Talkback: Hostas, slugs and snails - Page 2 - Talkback

01/05/2008 at 19:30

Slugs and snails will remain a problem as long as there are gardens; but whatever method of removal do not use pellets. Not ever. Instead of recommending them Gardeners World should be campaigning for their removal from the shelves. After our greedy dog died a long and painful death because she could not read that the pellets were an animal repellent, I researched the internet. Government data sheets confirm that metaldahide kills wildlife, cats, dogs, birds and small children. We will not submit even slugs and snails to such a terrible end.

Gardeners' World Web User

20/05/2008 at 22:57

Ok I am going to try some bran nearby and sprinkling garlic on the shoots. But my question is if you were to use the coffee grounds in water would it not clog up the watering can? How do you do that?

Gardeners' World Web User

24/05/2008 at 20:33

The coffee grounds should be sprinkled, dry around the plants. If you want a waterable option then garlic will do.

Gardeners' World Web User

02/06/2008 at 17:05

On a recent Gardeners World programme a lady from the National Hosta society told how they dealt with slugs and snails using a "garlic wash" for the plants. She said what the recipe was but I can't remember exactly what it was. Did anyone else see the programme or can anyone help?

Gardeners' World Web User

03/06/2008 at 10:32

Here you are Nina:

Una Dunnett's Garlic Wash recipe for Hostas:Crush two bulbs of garlic, then steam or boil them in two pints of water for three to four minutes until they're blanched. Strain mixture and make back up to two pints. Leave it to cool, then mix one tablespoon into a gallon (3.8l) of water, and sprinkle on to hosta leaves in dry weather. Re-apply after it has rained. Good luck, Kate

Gardeners' World Web User

09/06/2008 at 01:07

Tried this new 'garlic wash'. Tried the watered down version on all plants, not just hostas. Went out with torch 3 hours later and caught them all munching. Removed a big snail and gave it a dose of the concentrated garlic brew. It lost balance and swayed from left to right on the paving stone..rolled over after 20mins. I thought it had worked, the snail was there for 2 days..enclosed in a 30" diameter of salt trail(just incase it came alive again) Two days later, heyyy ho..the snail was active and moving again. Sorry, the strongest solution of garlic does not kill snails or slugs. I am back to putting them in a bucket with a sprinkle of salt. Let me not forget to mention that the snail had happily crossed over the band of copper tape wrapped around the pot in order to get to the garlic washed plant.!!!

Gardeners' World Web User

28/06/2008 at 09:16

I have had a hosta,(twilight) growing in a pot, for 5 years. It is a beautiful plant and by using slug pellets each year, have not had any leaves eaten. I would like to split this plant and repot into containers. When is the best time to do this and what is the best method?

Gardeners' World Web User

19/07/2008 at 12:04

Lovely Hosta - Convulata convulata, is losing its variegation. Will repot stripey cuttings only but why is this happening? Leaves eaten but no slugs or vine weevil apparent.

Gardeners' World Web User

28/07/2008 at 15:09

I am sprinkling coffee grounds this summer with great effect for my new hosta in the shade garden. I laid it on really thick (I drink a lot of coffee)as I was a bit weary using it to protect a new plant. I have left room around the stem to water it keeping the grounds reasonably dry. It made the 5 remaining bandits lurking around the water butt and ferns slow right down but hasn't harmed the resident toad. Can easily recommend it for small areas depending on your coffee consumption...

Gardeners' World Web User

30/07/2008 at 13:53

I'm growing 4 hostas in pots at the moment, and can't stop 1 of them from being eaten, no matter what I try.

The damage certainly looks as if it's being caused by slugs and snails, but I'm wondering if it could possibly be something else.

I've smeared vaseline round the rim of the pot, to about 3 or 4 cms below it.

Below this I've got a 5 cm band of copper, with outward-facing anti-snail spikes.

The pot is standing on a bed of gravel, providing a 5 cm strip round the base of the pot. (I can confirm that the gravel has no deterrent effect that I can see. In fact my snails and slugs seem to quite like it).

I scattered 2 types of slug pellets (metaldehyde and iron phosphate based) as per the manufacturers instruction, in the gravel, and also actually inside the pot, on the earth.

That's a grand total of 7 different barriers the little chappies have to get through. I know this is going to stop them. You know it's going to stop them. So why is it that the slugs and snails in my garden now seem to know it? Haven't they read all the advice about protecting hostas on the internet?

Anyone got any ideas what could be devouring the hosta if it's not slugs or snails? Or is my garden infested with a new mutant breed of ex-SAS, super-intelligent, wily slugs and snails?

Gardeners' World Web User

06/08/2008 at 11:23

The garlic wash isn't supposed to kill snails and slugs !!!!! Its a repellent ...you spray the plant the plant absorbs it. The snails and slugs dont like the taste so they leave that plant alone.

Gardeners' World Web User

16/03/2009 at 16:34

Can anyone suggest ways of eradicating wild garlic from a border? The bulbs are so numerous and so tiny I can't see any way of getting rid of it but to lift the top few inches of soil, and throw everything away. Just a few tiny bulbs left hiding amongst the roots of the plants I would like to keep will just set it off again...so bare earth for a season seems like my only option. It has to come out as it is absolutely swamping everything else.

Gardeners' World Web User

16/05/2009 at 11:04

Try spreading some sharp grit or crushed eggshells around your plants. Slugs and snails hate crossing these. It's a deterrant but not a guarantee. I find pretty good. Copper tape around containers or raised beds also works. You can also get a version which can be painted on. Smear vaseline around the edges of pots or around the stems and edges of leaves also works. Combine some of these and it's pretty good and you don't have to use harmful slug pellets.

Gardeners' World Web User

04/08/2009 at 10:11

please help i have two hostas one has been eaten by slugs the other is healthy ,my question is what do i do with the hosta that has been eaten on every leave ,cut off or just let die down for winter???

Gardeners' World Web User

18/06/2011 at 21:48

i have had lots of problems with slugs and snails they always eat my lupins now i have used rocksalt ok for a while but soon gets washed away with the rain so i am going to try to make a electic fence type gadjet to try and solve the problem i will keep all posted as to its progress.

Gardeners' World Web User

28/11/2011 at 18:31

The best thing to protect your plants from slugs and snails is copper rings and copper tape. Sometimes organic slug pellets. No need for any nasty chemicals.

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