7 Hosta Mistakes to Fix Before October Ends (Save Your Plants!), by Home Garden living on YouTube. 18 min 52 s.
- Video length
- 18 min 52 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Look at hosta leaves for round holes and ragged edges, especially on lower leaves. This tells you slugs are active and which plants need the most attention.
Pull mulch back a few inches from each hosta crown so slugs have fewer damp hiding places right next to the plant. Keep a light mulch layer farther out.
Check the soil around the roots. If water sits after rain, dig in compost or coarse grit to improve drainage, because hostas dislike soggy crowns.
Remove slimy trails, curled leaves and decaying foliage from around the plant, and put the waste in a sealed garden bag, not the compost heap.
Water in the morning rather than the evening. Aim water at the soil, not the leaves, so the surface dries before slugs come out at night.
After sunset, take a torch and check leaves, stems and the soil surface. Pick off any slugs you find and move them far from the border.
Stop feeding hostas in early autumn. Too much nitrogen pushes soft new growth that slugs damage easily and that may not harden before frost.
Cut back dead foliage after the first light frost, clear fallen leaves, and tidy nearby pots, boards and stones that give slugs shelter.
Tips and common mistakes
Wear gloves when you handle slugs, soil and sharp tools.
Blue hostas hold their colour in light shade, while gold and green types cope with more sun.
Skip salt around plants because it can harm soil and roots, and empty beer traps often if you use them.
Questions
Will cutting back hostas before winter kill them?
No. Wait until the leaves have died back after a light frost, then cut them to within a few inches of the ground.
How do I know the holes are from slugs?
Slug damage usually appears as irregular holes in the middle of leaves, with silvery slime trails nearby.
Can I use slug pellets around hostas?
Use them only as directed and keep them away from pets and children. Hand-picking and clearing shelter are safer first steps.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
