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How can I stop slugs and snails eating my Hosta?

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  • MarilynTMarilynT Posts: 18

    Hi

    My Hostas are also in pots.  I don't give them any feed until they have finished flowering, I understand this helps.  I have a few holes in one of them but this is minimal.  The ones in the garden don't seem to get attacked.  I have never really worked out why.  They are densely planted with other plants heavy clay soil that doesn't get fed.  They still grow.

     Marilyn

  • JIMMMYJIMMMY Posts: 241

    .

    With the exception of the yellow leaves and red stem ones, which appear to have a death wish, most of the time,most of the other I have appear to thrive on neglect!

    With the exception of some riddled garden compost sprinkled over them just as the leaves appear, they are pretty much left to their own devices!

    Any in pots do get watered from time to time, though not  in the present monsoon season!

    Ps I have no idea the names of most planted in the garden, I just enjoy them, that is if I can stop my wife nicking the leaves for flower arranging!

  • wakeshinewakeshine Posts: 975
    obelixx says:

    My garden is far too big to mess with beer traps and there are too many hostas and other susceptible plants anyway.    I don't do slug patrols any more as, in spring, I'm out most evenings at dancing and I don't use scissors.

    I do use the wildlife friendly slug pellets to great effect although 10 straight days of rain means I now have a few holes in my otherwise pristine hostas.  I also have lots of birds, frogs and toads and no harm comes to them.

    Start scattering the pellets very thinly from St Valentine's Day (easy to remember) and continue weekly around susceptible plants only - do not turn the borders blue.    This system gets them as they emerge from hibernation or hatch from eggs and before they start to munch and breed.

    You need some slugs to recuycle dead matter and feed your frogs and toads so do be careful just to use protective measures around the plants that need it and not as a general blitz.

    See original post
     I'm sorry, I don't understand this concept. If scattering the seeds around Valentine's day, where do you put it? Because everything my slugs are eating was planted around April - sunflowers, dahlias, marigolds - and so what are the slugs around for in Feb? I don't think I had any susceptible plants around Valentine's day. Aren't the slugs emerging to eat the things they like, which are growing now? Or by sewing the pellets in Feb, does this encourage then to emerge early because they smell the pellets and then they die? I don't understand how this stops them because surely get attracted again when they spot the things they like in May/June.
    I personally feel sometimes it's a no-win situation. Today I very upset to see one of my dahlias completely chewed up because I forgot to put pellets around that one. I do not know if this dahlia will recover, the damage was pretty severe. And as for not turning the bed blue, well I tried just putting a couple of pellets and this didn't work but when I put more pellets there I found 3 dead slugs the next day.

    Last edited: 16 June 2016 22:01:39

  • wakeshinewakeshine Posts: 975

    Sorry I don't know why my post came as a quote. I'm fairly new to this forum but is it just me or are there too many ads and it's very difficult to use.

    Last edited: 16 June 2016 22:04:31

  • PassionatePassionate Posts: 225

    Lee,I have noticed that the verigated hostas, blue hostas and those with ridges in the leaves (sorry not sure of thier names) are very much ignored by slugs for perhaps a couple of tiny holes in the odd leaves. I think the leaves are too tough for them.

    i have about six or seven hostas growing happily in my flower beds.

    i only buy or propergate these types and have no more problems.

    hope this helps.

  • autumngloryautumnglory Posts: 255

    Mine has slate around the bottom and is under a bird feeder. Apart from a tiny little nibble when it first popped up its been untouched so far! The only problem is the birds drop seeds over it and fat ball crumbs. 

    I hope I haven't just jinxed it!

  • A quick update on a solution that seems to be working! Whenever I change my bird feeders, I scatter mealworm on and around the hostas. When I look out of the window, I have starlings, blackbirds and sparrows searching around the plants. They must be finding slugs too because all leaves are completely intact.

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,888

    image

    Devon.
  • byrob501byrob501 Posts: 1

    Tip I have learnt from my mum is to us crushed eggshells around the base of the potted hostas. Just keep adding more when you have them. Cheap and cheerful and really works.

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,888

    no slugs here;image

    Devon.
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