Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Ah ha--this is what's destroying my Dahlias!

My urns flanking the garage are in dire need of a fall remake.

The dahlias have been diseased all summer.  I was waiting for the last one to bloom, so I knew what color it was and then I planned to cut them all down to the soil.  The last one bloomed this weekend.
I discovered it's an orange dahlia. I can now mark it when I remove it for winter storage.  When I took a close up picture, I noticed these little black specs:
Are they aphids?  Are aphids the evil destroyers causing this damage?
I just removed all the ugly leaves last week and now the leaves I left look just as bad.

The nasturtiums are also looking bad.  I was gone for two days last weekend. When I came back the nasturtiums had gone downhill.
I am tired of nasturtium's demands--constant removal of yellow leaves, cutting back spent blooms, etc.  If I miss one day of watering, the leaves turn yellow.   I think it's time to get rid of them. 

I am going to try to revamp these containers for fall.  I will show them to you after I do that.  In the meantime, please let me know what the bugs are!

9 comments:

  1. If they're black bugs, I'm sure they are aphids. They suck all the juice out of the leaves. They're is something to treat them, but don't think I would this year with it being so late. Maybe spray them good with the hose to try and get them off. This is the year for lots of bugs with this heat and the easy past winter we had.
    Cher Sunray Gardens

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  2. How frustrating. I don't know if those are aphids- I THINK aphids are green or brown and they are kind of elongated (round bottomed). I don't know what those are but UGH! Are you sure they are bugs or is it just leaf spot (which is just as damaging). Good luck figuring it out- xo Diana

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  3. You may think those flowers look bad, but compared to what's blooming around here they are beautiful.

    Hurricane Issac is drop 2-5 inches here from Friday into Saturday. Keep you fingers crossed for moisture on no tornadoes.

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  4. Aphids or not your containers rock...but it is annoying!

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  5. I love how you have that planter dressed up for Fall Zoey. My dahlias have done terrible this summer too. I am so over this summer. LOL! I am looking forward to next year already after this year.
    Have a great week!

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  6. I have tons of Nasturtium leaves, but the ones in the ground, I think the ones you sent, aren't giving me any blooms yet! The ones in the pots are and I am seeing the yellowed leaves too. Just give them a little snip as they will last until frost. I am happy they don't wilt like the other potted plants I have.
    Sorry about your dahlias...never saw dark stuff unless it's bug poo.

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  7. The nasturtiums will attract the aphids, have them in my veggie garden to keep the aphids from my tomato plants.

    You can spray with an insecticidal soap (Safer). I think I would pull the nasturtiums and see if you can save the dahlia.

    Eileen

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  8. Hi, I found your problem. It's caterpillar poop. I saw the caterpillar in your picture. It is on the upper left hand side of the flower, thin, tan with tiny black spots on it's back. Find the caterpillar and pull it off and you'll have solved your problem :)

    Lil

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