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Slug resistant hostas

KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016
in The potting shed
I was at the Malvern Spring Show yesterday and had an interesting conversation with one of the stall holders about slug resistant hostas.  Currently, all my hostas are in pots but I want to put some into a damp and shady border.  I said I'd been told that the blue and grey leaf varieties tend to attract less attraction than the green / green and white varieties.  He said that was something he heard a lot, but saw very little evidence to support it on the nursery.  He said some blocks of one variety are chomped vigorously whilst the adjoining block of very similar appearance are untouched.  He hasn't been able to work out why.
Another stand had a board of suggested methods to control slugs and snails in pots.  One was garlic spray, another was WD40 which was a surprise.  WD40 is sprayed on the pots, not the plants :D and apparently is very effective.  I'm going to give it a try.  Just an additional level of security to top up the copper tape, grit topping and grit and water filled saucers.
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  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    I once bought a boot-load of hostas form Diana Grenfell's nursery.  Big ones, small ones, sunny ones, shady ones, green, golden, blue and variegated, some with scented flowers.

    One had bright, glossy leaves and was called Invincible because it was resistant or unattractive to slugs.  Guess which one the always headed for first!!  I still have one here and now it's snails that make a beeline for it.

    I use wildlife friendly pellets, sparingly, from the start of the season to mid summer.  I am planning a dedicated hosta bed with all sorts of protection - copper, grit, garlic spray - but if those don't work I'll just give in.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • Catherine164Catherine164 Posts: 27
    I declare war each spring on the snails & slugs that live in my garden. I've tried just about every method to protect my hostas, but by mid-summer I always have to declare defeat. My hostas are like lacework - and they've won again. 

    I've just bought a mulch called 'Strulch' for my strawberry beds and I notice that it states "The physical properties of Strulch mulch together with the embedded minerals deters slugs and snails. With slug and snail deterrent".

    I'll have some left over, so thought I'd try mulching round some of the hostas - but I wonder if has anyone else has used this product? 
  • PurplerainPurplerain Posts: 1,053
    Neem Oil seems to have good results for some posters here. I wouldn't try to grow Hostas at all without a few slug pellets, as nothing else has worked for me in the past. It would be interesting to read your success or failure with Strulch in the future.
    SW Scotland
  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    It does seem to be pot luck doesn't it. Nightly "slugging" with a torch and something sharp seems to help. 'Sum and Substance' was the most resistant one we had in our previous garden, 'Empress Wu' the worst I think.

    In our new garden we don't have many hostas (yet!), but their favourite seems to be 'Big Daddy'. One I planted last year was competely eaten and hasn't come back this year. The other two are suffering at the moment. On the other hand a miniature (forget its name) that I figured would soon be shredded hasn't been touched!
  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016
    I guess the perfect solution would be for somebody to discover what it is about certain hostas that slugs and snails don't like.  Then create a real or artificial essence which could be used as a spray to deter them from the ones they do like.
  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    I guess first we'd need to know if it's consistent across all gardens, e.g. are all 'Sum and Substance's relatively untouched, or is just pot luck? Maybe somebody's gets planted near a hang-out of slugs and somebody else's doesn't.
  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,016
    DampGardenMan said:
    I guess first we'd need to know if it's consistent across all gardens, e.g. are all 'Sum and Substance's relatively untouched, or is just pot luck? Maybe somebody's gets planted near a hang-out of slugs and somebody else's doesn't.
    All of one variety chomped, and an almost identical variety untouched, according to the nursery guy.  Although only one location these are apparently fairly large patches with clear demarkation between chomped and untouched.
  • StevedaylillyStevedaylilly Posts: 1,102
    Had a sea of hostas under the canopy of a mature Damson Tree. Tried traps, grit and   wildlife friendly pellets and, in the end, gave up on them due to constant slug attacks changing them from a sight of beauty to a sorry eye sore within a few weeks. 
    They are a glorious plant in the right conditions but life’s too short for major disappointment so i now plant out plants that slugs don’t get their knives and forks out for 

  • DampGardenManDampGardenMan Posts: 1,054
    We planted a podophyllum with two good leaves. Next day, one good leaf, next day no good leaves :( £10 down the drain. Mutter.

    We persist with hostas however ...
  • BrexiteerBrexiteer Posts: 955
    My friend has a massive hosta which must be 3ft x 3ft if not bigger and has never ever been bothered by pests. The only thing I can think is she never ever waters in and it's in bone hard clay soil so it's always dry and dusty. Wether that is making a difference i don't know. Myself I use slug pellets
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