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I've seen an advert for slug-resistant Hostas and wondered if anyone has tried them with any success?  I don't believe it for one minute (cynic moi?) but the varieties offered are H. 'Big Daddy', H. 'Invincible' and H. tokudama. 

G x

I've ordered them.  No idea if they work or not but they can fill the spaces left by the ones that definitely don't work!

I find Hosta 'Sum and Substance' is relatively slug proof.

It has thick ribbed leaves with very fine hairs - slugs dont find it as tasty as other plants.

They are not slug resistant, it is just that because they have large thick tough leaves the slugs prefer to eat more palatable material.
I have about 30 different varieties of Hostas and they are all in pots. Liberal applications of slug pellets starting early in the growing season means that there has been no slug damage for years.

Gardening Which? is doing a trial of hostas at the moment at Capel Manor, to test their slug resistance.  I expect the results will be published next year.

Thank you for all your replies.  I don't use slug pellets but I think I might give these varieties a try using other (non-chemical) control methods. 

Hopalong, thanks for that information.  I'm just down the road from Capel Manor so if the weather is nice on Sunday I might just have a wander up there and take a look.   :)

G x

Quote from: Georgie on October 17, 2008, 17:32:54

Hopalong, thanks for that information.  I'm just down the road from Capel Manor so if the weather is nice on Sunday I might just have a wander up there and take a look.   :)

G x

You may not see very much of the hostas, Georgie.  They are either dying down or the slugs have got them! But the autumn colour at Capel Manor is absolutely fantastic. You are lucky to live so close.

Quote from: hopalong on October 18, 2008, 18:37:15
You may not see very much of the hostas, Georgie.  They are either dying down or the slugs have got them! But the autumn colour at Capel Manor is absolutely fantastic. You are lucky to live so close.

Pah! My daughter has just informed me that the weather forecast for tomorrow is grim.   >:(  Looks like I might have to save the autumn colour for another day.   ::)

G x

I take on board Toadspawn's comments re: these particular varieties, and also take on board the fact that 'they' (sorry :-[ no idea if he or she) grow hostas in pots. I don't have a great variety of hostas....scrap that! I've got ONE variety of hosta which is now divided between 14 pots/tubs ::) and I find that this is the way for stress-free growing in a suburban garden. Without the use of pellets, if the soil is well-seived then crushed seasoned eggshells are added to the growing compost in the tubs, the tubs then top-dressed with either more eggshells or stones AND, as another barrier, a smearing of something like vaseline is put round the tub edge.....?

I don't know much about 'pretty' gardening, but these tubs can get moved around and always perform really well. I also think that the tender new shoots are at most particular risk to slug damage & this is the time I get all my defences lined up....rest of the year they do their own not-slug-damaged thang....me, I'm busier in the veggie plot to worry about them :-\

Find them most obliging 8)

Of course, I eat a lot of eggs... ;D

Quote from: Georgie on October 15, 2008, 16:31:13
I've seen an advert for slug-resistant Hostas
G x

Now where's the challenge in that! ;)

Thanks, Lish.  They will be in pots which I will top dress with horticultural grit.  We don't eat many eggs here but I guess I could get my hands on some eggshells if adding them to the soil is going to help.  I've tried the vaseline trick, coffee grounds and copper tape in the past for other susceptable plants but haven't found them very effective.  But what I will do is grow sacrificial plants nearby, probably Tagetes, then go out with the torch and bucket at dusk if need be. 

LOL@Anne.  Some challenges I can do without.   ;D

G x

Georgie

I was at Capel Manor today and had a quick look at the Gardening Which? Hosta trial bed.  It was covered in mushroom compost, presumably to improve alkalinity. A lot of the hostas had died down, although some of those with fleshier blue-green leaves seemed to be going strong still.  No surprises there. Didn't get names - sorry!

Someone said the bed had been attacked by deer earlier in the year and had to be fenced around, so it does not sound like a very well controlled or successful trial.

Quote from: hopalong on October 20, 2008, 17:32:59
Georgie

I was at Capel Manor today and had a quick look at the Gardening Which? Hosta trial bed.  It was covered in mushroom compost, presumably to improve alkalinity. A lot of the hostas had died down, although some of those with fleshier blue-green leaves seemed to be going strong still.  No surprises there. Didn't get names - sorry!

Someone said the bed had been attacked by deer earlier in the year and had to be fenced around, so it does not sound like a very well controlled or successful trial.

Hmm, that's interesting, Hopalong.  Earlier in the year I was chatting to a couple of folks there who were repairing the wicker unicorns and they mentioned something about the Which? trials no longer being properly funded and that they might either move or be stopped.  I have no idea where they got this information from but I have to say I've not been overly impressed by the trials when I've been there.  I've never seen anyone working on them or making records for instance.  In fact there rarely seems to be anyone around them apart from the paying public so I do wonder about the control/security aspects. 

Anyway how was the autumn colour?  I didn't get there yesterday unfortunately.

G x

Quote from: Georgie on October 20, 2008, 20:16:57

Quote from: hopalong on October 20, 2008, 17:32:59
Georgie

Anyway how was the autumn colour?  I didn't get there yesterday unfortunately.

G x

Autumn colour is still pretty good in places, Georgie, although lots of leaves have now fallen. Parthenocissus tricuspidata (Boston Ivy) along the wall near the house is stunning bright red.

I couldnt not reply could I !!  ;)

Mine are mostly in pots too.  I agree its best to get in there at the first sign of new growth to protect them from slugs, after that they seem to do okay.

Havent heard of this trial.  Be interesting to hear how it went - if it went that is !

Quote from: Hosta on October 21, 2008, 21:29:26
I couldnt not reply could I !!  ;)

Mine are mostly in pots too.  I agree its best to get in there at the first sign of new growth to protect them from slugs, after that they seem to do okay.

Havent heard of this trial.  Be interesting to hear how it went - if it went that is !

LOL@Hosta.  I take it the new growth is around April?

G x

Yes'ish  Depends where you live LOL

Well, the three bare-rooted little beauties arrived today looking very healthy.  I'll pot them up tomorrow and keep my fingers crossed.   :)

G x

Quote from: Georgie on November 22, 2008, 20:24:09
Well, the three bare-rooted little beauties arrived today looking very healthy.  I'll pot them up tomorrow and keep my fingers crossed.   :)

G x

Okay I've read up on how to do it but I can't find any advice on how deep to plant them.  Do I leave the cut back stem just above the surface then mulch?

G x

I have never planted them bare rooted but I guess just plant to the base of the stem.This will probbally rot down now. :)