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A relatively new gardener writes in:

“I have two questions. First, I have bougainvillea bushes that grow in my back yard. Something is eating them ragged and I can’t actually find any evidence of the pest except for the pitifully chomped leaves. Can you give me some clue about what the problem might be and how I can keep it from happening in the future?

Second, I have a lot of shady areas where I’d like to plant, or areas that get lots of sun part of the summer and lots of shade toward the end. Can you recommend some good flowering shade plants for small gardens? THANKS! Heather”

Okay Heather, it could be a couple of things eating your bougainvillea.  First we need to identify what it is, then we will know how to treat it.  Here are a couple of helpful sites on possible predators who could be making life hell for your bougainvillea.

Bougainvillea common pests and diseases

 

https://www.bgi-usa.com/pests-diseases/

*Note: this site lists recommended treatments for eradicating pests.  Many of them are not organic, but there are organic alternatives for most of their suggestions.

Caterpillar Loopers (worms)

 

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/vines/bougainvillea/bougainvillea-loopers.htm

 

There are some pictures here which should help you identify whether the damage is from Caterpillar Loopers or not.  If your problem isn’t the Caterpillar Looper, I would suggest that it might be snails.  If that’s the case, check out our blog on snail control from earlier last year:

https://gardenerd.com/blog/sage-advice-blog/snails-cant-live-with-em/

Generally, the best pest control for small spaces is your thumb and forefinger.  Get up close and personal with your plants and run your hands over them every day.  Visit in the morning, before the sun hits the soil, and you will find the “after-hours” party winding down in your garden.  It’s the best time to catch slugs and snails heading home after a long night out.

To answer your second question, there are plenty of nice shade plants that flower.  Most of them are suitable for everywhere but zone 10. (I cry for hostas, but alas, they fare much better in wetter climates).   However, there are a few good websites with a plant finder function.  Check these out:

National Gardening Association
http://www.garden.org/plantfinder/
A really versatile plant finder that allows you to search by zone, light requirements, water needs, color and variety

Floridata.com – shade plants
http://www.floridata.com/lists/shade_plants.cfm
each plant will tell you which hardiness zone it is suited for

Better Homes and Gardens website has a plant finder, but you have to register in order to use it.

Try those out and let us know what you find.  Thanks for writing in, and good luck with that bougainvillea.