Pests - something is eating my plants!

[etrigg]

I have approximately 8 plants up on a planter wall, about 5 feet above the walk way. Some thing is eating my brand new plants.  My favorite was eaten almost bare to the branches. I have since dug it up and put in a pot inside until it grows big enough to plant back out side.  Other plants have leaves that have been eaten anywhere from 25% to 50%. Could it be grasshoppers? We have squirrels occasionally but I never have seen a rabbit way up there?  What can I do to protect my plants? In addition, I have lots of aphids which I am currently spraying. I am winning, but the ants continue to bring more all the time. I'm not sure if that is a factor in my plants being eaten?  Any ideas?

[Charlie]

You've already named the ones that come to mind for me. Grasshoppers can eat a lot of leaf in a short time, squirrels eat blooms and buds but I've not seen them eat leaves. Rabbits usually only go for the tender new growth. Slugs and snails can eat holes in the leaves but rarely all the leaf. I don't suppose you have deer in the area? This is a hard one, without spotting the culprit at least once! 

Aphids are more manageable. Ants are a definite problem and if you have a way to bring down their numbers, go for it. I spray ant spray around the base of the plants which keeps them off for about 2 weeks and then I have to spray again. You could probably spray the base of the wall and keep them out unless they live in the planter. As for the aphids themselves nothing works as well as products that contain imidacloprid. That would be several of the Bayer Advanced products and others. We have it online or you could ask for advice on which to use at a good local garden center.

Good luck and please let us know how it goes,

Charlie