| My Hollyhock plants are growing and bidding nicely except the bottom leaves are turning yellow, and now the larger leaves are being eaten by something unseen--they are almost lace like. What do you think it is, and what can I do about it? I hate to miss the blooms! Thank you. |
| The most common pest of hollyhocks are the larval form of the hollyhock sawfly (Neoptilia malvacearum) is a leaf skeletonizer that munches its way through hollyhock foliage, leaving behind see-through leaves consisting of patches of leaf tissue and the main leaf veins. The translucent green worms are up to ? an inch long and club-shaped, with a black spot on their head and on the spine of each body segment. Check the leaves carefully for these pests. If you find them, Bt (bacillus thuringensis) will control them. It's sold as Thuricide or Dipel and targets only caterpillars. Be sure to apply according to label directions. |
