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aggiebee

Eaten leaves -- plant salvageable?

aggiebee
12 years ago

This is my first summer really gardening.

I wintersowed tons and direct seeded and traded etc. etc and I thought everything was going great, until along came the Asiatic Garden Beetles. They really did a number this June & July.

I finally caught on, and sent many to a watery grave, and they seem to have basically died or finished their cycle. (Although there is maybe a second round, I've heard.)

They went to town on a bunch of plants. I had to throw away two Pinaepple Sages that were utterly skeletonized. I trimmed back the coleus they attacked and that plant has recovered.

It doesn't seem to make a difference on my sunflowers, only from an asthetic point of view, but my question is for the following:

My clethra, which is a baby, was attacked severely as was my starter callicarpa americana. Should I just pinch off the affected leaves and hope it is early enough that they will recover?

They also really chowed down on my WS veronica and asters. One veronica is actually blooming, even with all the swiss cheese leaves. What should I do about affected foliage, if it is like 80-80% of leaves? Should I cut the plants back, just pick off the holey leaves or leave them?

TIA, any advice would be appreciated.