Woodlice and cornflowers

[Barnsgre...@aol.com]

Hi All,

My cornflower plants are about 1 mtr high and just about to burst into bloom but slowly the blooms bow their heads and the foliage flops - I've been quite perplexed by this as it seems to be one plant at a time and not in any particular order.  When taking out the dying stems I noticed hundreds of woodlice.  I have searched on the internet and opinions seem to be divided, some say woodlice only eat decaying material and others say they eat plants.  Anyway I rushed out to local garden centre and bought some systemic insecticide (non specifically for woodlice) and powder that I've dusted round the base of the plants - that was Saturday and fingers crossed, so far so good.

I also lost a sweet pea from the base and thought I'd trod on it by mistake but now think it may too have been a victim of the woodlice.

Carol

[Arjen Huese]

Hi Carol,

I'm totally baffled - never in my 15 year of growing veg and flower have I ever seen woodlice doing any damage - never seen any woodlice in the field full stop actually. I know woodlice like it dry, but with the weather of the last months that can hardly have been the problem, can it? Very strange - please keep us posted to let us know if the chemicals work...

Arjen