best ways to catch them is to leave a few pots upside down between the plants to give them somewhere to hide during the day - they do most of their damage at night. Turn up the pots, and stick the blighters in a salt pot to get rid. Put on some gloves if you're squeamish, and good luck......don't panic get even!!
Welcome to the forums, it's usually good to share the good and the bad, you're not on your own - we all have to deal with the problems, it's what makes gardening interesting
By the way, slugs don't usually leave eggs on the plants, we mostly see them in shady places under a brick or similar, or in the soil.

 

[redback]

This feels like an emergency.

Looks alright to me.
Try mulching with straw and a fertilizing.
Dianthus - pick the bugs off by hand.
Kalanchoe - spread them out a bit by digging up - splitting the root system in several bits and replanting. Prune where necessary.
Petunias - prune off damaged leaves.
Hydrangeas & Hollyhock - pick off damaged leaves.

 

[big rockpile]

Slugs use Saucer of Beer.

big rockpile

 

[cpp gardener]

Slugs and snails use metaldehyde. Kills them quick. Be careful of dogs and cats, though. Sluggo is iron phosphate. Harmless to mammals but deadly to molluscs. Do bunnies have access to your petunias? Looks more like them than slugs or snails. Hydrangeas are probably slugs/snails but they're too big for devastation unless the population is huge.
As for the Kalanchoe, it looks like it got cold (remember December?) and is being overwatered. Could use some fertilizer too.
The Dianthus may have carnation rust. Spray with Funginex to control it. The bumps are definitely NOT slug/snail eggs. Take a sample to Armstrong Garden Center or Roger's for a better diagnosis. They've got some real knowledgeable staff at both stores.