Salvia is a popular garden plant grown for its colorful flowers and fragrant foliage. However, salvias can fall victim to a range of pests that chew holes in leaves, stunt growth, and spread disease. As a gardener, discovering ragged, skeletonized leaves or curled, distorted stems on your prized salvia likely leads you to wonder, “What is eating my salvias?”
Properly identifying the culprits nibbling on your plants is the critical first step toward effective pest management. Let’s explore some of the most common salvia pests, the damage they cause, and organic solutions to protect your plants.
The Usual Suspects: Common Salvia Pests
A wide range of insects animals, and even fungi can attack salvias. Here are the most frequent salvia pests I see in home gardens
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Slugs and snails – These slimy mollusks are #1 on the list of likely salvia nibblers. They chew irregular holes in leaves, sometimes skeletonizing them entirely. Look for their telltale slime trails on leaves, pots, and soil overnight or after rain.
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Aphids – These tiny, soft-bodied insects cluster on young shoots and undersides of leaves. Heavy infestations cause distorted growth, yellowing, or leaf drop. Aphids excrete sticky honeydew that can grow black sooty mold.
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Spider mites – Too small to see with the naked eye, spider mites form colonies on the undersides of leaves, sucking juices and causing stippling, discoloration, or leaf drop. They thrive in hot, dry conditions.
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Whiteflies – Like tiny white moth flies, these sap-sucking insects take flight when disturbed. They cause yellow stippling on leaves and excrete honeydew.
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Thrips – Slender, winged thrips rasp tender leaves, resulting in silvery-white streaks or dots. Damaged tissues turn brown.
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Caterpillars – Butteryfly and moth larvae are voracious leaf eaters. Watch for ragged holes, chewed edges, and dried frass (droppings).
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Earwigs – These creepy-looking insects emerge at night to dine on leaves, flowers, and stems. Damaged areas look ragged or wilted.
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Powdery mildew – This fungal disease first appears as white powdery spots on leaves and stems. It spreads rapidly in warm, humid conditions.
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Root rot – Caused by overwatering, this fungal disease attacks roots, resulting in stunted growth, yellowing leaves, and potential death.
While less common, rabbits, deer, and rodents like gophers may also nibble on salvia. Identifying the exact pest allows you to tailor your solutions.
Organic and Natural Pest Solutions
Once you’ve detected the invaders munching on your salvias, it’s time to take action. As an organic gardener, I rely on natural, non-toxic remedies:
Natural insecticides – Insecticidal soaps, neem oil, and essential oil sprays deter aphids, mites, thrips, earwigs, and more without harming beneficials. Target undersides of leaves and repeat applications weekly.
Traps – Set out dishes of beer to trap slugs and snails. Sticky traps capture whiteflies, aphids, and fungus gnats. Pheromone traps lure caterpillars.
Row covers – These lightweight covers form a physical barrier against flying and crawling pests while allowing air, light, and irrigation through.
Diatomaceous earth – This powdery mineral physically damages soft-bodied insects like slugs, earwigs, and silverfish while remaining harmless to mammals.
Beneficial insects – Welcome ladybugs, lacewings, parasitic wasps, and other beneficial predators that naturally control pests by releasing or attracting them to your garden.
Remove infested plants – Prune off badly infested stems, leaves, and spent flowers. Destroy seriously infected plants to prevent disease spread.
Adjust watering – Prevent fungal diseases like powdery mildew and root rot by watering early in the day, avoiding overhead sprinklers, and allowing soil to partially dry between waterings.
An integrated pest management plan that employs multiple organic strategies will help protect your salvias while creating a safe garden for people, pets, and the environment.
Physical Barriers and Pest Prevention
In addition to treatment methods, installing physical barriers and taking preventative measures can deter hungry pests from feasting on your salvias in the first place:
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Set up fencing or netting to exclude deer, rabbits, and rodents from the garden. Bury the bottom edge to deter burrowing pests.
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Sprinkle a band of diatomaceous earth around plant bases to block slugs and snails. Reapply after rain.
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Add a 3-4 inch layer of organic mulch around plants to hamper weeds, retain moisture, and create an insect barrier.
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Eliminate hiding spots by removing boards, rocks, leaf litter, and weedy growth around plants.
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Check for pests like caterpillars and earwigs hiding in salvia blooms before bringing cut flowers indoors.
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Rotate salvias to different spots in the garden annually to disrupt pest cycles.
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Remove vulnerable seedlings before nightfall when slugs and snails are most active.
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Group salvias with pest-repelling plants like garlic, chives, onions, and marigolds.
By taking steps to exclude pests and limit their harborage, you can prevent many problems before they start. Consistent monitoring and quick response at the first sign of damage is also critical for effective salvia pest management.
Encourage Beneficial Garden Visitors
While some critters snack on salvias, others help control pests. Take steps to attract beneficial wildlife to your garden:
Birds – Set up birdhouses and roosts. Songbirds, chickadees, and wrens consume vast quantities of caterpillars and insects.
Bats – A single bat can eat up to 1,000 insects per hour. Install bat houses in the garden to take advantage of their pest control services.
Lizards – Welcome small reptiles like anoles and skinks that feast on insects and slugs hiding in garden beds.
Toads and frogs – These amphibians consume slugs, snails, beetles, caterpillars, ants, and other garden pests. Provide habitat with ponds, moist stones, or a toad house.
Pollinators – Plant nectar and pollen sources like salvia, lavender, marigolds, and catmint to encourage bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. They’ll help control pests while pollinating your garden.
By taking a holistic approach and encouraging biodiversity, you can enlist Mother Nature’s helpers in protecting your salvias from hungry insects attempting to move in on the feast.
If something is munching on your salvias, don’t panic. In most cases, the damage is superficial and the plants will recover. Monitor for signs of infestation, accurately identify the pest, and take prompt action using organic, non-toxic controls. Combine treatment with preventive measures to avoid larger problems. Creating a balanced garden ecosystem will also allow nature to help control the pests for you.
With vigilance and an integrated pest management plan, you can enjoy healthy, thriving salvias despite the occasional nibbler attempting to crash the party. Don’t let a few holes in their leaves stop you from reaping the benefits of these carefree, low-maintenance plants. A bit of effort will keep your salvias looking their best and blooming beautifully despite pest troubles.
Re: how to get rid of pests eating my salvias, perennials and oranamentals
That damage would be consistent with caterpillars or slugs. The Baythroid would be suitable for caterpillars, or you could use Dipel. The chew marks are not quite as semi-circular as what I would normally expect to see from a caterpillar, so I suggest you treat from slugs, too. I recommend using Eco-Organic Garden 600g Eco-Shield Organic Snail & Slug Killer.
Heres a helpful guide: Protect your garden from snails, slugs and leaf eaters.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
How to prevent pests from eating salvias, perennials and ornamentals?
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Why Salvia is One of the Strongest Psychedelics on Earth
FAQ
What animals eat salvias?
As spring unfolds, herbivore activity surges. This is the time when deer, rabbits, and other critters become particularly active, drawn to the tender new growth of your Salvia ‘Wendy’s Wish’.
How can we protect salvias?
Protecting salvia plants in winter
In colder areas, lift them as you would dahlias and overwinter them in pots indoors. Don’t cut back salvias in autumn – wait until late spring, as the foliage gives a degree of protection from winter frosts.
How do I stop slugs from eating salvias?
Herbaceous salvias are a magnet to slugs and snails when they first come through the ground in early spring. Protect them with a ring of our seaweed granules until they are strong enough to grow away from ground level. The shrubby varieties are much less susceptible as their smaller foliage is far less tempting.
What is killing my salvias?
From overwatering to underwatering, pesky insect attacks, and transplant shock – there are a few problems you could run into when growing Salvia. It is important to identify which problem you are dealing with first then take the steps to eradicate it.
What eats salvia plants?
Slugs and Snails are the most common pests of Salvias. Gophers and Chickens also cause great damage to your Salvia plants. Birds like Finches love to munch on Salvia seeds. Squirrels damage your Salvia plants by digging ’em up. Salvias are grown for their colorful blossoms. The genus Salvia contains a number of species.
Do salvias eat skeletonized leaves?
Salvias are popular perennial flowers known for their spiky blooms that attract hummingbirds and butterflies. However, these plants can fall victim to various chewing pests that damage their foliage. If you’ve noticed ragged holes or skeletonized leaves on your salvias, here are some likely culprits and how to stop them from eating your plants
What if pests eat holes in my salvia plants?
If pests are eating holes in your salvias, take action to protect your plants. Here are some effective, eco-friendly solutions: Handpick pests – Check plants daily and crush larger pests like caterpillars, slugs, and beetles. Drop in soapy water. Use row covers – Cover plants with fabric row covers to create a physical barrier against pests.
Are salvias poisonous?
Salvias, commonly known as sage plants, are a popular choice among gardeners for their beautiful flowers, aromatic foliage, and ability to attract pollinators. However, like any other plant, salvias are susceptible to various pests that can cause damage and hinder their growth.
What problems do salvia plants have?
There are some common problems you might see with your Salvia plants. From overwatering to underwatering, pesky insect attacks, and transplant shock – there are a few problems you could run into when growing Salvia. It is important to identify which problem you are dealing with first then take the steps to eradicate it.
Do you have salvias in your kitchen?
You may have salvias in your kitchen along with your garden. These plants are also the common herbs sage and rosemary. Salvias are plants from the mint family. Oregano and thyme are common herbs from this family. Salvias tend to have brightly colored flowers that attract pollinators like bees and butterflies.