How to Stop Slugs from Eating Your Hostas
Hostas are a favorite for gardeners everywhere, and it’s easy to see why! Their lush, leafy beauty can brighten up shady corners or add a touch of elegance to sunny borders. But if you’ve noticed holes in your hosta leaves or trails of slime, you’re probably already answered the question yourself, “What is eating my hostas at night?”
Unfortunately, hostas are a top choice on the slug and snail menu. These pests love the tender leaves and juicy stems, especially in warm, wet weather. The sight of slugs on hostas munching away might look all too familiar—and the damage can leave your beautiful plants full of unsightly holes.
Slugs tend to come out at night, so you maynot see them unless you go out and inspect and if you have any doubt it maybe something else, always worth checking with a torch in the dark.
One thing to note is that Hostas that are planted in the ground are harder to protect then Hostas that are in containers or pots, so you could consider moving your hostas into a cotainer if possible. The picture above was from a customer who decided to do exactly that to some of his hostas (which are pictured below), but not this one pictured above above.
Reducing hiding spots in your garden makes it harder for slugs to shelter, feed, and lay eggs, which helps control their population. Clearing debris and creating gaps between growing spaces can increase opportunities for natural predators to find and eliminate slugs. Filling these gaps with materials like gravel or sand—both of which don’t retain moisture or provide cover—makes it even more difficult for slugs and snails to move undetected. By limiting their access to your hostas and other plants, you can effectively protect your garden from slug damage.
Watering your hostas and other plants in the morning is a simple yet effective way to control slugs. By allowing the soil to dry out by evening, you minimize the damp conditions slugs love, especially since they’re most active at night. Dry soil creates a less inviting environment for these pests, helping to deter them and protect your hosta leaves from damage. This easy adjustment to your watering routine can make a big difference in keeping your garden slug-free.
Encouraging natural predators like birds, frogs, and beetles is an effective way to control slug populations in your garden. These helpful creatures actively hunt slugs, including their eggs, before they can cause damage to your plants. To invite these allies, create diverse habitats near your garden, such as small ponds, log piles, and areas with dense plant cover. These spaces provide the shelter and food sources predators need to thrive, naturally keeping slug numbers in check and protecting your hostas and other plants.
Step 2 – select a barrier
In our slugshop at the top you can find some products to help keep your hostas slug free and stop their beautiful leaves being eaten by slugs. However if you’d prefer not to use a barrier to stop slugs or they’re out of your price range, killing slugs is another way to get rid of them and to protect them from slugs and snails. For example hunting for them at night with a headtorch and a bucket, also using beer baited traps to drown them will kill slugs. Then other products are slug pellets and also nematodes and i discuss all of those in more detail in my article: 3 steps to slugfree – comprehensive guide
