Ditto on the slugs. It's a constant battle in all but one raised garden without much mulch and full sun. They've started on other plants already and pretty sure they'll hit the Coleus once I get them in the ground. If it's not one critter it's another! I just chased a groundhog out of the garage. I can't stand it sometimes. He left his 2 buddies home for this trip. Slug bait, diomataceous earth...anything to kill them. Slug bait doesn't disappear in the rain like diomataceous earth.

Assuming she lives someplace that has Japanese beetles. Here on the West Coast, rose leaves that look like lace mean rose slugs. You can search them out on the undersides of the leaves and squish, or spray with Orthene. 'Safe' sprays won't work on them.

Intrinsic, first, a plant that is buggy shouldn't be fertilized.. What type of holes? are you finding? Are they small or large bitten foliage? If large, then I'd think something like a rabbit or squirrel is snacking on your hib. If small, then your hib might have an insect/s. There's many pests to check for including mites, mealy, whitefly, scale, etc. Do you know how to check for pests? Mites build webbs, looking similar to the common spiderweb, but finer. Shake the plant to check for any white bugs flying in the air. (whitefly) Inspect entire plant for anything that shouldn't be there. Mealy are cottony patches. And scale remsemble armored, roundish pests. Scale is difficult spotting at an early age..But once they mature they're easy to locate. Most bugs leave a sticky residue. FEel the leaves/stems for stickiness. BTW, are your 4 hibs the same type? Toni

Have less than 1 year old mexicola tree and the new leaves are already being chewed up. had same problem last year. have tried to inspect leaves but cannot find the bug. Can anyone identify? I am in sunset zone 14b, west contra costa county, CA. Thanks!