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I was wondering if it was possible to revitalise hostas that have become tatty (largely through slug/snail damage), by cutting them back at some point during the summer?

Most of mine are growing in pots but have beeen particularly hit  by damage this year. As a result I have had to put them up the garden out of sight a lot earlier than normal. However some are showing signs of new leaves coming through, so was thinking of removing the old leaves in the hope that they'd regrow and look good again.

Does this sound a good idea?

Thanks

Dint think that it works like that Richard.  I may be wrong but I am sure that the leaves that come up in spring are all that come up, they do not rejuvenate to my knowledge unfortunately.

I agree with Mimi, any new leaves that are thrown up will be small, what have you tried to deter the little bu****s. Donna

Generally seems to be a bad year for slugs.  Last year I survived fairly unscathed.  This year my ligularia and hostas look more like lacy doilies.  They even ate through the flower spikes!  GGGrrrrrrr

Think 'safety'slug pellets are useless so back to normal ones and slime trails next year!

Definitely a bad year for slugs as Icy says and the safety pellets are pretty useless, I have a friend who makes a regular trip each night with a sharp knife and cuts them in half  :o and my mother swears by the vaseline ring around the pot and for snails her friendly thrush that appears as soon as she is in the garden. i don't have any thushes in my garden any ideas how I can attract some? I get lots of other birds.

I cut one of my lacework hostas back about 4 weeks ago & it did grow  new leaves back again although possibly not as big as the first lot. I also chop off the worst looking leaves on other clumps & they seem to thicken up. I would guess that the earlier you do it the more likely you are to get good rejuvenation. If you think, there are lots of plants that can be cut back when they look tatty & tired so why not hostas. The way I see it is that you've got nothing to lose - if they are looking so bad you have to move them, you might aswell cut them back, give them a good feed & see what happens.

There are definite signs of new growth (first year it sems to have happened), which is unusual. I didnt theink they did it either ie one set of leaves and thats it.  The plants themsleves seem to have confounded this theory  :o

TBH I havent tried much in the way of protection from slugs and snails. I always thought growing in pots was enough - dont like using pelets much. In spite of this the plants have been decimated by the little devils. I even watched one one evening make a b - line for one of the plants, just out of interest. It didnt live long after that I can assure you!

I suppose if nothing else cutting back would make the plats look a bit tidier.

Hi Richard
the new growth wont last long, as everything will begin to fall away over the next few weeks, my "best" and only advice is for next year, and thats sinply to have your pots sit on clay feet or large saucers, which also helps with their greed for water! it works year in n year out for me.
Cheers Kev

Funny, my lupins and delphs, hacked to bits by slugs and snails, my hostas are perfect, untouched and lush!  I must have fussy slimers!  >:(

Usualy the pot grown ones dont get touched much (hence why i grow most of mine in pots  ;D). Ones planted in the ground would get murdered.

This year even the potted ones got turned to lacework.

I did read somewhere recently that stress or damage makes them more vunerable/atractive to slug/snail damage. It is likely that the poted ones are root bound now and are a touch stressed. Similarly if planted in poor soil or a frost pocket, they would be more vunerable (due to stress or frost damage).

This is why I have tried them in the new Bog area, OK in theory they are more vunerable in the soil, but on the other hand they should have near ideal soil conditions and be healthy as a result. I am hoping this (and any other precautions that i might take to protect them) will help them resist damage.

PS I am well aware that any regrowth now wont last long.