Hostas as a delicacy !
Gillian Hibberd
Posts: 3
On moving into a new home we inherited three different beautiful hostas. There was no sign of them being eaten by slugs although there were signs of slugs on the garden paths. However, a few weeks ago we were amazed to see them being thoroughly enjoyed by two Seka deer. They returned on two further occasions to enjoy this "delicacy". The hostas are only about a metre away from the house but now the side away from the house are just stalks!! My query is what to do now. We haven't seen the deer for about 2/3 weeks although neighbours have told us they are in the area. Considering the size and good condition of the hostas before the recent visit of the deer they must have only just found them. There was no sign of anything else having been eaten. Having been such beautiful specimens I am loathe to give up on them at the first hurdle. Should they just be left; cut right back or just the "stalks" cut back. We back on to a wood and have a burn - although only 5 minutes from the centre of Inverness - running through the garden, and although there is a high fence round the garden there is a gap under the fence where it crosses the burn and where the deer can wander through the gardens. Any help would be much appreciated.
Posts
Can you give us a photo of the situation?
Yes. Hope they're of help. As you can see the deer look to be enjoying themselves !!
I would tidy them up so as to enjoy them as best you can. They will come back next year, so all is not lost. Then you need to think of a solution to closing the gap? Even chicken wire might be a solution.
Just harvest them and wash them as you need them get in before te deer, freeze the rest at the end of the season. That's what groing is about - some for them, some or you.
Don't think many of us eat Hostas Frank...unless we're Bambi...
Very high fences are the only thing that keep them out.
And they're not cheap...in fact they're quite 'dear'...
That one was for you Verd
Lovely pix Gillian, but they're a bigger nuisance than anything else if you get them in regularly. Nice to eat though!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Hostas in the freezer?
It's a new one on me! Perhaps it's a new Heston Blumenthal recipe...
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Oh my, I'm rather disappointed at the lack of culinary knowledge on a horticulture forum. Tsk! Get thee to a Japanese restaurant.Order the urui
I guess you won;t be eating that specimen even if you sluice the cervine sliver off. If my hostas brought deer into the garden I'd be planting more.
Wow!!! those slugs are huge and have legs! ...maybe you could sell them to Verdun?
