A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Landscape trials and triumphs Gardening in the Shade hostas-MUST I divide?

Do I HAVE to divide large hostas? I love how big some of mine are. Another thing: Is it best to remove the dead flowers? Oh and I'm wondering if I am winning the war with slugs. I treated with a chemical this spring and still I haven't seen evidence of the chewing. I've been waging this war for years and wonder if I am getting the eggs killed.

You don't have to divide them but if they tend to get overgrown or start to decline, it might be wise to do so. I divide mine often. Slugs are the main problem although you don't need chemicals. You can just use small lid covers filled with beer, it works.

I don't know where I heard this, but some think it's best to leave flowers and long stems right where they are.

This is because bugs that actually eat aphids - don't know what they are - breed inside the stalks of things like hostas, Hollyhock, etc.

This stuck in my mind and I didn't snip things down last fall, like I usually do.

We planted hostas from the neighbour's yard last spring and they came up well. We just transferred them again - just 'moved them over', really.

They didn't have any bugs - just lucky I guess.

If they start getting any bug holes in the heat, I'll put wet wood under them - they say the bugs will go under the wood to get shade, rather than clinging to the undersides of the leaves.

And yes - I've heard about the beer. We don't drink, so we therefore have no beer - guess I could buy a bottle from somebody and pour them in saucers. But I'm not going to do anything till I see the bugs.