I have grown a hardy Gerbera for the first time this year. Once
established, it was healthy, very pretty and promising to double in
size. It has gorgeous strawberry red flowers. I was really enjoying it
and the admiring glances it received. So far so good.

Alas, I watered the bed it grows in with liquid Slug Clear because a
neighbouring plant was rased to the ground every time it put its little
green head above the parapet. The Gerbera didn't seem to have slug
problems, but its generous rosette of leaves may have harboured the
ghastly gastropods. Within hours of using this pesticde, the Gerbera
collapsed with its flower stems bent and the leaves blackened. It
remained that way for 3-4 weeks. I am just beginning to notice a slight
improvement. I'm glad I didn't hoick it out - I very nearly did!. A
very few of the maturer leaves are looking less sick but still
brown/black, but there are a few small green leaves appearing. I think
it will be a while before I dare hope for flowers, but even the slight
greening up has cheered me.

Has anyone else had a similar experience with either Gerberas and
chemicals, or with liquid Slug Clear and Gerberas or any other plant?
The leaves are sparsely covered in short hairs, just in case this should
make a difference. A friend of mine once used a chemical (a leaf shine,
I think) on her indoor Hibiscus with similar results. The plant
recovered after several weeks, so there is some similarity.

Thank you for your thoughts.

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay