Hostas and slugs

I am loathe to say this in case I am courting damage - but our hostas which last year were plagued by slugs are this year doing really well. I have put small shingle round the roots (they are in pots, as they were last year when they suffered badly). No doubt the slugs will now return, but so far so good, so perhaps shingle around the roots works? A long time ago there was a liquid de-slugger (if you like), which worked absolute wonders over-night. I used it for a couple of years, then quite suddenly it was no longer available, probably because it contained some substance which was a health and safety risk!

Two bricks, no that is too painful, especially if you get your thumbs in the way.

I read somewhere that Spanish slugs' slime is blue pellet resistant

You're going to need to be very inventive I fear pompa, use two bricks?

I have hundreds of baby Spanish slugs under every bit of cover in the garden. Squishing dozens every morning and many getting caught in the traps. Pellets don't seem that effective and nematodes only work against the very small ones. (apart from which I have a large garden)

Loopy I've been trying to grow Lords and Ladies in my shady patch for years with no luck and you're hoiking yours out

I thought I read somewhere that they give of a noxious smell which deters slugs and snails...?????

As the snails and slugs around here cannot fly or leap I'm still happy with wool pellets (though they smell too when wet)

I sprinkled Cat & Dog repellent (smells very garlicky) on the raised veg bed to deter neighbours' bl...y damn cats, and curiously the slugs and snails seem to be repelled too - if they're not then I have ready prepared l'escargot

Clearing the forget me nots I found dozens of revolting fat slugs, all of whom I lobbed down the back slope in to the woods - they've got a very steep, heavily brush-wooded journey if they plan on returning!

Thanks Tricia, I'll take a look, I need all the help I can get!

I've just read this thread - I had given up with hostas too, but found this video, which is encouraging, and covers some of the points raised.
It's in french but you don't need the sound, the film explains it:

www.rustica.fr/tv/proteger-ses-hostas-contre-limaces,7687.html

Yes I posted on another thread that mine is still intact although it looks like the Somme all around it, so on the strength of that I am going to get 3 more to fill gaps in the shady area. Nematodes seem to be the way to go.

Much to my astonishment and delight I've got well-grown hostas!

I've been yanking out buckets of Lords & Ladies (wild arum) and underneath them were three hostas, unravaged by the slugs and snails. I have no idea why this should be, I suspect that now they're visible something will attack them!

The shoots are about 9" high, so crossing my fingers that they flower for the first time in three years

Sounds like time for an all out assault, blue pellets loaded ready to fire.

My veggies are all safely tucked up in wool pellets for the night.

They're out in force this morning, after last night's rain
This is war now [grrrrhh]
Raised veg bed had 34 snails and 17 slugs and it's only 8x4'!

The beer in our traps is about an inch below the top, to far for the drunken buggers to climb out.

Apparently the best way to deal with slugs is to water round with liquid metaldehyde on Valentine's Day. Kills the grubs before they develop.

I am gradually replacing my hostas round the pond with ornamental grasses. Have decided I like them better and the slugs and snails don't seem interested.

I seem to remember something about a garlic wash as a deterrent. Perhaps you could google it if you want to give it a try?

There is one slug killer that claims they die underground-I'm not sure if that isn't worse than gathering up the ones on the surface - the thought of digging up decomposing corpses yuck!

I have discovered that slugs and snails come out during the night to eat the bird seed but I can't bring myself to throw salt on them. I know pellets are probably just as bad but at least I don't see them die.

Yep vampirequeen, that was our experience with the beer traps as well! I hadn't thought of putting the pellets under slate as suggested above. I do worry about the ground feeding birds but a full frontal assault on the slugs and snails in spring and autumn does seem to help keep their numbers down.

I tried the beer method. All the slugs and snails from the area came for a party. Not one dead in the morning but lots of wavy trails as they'd staggered back to cover to deal with their hangovers Now I use pellets.

Slugs just love Guinness! I tried surrounding my hostas with tubs of the black stuff. It worked! Literally hundreds of slugs fetched up for their last drink every night but it became rather expensive. I went through bottles of the stuff, and still the damn things ate my beautiful variegated hostas, having negotiated sand, ash and egg shells, just before drinking themselves into oblivion!! The hostas gave up the struggle last summer and I haven't had the heart to replace them.

Sorry for going off topic, you mentioned blackbird's song. I had forgotten just how powerful their song is, until I got my hearing aids a few weeks ago, now the one singing in my garden is deafening, and so melodic.

Thanks Loopy.

Yep, you got it in one Nelliem! How's your aim?

The pellets sort of meld together when they get wet so form a mat, which snail/slug slime can't cope with. They're made of sheep's wool and very long-lasting.

So does the bag of wool pellets come with a catapult to use to fire them at the slugs?

What I could see happening is the Blackbirds weighing in, rooting around in the wool pellets and chucking them out of the pots as they look for insects and worms underneath them. Every time we put the garden compost on our beds the Blackbirds just hurl it across the lawn. However they sing so beautifully I can forgive them anything.