A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Plant pests and problems What's got my hostas so grumpy??

I was just out looking around and noticed my hostas are all looking rather sick! Since I mainly have shade gardens, this is NOT good news! I know we are getting to the raggedy part of summer, but this seems worse than that. Any suggestions??
This one looks like bleach spilled on it - which of course it didn't.


This ones turning brown, leaf by leaf:


And this one's being eaten alive!

Here you can see the same lime green one next to it's healthy neighbor. I'[m stumped!

I looked at a couple of sites and they said slugs will do that. It's so funny because quote was EXACTLY for you.

"Holes in hosta leaves are most often produced by slugs, grasshoppers and certain caterpillar-like insects. Some types of leaf-cutter bees also take almost perfectly-round sections right out of the middle of leaves. Considering you're in Minnesota (climate and conditions not unlike ours), I'd guess yours are the result of slug or grasshopper feeding - the most common cause."

i was thinking slugs too, sheri. but didn't want to say because i wasn't sure.

I was also thinking slugs. Spread broken eggs shells on the soil around the plants to keep yhem away. To get alot of shells, make deviled eggs! Yum!

Absolutely slugs. Mine look exactly the same way. The slugs eat them up so bad.

The funny looking part that looks like bleach--well that might have been a cat spraying on your plant. They spray all over mine and then that part looks all funny like that.

With the slugs--I use Slug Bait...but I forgot to buy some this year so mine are all swiss cheesy too.

Didn't know eggs shells can keep slugs away...great!!! I have to put some in my garden!

Ahhh Yes Slugs! Rrrrrr.
I have quite a few large toads, but apparently they are not getting all the slugs.
Salt works great as well, a few sprinkles on them will kill them it does something to there slime coating.
I have taken to makeing a sall trail of salt around my plants that have chew holes, hard to tell if it worked cause we have had the remants of Ike this weekend, Rain, Rain!

Slugs also hate human hair, so next time you cut your hair or visit the hairdresser ask for your hair back!!!!!