Unfortunately slugs just love dahlias, as it’s in a pot you could use about 4 grains of slug pellet, no more than that is needed. If it’s any consolation, I would think most people have the same problem now the rains have come again, they love the damp atmosphere. You can go out at night with a torch and pick them off, a pair of tweezers will do or a pair of secateurs so you can cut them in half.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
If your dahlia is in a pot you can put the pot, on bricks, in a shallow tray of water. The pot should not be in the water. It is necessary to check the pot for several evenings to remove all the slugs that are living in it already, but no new ones will be able to reach it so long as the plant does not touch a wall or fence or any other plant. That way, you do not have to use pellets, which don't always work, anyway.
I doubt it would be aphids if they're dahlias. What are 'squash bugs' @edenhorticultural01 ? Slugs are most likely for the foliage damage, as @Lyn says, and earwigs for buds. Picking off and dispatching works well but @Posy 's method is also very effective if you have a tray big enough. The important thing is not to have anything that provides a 'bridge' for them to cross to the plants. Even a small stem would allow that. I've done it for lettuce and it's a good trick. Keep checking the water level too - especially when you will be watering/feeding dahlias regularly too Once the plant produces some new foliage, it will be fine.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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You can go out at night with a torch and pick them off, a pair of tweezers will do or a pair of secateurs so you can cut them in half.
What are 'squash bugs' @edenhorticultural01 ?
Slugs are most likely for the foliage damage, as @Lyn says, and earwigs for buds. Picking off and dispatching works well but @Posy 's method is also very effective if you have a tray big enough. The important thing is not to have anything that provides a 'bridge' for them to cross to the plants. Even a small stem would allow that. I've done it for lettuce and it's a good trick. Keep checking the water level too - especially when you will be watering/feeding dahlias regularly too
Once the plant produces some new foliage, it will be fine.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
When you think about it, no wonder they're so hard to get rid of
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...