I have over 200 hostas in my garden and I never use slug pellets. It's a leap of faith to be sure to stop: but encourage blackbirds, frogs and hedgehogs, and don't have a cat ,and you'll be fine
Chimney soot is another usefully acidic additive to go with the eggshells, if you (or a neighbour) happen to have chimneys being swept.
You can mix it into soil to change its pH value, too.
Apparently dropped needles from conifers (eg Christmas trees) have a similar effect - and are particularly good at deterring creepy-crawlies from eating strawberries, if spread under the plants from flowering time onwards.
Hi I love hostas and to keep the slimy slugs at bay I've always put Vaseline round the rim and edges of the pots there in, which has always worked better than any slug pellets I also put them in hanging baskets away from any walls. last year had a massive caterpillar invasion all colours if its not one the slugs and snails and caterpillars the dreaded vine weevil come to visit !!
Hi I love hostas and to keep the slimy slugs at bay I've always put Vaseline round the rim and edges of the pots there in, which has always worked better than any slug pellets I also put them in hanging baskets away from any walls. last year had a massive caterpillar invasion all colours if its not one the slugs and snails and caterpillars the dreaded vine weevil come to visit !!
Well it seems that Beagles really will eat anything and ate the coffee grounds and egg shell off my Hostas!!!! Not all of it, I think she decided it was too crunchy but what a muppet! I may well have to use Vaseline although I have been going out at night and there are no signs of slugs yet and no damage to the plants.
The hanging basket idea is a good one but I found that the snails soon learned to creep up the supporting wall/tree/whatever and would then drop into the basket, so it's not foolproof.
It might be a bit early to have major slug problems, especially since it's been so dry since the weather (temporarily) warmed up, but snails are just as bad as slugs and the mild winter didn't kill them off. They will lurk inside the furled hosta leaves once they get into the pot.
I absolutly agree with the general view on slug pellets . Since now five years of hmmm,organic gardening ,ground beetles have mutliplied and slugs are minimal ,only any problem around the edges of my allottment plots .If you also keep a clean garden slugs and snails have nowhere to hide . I sometimes break the organic rules,because I use artificial fertilisers ,otherwise I seem to get a massive increase in fugal diseease such as botritis ,however peat based composts are great soil conditioners and help balance things .
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I have over 200 hostas in my garden and I never use slug pellets. It's a leap of faith to be sure to stop: but encourage blackbirds, frogs and hedgehogs, and don't have a cat ,and you'll be fine
Gosh, you really do suit your name then Hostafan
I'll make sure I come to you with any Hosta problems, I'm bound it have some 
Chimney soot is another usefully acidic additive to go with the eggshells, if you (or a neighbour) happen to have chimneys being swept.
You can mix it into soil to change its pH value, too.
Apparently dropped needles from conifers (eg Christmas trees) have a similar effect - and are particularly good at deterring creepy-crawlies from eating strawberries, if spread under the plants from flowering time onwards.
Hi I love hostas and to keep the slimy slugs at bay I've always put Vaseline round the rim and edges of the pots there in, which has always worked better than any slug pellets I also put them in hanging baskets away from any walls. last year had a massive caterpillar invasion all colours if its not one the slugs and snails and caterpillars the dreaded vine weevil come to visit !!
Hi I love hostas and to keep the slimy slugs at bay I've always put Vaseline round the rim and edges of the pots there in, which has always worked better than any slug pellets I also put them in hanging baskets away from any walls. last year had a massive caterpillar invasion all colours if its not one the slugs and snails and caterpillars the dreaded vine weevil come to visit !!
Well it seems that Beagles really will eat anything and ate the coffee grounds and egg shell off my Hostas!!!! Not all of it, I think she decided it was too crunchy but what a muppet! I may well have to use Vaseline although I have been going out at night and there are no signs of slugs yet and no damage to the plants.
The hanging basket idea is a good one but I found that the snails soon learned to creep up the supporting wall/tree/whatever and would then drop into the basket, so it's not foolproof.
It might be a bit early to have major slug problems, especially since it's been so dry since the weather (temporarily) warmed up, but snails are just as bad as slugs and the mild winter didn't kill them off. They will lurk inside the furled hosta leaves once they get into the pot.
I absolutly agree with the general view on slug pellets . Since now five years of hmmm,organic gardening ,ground beetles have mutliplied and slugs are minimal ,only any problem around the edges of my allottment plots .If you also keep a clean garden slugs and snails have nowhere to hide . I sometimes break the organic rules,because I use artificial fertilisers ,otherwise I seem to get a massive increase in fugal diseease such as botritis ,however peat based composts are great soil conditioners and help balance things .
Best regards
Eric S