More of an answer than a question.

Vale of Glamorgan, Wales

I was just spraying my Hostas with my concoction and suddenly realised lots of folk get heartbroken with the slugs and hostas. So I clicked on H in the A-Z on the question page and looked up to see if my remady is there but no. DSo here goes. This is something I heard a long time ago on the Television when they were talking to the person who has the biggest Hosta collection in the country or did then. They asked how she coped with the problem her answer was Boil a few Garlic bulbes in water leave it stand then strain it off and spray the hostas with the solution, I can't quite remember I think she said to crush or liquidise and then put through a muslin, but I found that kept blocking my spray up, so try just lightly crushing them before boiling then strain off. Hope it works for you it does wonders for me, the best solution I have ever come accross..

14 Jun, 2009

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Answers

Bamboo

Never heard that one before, I'll try to remember it. Can you not put this in a blog, then we can find it again later when we've all forgotten (I mean, me, of course;-)

14 Jun, 2009

Bernieh

Actually Telme8 I use a similar concoction - garlic and chilli - to keep away the huge grasshoppers we get over here!

14 Jun, 2009

Seaburngirl

i have also heard of this garlic infusion to deter slugs etc. never got round to doing it. so it does work does it telme8?

14 Jun, 2009

Bigbumblebee

Reckon I'm going to try that too. Some of my hostas are beginning to look like Honiton lace! Thanks for the tip Telme8.

14 Jun, 2009

Usernut

Garlic has the same effect on me, one whiff and i,m off.
when you spray the hosta's do they smell heavily of garlic?

14 Jun, 2009

Telme8

Yes it does work the only messy bit was the small when I was making it, Hope it helps When I have been a little negligent and I have a few lacy leaves I pick them off first then spray and the new leaves soon replace them. There are so many jobs to do in the garden at this time of the year I do sometimes forget to get on top of it.

14 Jun, 2009

Jonathanhales

There are some garlic products available in granule-type form which are designed for the purpose you describe. You just sprinkle them on the ground around the base of the plant, and when watering the garlic will go down to the roots. The sap of the hosta (or whatever plant) is then garlic tasting and unattractive to slugs.

14 Jun, 2009

Merlinbabydog

Thakyou Telme! After giving up this year no matter what I did, you have given me hope. i'm going to file this page but it would be good if you could blog it.

14 Jun, 2009

Llew

Great tip. Thanks. :o)

14 Jun, 2009

Andrearichter

I get a tube of garlic paste and mix it with water until it is thin enough to spray, that works for me. There are also organic slug pellets now which aren't full of nasty stuff.

16 Jun, 2009