#46777
May 24th, 2006 at 07:24 PM
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Hello again. I have looked through the site and can not find any hosta help. (maybe I'm not looking hard enough) My question is this.. How come when my new plants come up for the year, the leaves have huge holes in them? I have looked everywhere for snails. I have also put down snail and slug bait for them. I don't know what to do!!! What can I do to help them, or do I just live with the holes for this season? All you hosta addicts out there, please help!!
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#46778
May 24th, 2006 at 07:40 PM
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Also, can a hosta make a good hanging basket?? I am looking for a good shade basket. any suggestions? It's only 2am, and my mind is thinking shade..... HA!
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#46779
May 24th, 2006 at 10:23 PM
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The holes are from slugs and bugs. I use sticky traps for mice around mine. I just live with the few holes that I do get.
Hanging baskets for shade can have fushias, lobelia, begonias, impatiens, coleus and my favorite 'bacopa'. You could use hosta but it doesn't trail over the sides. Add some of the ones mentioned with it also for a stunning combo.
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#46780
May 24th, 2006 at 11:40 PM
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Joined: Aug 2005
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The holes are undoubtably from slugs. Just because you put slug bait out doesn't mean you'll get them all. It is a constant battle to keep them from eating my hostas and lettuce in the garden. Their favorite snacks. The best time to control them, I've found, is just as it's getting dark. Bring a flashlight and a spraybottle of ammonia and water or a pair of pruners to cut them up. I've killed as many as 15-20 at a time on occasion.
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#46781
May 25th, 2006 at 03:58 AM
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I'm not sure about a hanging basket, but they look very pretty in the right container. Another thing hostas get that causes holes is called necrosis.
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#46782
May 25th, 2006 at 04:44 AM
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Thanks for all of the suggestions. John... will the ammonia water kill the plants?
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#46783
May 25th, 2006 at 05:08 AM
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Originally posted by Mandy N.: will the ammonia water kill the plants? Nope. Actually it is a source of nitrogen for the plants.
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#46784
May 25th, 2006 at 05:37 AM
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#46785
June 15th, 2006 at 01:51 AM
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ammonia only works if you get it ON the slug, right?... or does it have a residual effect?.. I would think it breaks down pretty fast???
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#46786
June 15th, 2006 at 02:29 AM
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Originally posted by FreedSoul: ammonia only works if you get it ON the slug, right?... That is my understanding. I've never experimented with residual effect however. I'm sure once it dries it provides no control.
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#46787
June 15th, 2006 at 05:40 AM
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Hello - I like the ammonia idea - perhaps I'll try that too. The past few years I've been sprinkling oat bran around my beds just before the slugs get bad (my area mid June). I re-apply every week or so as needed, and since I have been diligent in this method, I've had no problems with them eating my plants. Before that, I can't even count how many plants I lost, and they had a feast on my lamiums as well. It's an inexpensive method, and won't hurt any pets you may have as that was a concern of mine. Good luck to you!
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#46788
June 15th, 2006 at 06:47 AM
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oh, that oat bran sounds like a good idea (and easier than going out every night and spraying with ammonia)!
i don't have any hosta but i've been seeing holes in my sedum and iris. and then, when i was splitting the iris, i found a few baby slugs on them - so i'll be trying the oat bran to see if that helps.
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#46789
June 15th, 2006 at 07:17 AM
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Does the Oat Bran kill the slugs, or just get them full??
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#46790
June 15th, 2006 at 09:20 AM
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Can't believe no one mentioned beer. The old stand by. If you don't mind it sitting around your garden. I`ve seen the bigger slugs in the bowls but not the babies. But it does the trick for me and my neighbor. I use it for my hostas and the bowls are hidden by the big leaves. My neighbor uses it for her marigolds until they get bigger. Make sure the bowls are sunken down in the ground so it is easier for them to get in. They drown. Wether they're drunk or not I don't know!! I like the oat bran idea too. Sue
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#46791
June 15th, 2006 at 02:59 PM
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I swear by the beer thing too. I prefer it to the bait that you buy at the Store.
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#46792
June 15th, 2006 at 05:55 PM
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Actually, I sprinkle crushed egg shells on the ground around my Hostas and it seems to work for me.
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#46793
June 15th, 2006 at 06:10 PM
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Can someone please tell me what the oat bran does??? I can see how the crushed egg shells would work. Good idea. Everyone has great ideas!
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#46794
June 16th, 2006 at 12:09 PM
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Official Problem Child
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Joined: Mar 2004
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I think they eat the oat bran and then explode or something...
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#46795
June 16th, 2006 at 02:09 PM
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HA! Thanks for replying!!
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#46796
June 16th, 2006 at 04:04 PM
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they eat the oat bran and then explode or something... Cindy, you have got to be kidding! Are you serious? If so, then I don't want to be around when they explode!
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#46797
June 16th, 2006 at 04:51 PM
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yes, we used beer to kill the slugs when i was a kid - never worked too well. my dad just left it in a bowl...didn't submerge it in the soil to make it easier for them to go for a swim tho...
i've also heard salted water will work too.
i think the best thing so far is the eggshells!! i don't see how they'd be able to get over them - that sounds perfect.
how big/small do you crush the shells up, patches?
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#46798
June 16th, 2006 at 06:21 PM
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how big/small do you crush the shells up Joclyn, I don't crush them up fine or too small, but I don't leave them in large pieces either. I don't want it to look like someone threw a bunch of old egg shells in there.
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#46799
June 17th, 2006 at 12:15 AM
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Joined: Mar 2004
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I don't know that for sure... I read something about it in one of the slug topics. It might be in this one... slugs and beer ...but I'm too lazy to look through it. I'm also too lazy to do anything about my slugs. They are eating my hostas BAD this year. I guess slugs need to eat, too!
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#46800
June 17th, 2006 at 11:28 PM
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Joined: Jun 2006
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you said that when they come UP they have holes in them?.... so a new leaf, coming out from the pointed sprout has a hole already?....that's happened to mine, usually after I or the DH has mistakenly stepped on one of the points..... slugs are known to lay eggs in the crown of hosta plants, too.. so an early hatch may have been hungry enuff to go after the just-emerging sprouts.... as for baits.... the best one I've found yet is one that contains Iron Phosphate in the ingredients list.... it's harmless to pets and kiddies and turns into fertilizer if it's not eaten by the slugs.... lasts a couple weeks, rain or no...you re-apply when you see it's being used...... it's saved many a miniature hosta around here!!...
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#46801
June 17th, 2006 at 11:37 PM
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I'm trying my first picture here... part of the collection of hostas....you can see a few holes from where they got chewed before I got the baits out!!... and you can see that one slug could do in one of the miniatures in one sitting, too!!!...
[img]http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0VACFAogZxjzJ61JMhSSIZF3nS3D5nVD5dZJmnkPcH7SR*MUVj4lWymY8GZJU5bJ2cw6UlSPJBP0774lS**4!f7g*WicVyPNHSoqkk7ahBwqUBwLLszWeukR0Lt7x1ua8/NOWitsJune06%20058.jpg?dc=4675577153407290718[/img]
yippee!!.. it worked!!.... sorry... I'm easily thrilled.... LOL!!
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