Updated May 14, 2008

Hosta pests and diseases

Insects and diseases are rarely a problem for hostas.  Slugs are the  most common problem plaguing hostas. Slugs produce holes in the foliage making the plant less attractive. Slugs can be picked off the foliage at night, when they are active, and dropped into vinegar or salt water. Another common remedy is beer or yeast dissolved in water. Set this out in  margarine containers to attract and drown the slugs. Putting down a coarse or rough barrier such as lime, sand, egg shells or wood ashes around the hosta will also act as a deterrent to slugs. There are also chemical baits which work. Be sure to follow the manufacturers instructions. Ensure that the bait is put under a board  or rock to keep birds and pets from ingesting the poisons. If slug populations are kept in check, hostas should grow without a lot of chemicals to keep them looking at their best.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Deer can eat all your hostas in a single evening, leaving just the stalks. Ten foot fencing and trained guard dogs are the only reliable method to keep them out of the garden. I have a Doberman and a border collie and their scent seems to keep my gardens deer free.  You can also try deer repellent, a bitter tasting chemical that is sprayed on the leaves, which will need to be reapplied after several rainfalls. Motion detector sprinklers have also been used with some success.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Rabbits will occasionally eat tender young shoots in the spring. But again I don’t seem to have a rabbit problem because of my dogs.

 

 

 

Squirrels will sometimes eat hosta leaves in a drought or dig up plants.

Voles chew on the roots of the hostas. And if the infestation is severe                                                                                                                              may kill the plants. Planting the hostas in wire cages that surround the   roots may deter the voles.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Destini

Cheyenne

‘The Guard Dogs’