“Our outdoor potted ivy plant has holes in the leaves. How do we solve this problem?” -Julie

If you don’t have any other visible evidence of disease or infestation (such as discoloration of leaves, curled leaves, spots, or the like), it sounds like something is simply eating the leaves. Likely culprits are caterpillars, slugs, or beetles. All three should be visible to the naked eye by inspecting your plant at various times of the day (including after dark to catch slugs on the move).

Control measures include hand-picking, baiting/trapping, natural repellents, bacterial poisons, insect predators, or application of pesticide sprays, pellets, or powders. Once you’ve identified your culprit, you can choose a product or control method to target it.