Please help with Marigold problem

Boy I am going to be on this site all the time, Sue NH here, My marigolds have shriveled,The flowers that is and the leaves are turning yellow/brown almost like they are burnt or not been watered in a long time.....(not so). I do have tweezers(earwigs) and snails(slugs) I think the tweezers are the reason for the flowers being shriveled,( Maybe the seven pesticide I used caused the leaves to die?) any suggestions/help on slug and earwigs? Tried beer traps(gross) they still keep coming back. Oh I have salted the buggers(directly on bug) and white vinegar works well also!)but only on bug, not on plants....so that is not the problem....

 

I think the problem is all of the stuff you have put on the plants in order to save them. Dead head them and keep them watered. It is getting quite late in the season, so I don't think you'll get them back up to snuff by fall. Marigolds are normally pest free. Earwigs are not a problem, they eat dead plant matter not living plants. Applying vinegar and salt around the plants (not all of it will stay on the slugs) can't be good for the soil they are living in.

You should really never need to spray marigolds. If you have a slug problem try using the "slug bait" pellets instead of salt or vinagar. If you like to do it slug by slug, try picking the slugs with tongs and dropping them in a dish of soapy water.

 

I tried the pellets with out much success..

 

Slugs can make a mess out of marigolds. I bought a few six-packs in the spring and left them on the north side of my house.. before I could plant them the slugs munched on them and made a terrible mess. I planted them in a sunnier, drier location and they are doing fine now, but that was in June. If your stems and leaves look dry and yellow the plants will most likely not recover, but I would move them to a sunny location. Slugs don't like hanging out in the sun, but marigolds do!!! :-) Dead head them, break apart the dry blossoms and plant the seeds in fresh potting soil. You may get a new healthy batch before the season is over!!!

 

Thanks, What about blight? could that be it, I just made these garden areas this year, started with all fresh miracle grow soil, Any thoughts

 

IT may be Red mites, common on Marigolds. If Red mites, Wettable Sulfer should help.
Observe rear sides of leaves. Attached photo of red mites.

 

not that?some one suggested stalk borers? have you heard of these?

 

If it is stalk borer, you will find stalks bored hollow @ dust oozing from bored holes.