By Oldgirl
United Kingdom 
I have a young Clematis (General Sikorski) with all the leaves completely eaten. I can find no trace of slugs, snails or earwigs. It is growing near a south facing wall and has grass around it. It otherwise looks healthy.
Any ideas? Julia.
1 May, 2012
Previous question
Have you been out at night? It really is amazing what the slugs and snails are up to in the dark. Plants that you thought 'why isn't that doing very well?' You suddenly realise are being eaten alive over night. Not just the leaves the stems too.
I have three clematis that have been completely clobbered by them. Best solution I've used so far is to give them something better to eat, they are now surrounded by a circle of melon peel. It seems to distract them.
On the plus side it 'may' encourage new vigorous growth at the base for the clematis.
So I would discount slugs and snails straight away.
1 May, 2012