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Hostas and snails
i love my Hostas but so do the slugs and snails in my garden which is snail city! I was advised that blue/green varieties fare better and so do those with tougher leaves. I have found this to be true (but even my pygmy blue one with really thick tough leaves has succumbed to the slugs) but for my other more tender varieties I find I have to use pellets. Does anybody have any good tips for how to deal with these wretched pests? I have one in a pot around which I have put a copper band which works well as long as I don't let it touch any other plants close by 
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hiya .
Try to get frogs, toads, blackbirds, thrushes, and most of all hedgehogs into your garden. ( and don't have a cat)
I have several hundred and what damage I do get , I can pretty much live with.
Unless an area is under major attack I don't use pellets. I've not used more than about half a pack all year.
I think that would bankrupt me Logan.
Sharp horticultural grit around the plants works well for pots. Just make sure none of the hosta leaves are touching the ground or anything else the slugs and snails can climb up.
I have my Hosta's in pots, I use copper tape, do my night duties with the torch and go collecting and I also use a garlic spray which has worked out very well. I see the garlic method on the T.V., they say once a week is enough but once a week doesn't work for me, I do it at least twice a week, but if it rains it really doesn't work much. When I lived in the UK we had snails and slugs but nothing like what they are here in Ireland, Good luck with it.