Whether you have been gardening for some time now or are a new one, you will come across vine weevils. As a new gardener (or a veteran, in fact) it can feel like vine weevils will eat each and every plant in your garden. So, what plants do vine weevils not like?
Vine weevils do not like plants with a powerful scent or rough texture.
While vine weevils tend to consume many different plants, there are some species that they do not particularly like. These insects tend to stay away from plants that emit strong scents because it irritates them.
In addition, any plants with waxy leaves make it uncomfortable for vine weevils to crawl over them. Furry, hairy leaves and stems are also likely to be avoided. They prefer soft, smooth, broad leaves.
So, when considering plants that weevils do not like, you need to look for these two characteristics. Many hardy and soft herbs are vine weevil safe including mint, rosemary, lemon balm and lavender.
If you’re after beneficial flowers that are vine weevils safe then consider cranesbill geraniums which look beautiful and are usually unaffected by a range of pests.
What Plants Do Vine Weevils Prefer?
Vine weevils like to consume plants that are young and soft. This makes it easy for these insects to chew the plants.
As much as it would help to know the plants which weevils do not like, you should know about the ones they like. It would help you protect the plants in your garden or know which ones to grow.
There are many plants that weevils like to eat, but they have a particular liking towards:
- Primulas
- Strawberries
- Roses
- Cyclamen
- Fuchsias
- Polyanthus
- Heucheras
Unfortunately, this list is far from exhaustive. If a plant has soft, tender leaves then a vine weevil will attack it.
The other thing to consider is that vine weevils are not that fussy. If your garden has only furry, smelly plants then this doesn’t automatically mean that those plants will be safe. Vine weevils will resort to being uncomfortable on a plant if it means they get some food.
This is why it’s actually a good idea to have a few plants that vine weevils may attack!
What Plants Deter Vine Weevils?
It would be ideal for a gardener to know which plants deter vine weevils. Weevils do not like plants that may have a rough or furry texture. This makes it difficult for the insects to crawl on the plants and makes them uncomfortable.
In addition, any plants with a powerful smell will drive weevils away. Some plants which deter weevils are mint, lemon balm, lavender, geraniums, and Stachys byzantine.
You can grow these plants in your garden, or if you already have them, you can use them to keep weevils away. One way to do so is by placing the plants among any already vulnerable to vine weevil attacks.
By doing so, these plants will get in the way as weevils come to attack other plants. You can also create a border using these plants at the entrance of your garden, so vine weevils do not get in.
The other option is to use plants they like to deter them from other vulnerable crops. If, for example, you are having issues with your strawberries then grow a row of fuchsias to keep them occupied while you keep your strawberries safe.
This is known as a trap plant and is a technique adopted by a number of gardeners to tackle a number of pests.
Summary
Vine weevils are beetle-like insects that are found in gardens. These insects can cause significant damage to gardens, particularly young larvae.
Therefore, you must know which plants these insects like or not so you can take better care of your garden. Vine weevils like to consume plants that are soft and tender. This means that the young plants you have in your garden are susceptible to vine weevil damage. Some vine weevil favourites include strawberries, fuchsias, and primulas.
When it comes to the plants which weevils do not like, most of them have a rough and furry texture. This makes it difficult for vine weevils to climb on the plants and crawl. In addition, the plants emit a strong scent which drives these insects away.
The plants which can become prey to weevils, you can take care of them by adopting methods to keep the insects away. You can do so by using nematodes, diatomaceous earth, handpicking them, or natural predators.
