Hardly anything else is worse for a gardener than when his precious plants die from disease or are eaten by hungry snails overnight. Then instead of a lush, flowering eye-catcher he only finds a skeleton of leaves.
Are star umbels susceptible to snail damage?
Star umbels are rarely attacked by snails, especially adult plants. If there is an infestation, organic slug pellets or beer traps can help. However, voles are common pests that eat the roots. Close-meshed wire baskets can be used for protection.
Fortunately, the adult star umbels are not particularly endangered; they rarely end up as snail food. Things sometimes look different with young plants. Their delicate leaves seem to be quite tasty for the animals.
What can I do against snail damage?
If you notice an infestation of snails on your umbels, you can collect them or use organic snail pellets (€16.00 on Amazon). A popular “home remedy” is to bury a container with some beer in the ground. The snails then find their way in, but can no longer make it out on their own and drown.
Are other animals a danger to my starworts?
Apparently the roots of the star umbel are very tasty for voles, as they are often eaten by these animals. The best protection against this is to plant your star umbels in close-meshed wire baskets. You can get these from specialist retailers. Alternatively, use fine-mesh wire mesh that you wrap around the root ball before placing the umbel in the ground.
Is the star umbel often attacked by pests?
In principle, the star umbel is quite robust and easy to care for. However, it only grows really well in suitable soil and in the right location. There it is then very resistant to various pests. However, if she doesn't feel very well, spider mites or leaf miners occasionally appear. However, if the infestation is small, these can be easily treated with home remedies.
The most important things in brief:
- only rarely affected by snails
- possibly use organic snail pellets
- Roots often eaten by voles
- plant in a close-meshed wire basket
Tip
Your star umbels don't need special protection from snails as much as they need protection from voles.
