Question
I have a few columbines that have been growing successfully for several years in the front yard.  I have just found that all the leaves are gone and the stems look misshapen.  On the larger plant the flowers are still there but don't look too great.  The smaller plant has no flowers and I don't see other starts that I expected would be there.

Thank you.

Answer
It sounds like the plants are being infested by slugs. They start out by eating the foliage, and then progress to the flowers. Although they seldom eat the blooms, they do cause damage.

If your problem is slugs, you can control them with iron phosphate. One popular product sold in garden centers is Sluggo. These are organic products that will only kill the slugs while proving non-toxic to humans and pets.

The other possibility is an animal. But unless you see the animal, it is hard to diagnose which one is the culprit. In most areas, they are deer, rabbits, or gophers. Live trapping is the only humane option, but once again, you must see the anmimal before deciding what control method to use. If you do discover it is an animal, Havahart sells several different sizes of traps. Once caught, you would need to move the animal to an open park or contact your local animal control to remove it.

I hope this answered your question. Please write again if I can ever provide assistance.

Regards,

Mike