john gault
Green Thumb
Posts: 461
Joined: Sun Jul 10, 2011 4:53 pm
Location: Atlantic Beach, Fl. (USDA Hardiness Zone 9a)

What Insect is Eating my Hostas?

All-in-all I've been pretty lucky with insects not attacking my plants. However, (as with most things) there's always an exception; my exception is with Hostas.

Couple of years ago I bought some Golden Edger Hostas for my shaded portion of the yard; they soon got gobbled up. But every so often they come back, just to be ravaged again. Recently I bought four Sagae Plantain Lilies, (Sagae Hosta). They've faired pretty well, but still somewhat stressed by bug attacks on the leaves, but I think what really hurts them are the deep bite marks in their stems, just found one this morning that only has one leaf left, the other is lying on the ground, thanks to bugs.

I don't know what's eating them, but I'm wondering if I should make a barrier around them so the mulch doesn't collect at the base of the plant (thinking that if the base is exposed the culprit will stay away).

Anyone have any idea what may be eating them? All my other shade plants seem to be doing fine, so I think I just may have to give up on Hostas. However, there's one type of Hosta I'd like to try, can't remember the name, but it's a very light color of green (sort of lime green) with a VERY fragrant flower. Anyone know the name? I think it's the only Hosta with such a fragrant flower; I've only seen it once in some garden store and was blown away by the fragrance that I could smell from a distance.

P.S. I don't do the insecticide thing.

john gault
Green Thumb
Posts: 461
Joined: Sun Jul 10, 2011 4:53 pm
Location: Atlantic Beach, Fl. (USDA Hardiness Zone 9a)

I do have a lot of snails. Do they make cresent-shaped bite marks in the stems?

john gault
Green Thumb
Posts: 461
Joined: Sun Jul 10, 2011 4:53 pm
Location: Atlantic Beach, Fl. (USDA Hardiness Zone 9a)

This supports what you've said; seems hostas are on a short list of favorites https://www.gardeningchannel.com/how-to-control-snails-and-slugs-in-the-garden/


I'm thinking :idea: I can fashion a moat and fill it with cheap beer :lol:

john gault
Green Thumb
Posts: 461
Joined: Sun Jul 10, 2011 4:53 pm
Location: Atlantic Beach, Fl. (USDA Hardiness Zone 9a)

I GIVE UP :!:

I've been pretty successful at keeping the snails away, but now I got these little bugs that clamp on the leaves and suck it and the leaves turn yellow and die. Hostas are just too much maintenance around here, which I refuse to do. :evil:

I think I've seen pics of these bugs, they're about the size of these letters and brown in color. They don't seem to bother anything else in the area. In retrospect, I think these do more damage to the hostas than the snails; snails may cut away a leaf, but these things attach and suck and they just stay there.



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