Hostas are a popular foliage plant, prized for their showy leaves that come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. However, slugs love munching on the tender leaves of hostas. If you’ve dealt with unsightly holes chewed in hosta leaves, you know how frustrating slug damage can be. While chemical slug killers are available, natural and organic remedies are safer for pets, beneficial insects, and the environment.
Why Slugs Are Attracted to Hostas
Slugs are slimy, soft-bodied mollusks that feed on living and decaying plant matter They thrive in moist, shady areas, which makes lush hosta plants an ideal food source Slugs feed at night and during cloudy, wet weather. The slime trails they leave behind on leaves make their presence obvious. While a small amount of damage may just mar the appearance of hosta leaves, a large slug population can quickly defoliate and even kill plants. Controlling slugs is crucial for growing healthy hostas.
Make a Garlic Spray
One of the most popular home remedies for deterring slugs is a garlic spray. The strong odor of garlic confuses and repels slugs without harming plants.
- Crush several garlic cloves and soak in 2 cups of water overnight. Strain out the garlic pieces.
- Add 2 teaspoons of mild soap like castile soap to help the spray stick to leaves.
- Pour the garlic water into a spray bottle.
- Spray this solution directly onto hosta leaves, especially along the edges and undersides where slugs feed.
Reapply after rain. The garlic smell fades quickly so repeat applications are needed but this organic spray is safe for kids and pets.
Use Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a powder made from fossilized algae that cuts and dehydrates soft-bodied insects. DE is non-toxic when used properly. Take care not to inhale it.
- Apply a 3 inch band of DE around the base of hosta clumps. Slugs crossing over the abrasive powder will get cut and dry out.
- Dust a very thin layer of DE on the soil around hostas. This deterrent surface damages slugs but must be reapplied after rain or watering.
Set Beer Traps
Slugs are attracted to the yeasty smell of beer Set traps by sinking shallow containers of cheap beer into the ground near susceptible hostas Slugs crawl in for the beer and drown. Replace traps frequently as they fill up with dead slugs. Traps remove slugs from the garden rather than just deterring them.
Encourage Natural Predators
Promote slug predators like garter snakes, toads, birds, and beetles by providing habitat for them in your garden. Avoid pesticide use so these beneficial animals thrive and help control slugs. You can also buy predatory insects like decollate snails and ground beetles that specifically target slugs and snails.
Handpick at Night
One of the most effective organic controls is manual removal. Patrol your garden at night with a flashlight and pick slugs and egg masses off plants. Drop them into jars of soapy water to kill captured slugs. Their slime trails make them easy to spot. Persistent handpicking keeps slug numbers down without any sprays or chemicals.
Use Abrasive Mulches
Proper mulching provides a physical slug barrier. Coarse, rough mulches like pine straw, crushed eggshells, lava rock, or sharp aquarium gravel surrounding hostas repel slugs. Smooth bark mulches are less effective. Replenish mulch annually as slugs will penetrate deteriorating layers over time.
Avoid Excess Watering
Water hosta beds early in the day so plants dry out by evening. Slugs thrive in damp conditions and overly moist soil encourages slug activity. Proper watering technique promotes healthy plants and reduces the moist habitat slugs prefer.
Choose Slug Resistant Varieties
Some hosta varieties are less damaged by slugs than others. Look for hostas with thick, slug-resistant leaves like:
- Hosta ‘Big Daddy’
- Hosta ‘Blue Angel’
- Hosta ‘Guardian Angel’
- Hosta ‘Sum and Substance’
While no hosta is completely slug proof, these varieties hold up better to slug feeding.
Slugs can quickly destroy hostas, but there are many organic control methods to protect plants without using toxic chemicals. Garlic spray, diatomaceous earth, handpicking, and beer traps are proven techniques to safely and effectively prevent slug damage. A multi-pronged approach using several different remedies leads to the best control in the ongoing battle against troublesome slugs.
Chemical Options to Kill Slugs
If the natural ways dont work there are a few options that you can try to kill the slugs. We always recommend trying organic ways first, because that is what is best for the environment. But sometimes using chemicals is the only sure-fire way to deal with the problem unfortunately.
This is a very common way to kill slugs. Mix a 10 to 1 ratio (water to ammonia mix) and a sprayer to spray directly on the slugs and leaves of the hostas. It should kill the slugs on contact. It also acts as a fertilizer putting nitrogen. Make sure to spray all the way to the stems. Slugs will sometimes chew holes into the stem, so the entire leaf falls to the ground for an easy meal to devour. It works best to do this in the evening as slugs are out and do it when it isn’t extremely hot outside.
This is a pet safe and natural slug killer that you can purchase on Amazon or at a local hardware store. Apply according to directions on the bottle. There are many positive reviews for this product of successful gardeners controlling their slug populations with this.
Methods That Do NOT Work To Control Slugs
-Cornmeal doesnt bother slugs. In France it is actually fed to the snails they use for escargot.
-Crush egg shells up and place around the plants. Slugs do not like to move over sharp objects, so the edges of the egg shells help keep the slugs away. This is a myth, and there are videos of slugs moving over crushed shells with no issues.
How Do You Tell If Slugs Are Eating Hostas?
The most common way to tell if you have a slug problem is having tiny holes in the foliage, specifically the leaves. The holes can be from small to large in size and will have irregular shapes. When the slug population is large, the damage done can be quite considerable.
Slugs will be active when temperatures are above 50 degrees and at night or during cloudy days. When not active during the day, slugs will be hiding within crevices around the plants like in the mulch, dirt or under and in between rocks. Slugs also require a lot of moisture in whichever area they decide to live at.
Damage that is done late in the eason may not be as stressful on the plants compared to damage done by slugs earlier in the year. So it sometimes makes sense to just accept the damage done and wait until the following year to do anything about it. Small damage done isn’t as concerning and only impacts the aesthetics and appearance of the plant but not the plants health.
3 Ways To Protect Your Hosta From Slugs And Snails
FAQ
What can I spray on hostas to keep slugs away?
Garlic wash is a really simple, cheap and safe way to protect your hostas without using harmful pellets. Here is a simple recipe that we use on the nursery. Take 2 full bulbs of garlic and add them to approximately 2L of water in a saucepan.
How do I stop slugs from eating my hostas?
Slugs and snails avoid surfaces that are sharp or very absorbent, substances thought to be distasteful or strong smelling. Create barriers with sand or wood ashes. Copper-base barriers have been shown to repel slugs. Crawling over copper gives mollusks an electric shock.
What can I spray on plants to keep slugs away?
Slugs and snails do not like coffee. Sprinkling coffee grounds around plant bases will act as a repellent, as does filling a spray with cold, strong coffee and spraying slugs. That said, coffee grinds are best added to the compost heap as their slow release nutrients will help to improve the soil in the heap.
How do you treat hostas with holes in leaves?
How do I get rid of slugs from my hostas?
Another natural way to get rid of slugs from your hostas is sand. You have to sprinkle a reasonable amount of sand around the hostas plants to repel slugs. How this works is that slugs do not like the feel of sands sticking on their body.
How do I stop pests from destroying my hostas?
You can stop pests from destroying your hostas if you identify the culprits. In slugs, the most common indication is tiny holes in the hostas’ foliage, especially on the leaves. The holes that slugs leave have irregular shapes and vary from small to large. A large slug population can cause considerable damage to your hostas.
How do I protect my Hosta plants from slugs & snails?
Join me in the fight against pollution—because every action counts! This tutorial focuses on pest-fighting for hosta plants, specifically slugs and snails. To protect your hostas, it is essential to read label instructions, wear appropriate equipment, and use protective gear.
Does coffee kill slugs on hostas?
Coffee offers two advantages when preventing slugs on hostas. First, it is poisonous to slugs and kills them. Secondly, coffee is a natural plant fertilizer. You will need to reapply the coffee often because it disintegrates and becomes less concentrated. Citrus causes the slugs to shift their focus from your hostas.
How do I get rid of slugs in my garden?
Citrus causes the slugs to shift their focus from your hostas. This will help you to remove the slugs easily. Cucumber works the same way as citrus in attracting slugs from your hostas. Throw the spent citrus and cucumbers in the compost after slug removal. Nematodes are a biological approach to controlling slugs.
What is slug damage on hostas?
Slug damage on hostas can range from minor to severe. Minor damage typically consists of small holes in the hosta leaves and slimy trails. Severe slug damage usually involves eating a large portion of the plant, leaving it looking patchy and unsightly.