Plant Doctor Archive

Something’s eating my canna lilies

Question I AM having trouble with one of my canna lillies with something eating it. There are big holes over the leaves, but the lily next to it has been left alone. What could be eating the lily and what can I put around it to stop it being eaten?

Answer CANNA lilies are a perennial that die down in winter. They will just be starting to emerge. If it is last year’s growth that has been eaten, cut it back to ground level and protect the new growth with slug and snail pellets — Blitzem, Baysol or Quash. If it is new growth that is affected, use slug and snail pellets sprinkled liberally around the plant, and with the exception of Baysol which is rain fast, reapply after rain.