Personally i have Dancing in the Rain it tends to melt out some late in the season for me, this will be it's 3rd year in the garden. Earth Angel seems to be a good grower,hasn't really wowed me yet but it is still young also(3rd yr this year) Guardian Angel has wowed me since i got it, loved it from the beginning,no slug damage and mine holds its varigation all season for me.

Sophie I have all of the ones you mentioned except Heat Wave.
I agree with Whitewater on DitR melting out.
Bro. Stefan is a good hosta, tough pretty leaves and nice white flowers.
Earth Angel had minimal slug damage, Guardian Angel fared much better. Below are two pix of EA and GA, second pic is Guardian Angel with a blue one, Big Daddy behind it, Big Daddy is very resistant to slug damage here.

Hi Sophie, Of the ones you are thinking of getting I have only Earth Angel. No slug damage here, & it was a 2nd yr. TC in 06 and last season it was a big beautiful plant ! I have ordered Guardian Angel this year , nice hostas , big & slug resistant both.

Hi, I have all of them except H.'Danceing in the rain' All good growers and large. The only white I know that can take some heat and sun NBC. No slug bate in this group.

m.

I have Dancing In The Rain and Guardian Angel. GA is an awesome plant - good grower, no problems, etc. DiTR does melt out later in the season for me too......

Alexa

YOU SAID: I need slug resistant hostas.

good luck with that ... only by being proactive in slug hunting.. will you succeed .... some hosta seem to be less favored by slugs ... but not unlike deer ... nothing will stop them.. if they want the plant ...

well ... there are things you can do ... but if you arent willing to do some hunting/prevention ... well .. good luck

ken

Sophies,

I have all of them except Heat Wave.

I love Guardian Angel and Earth Angel. My Brother Stefan is pretty but too young to really comment on.

Dancing In the Rain...mine has melt out and then the leaves rip down the center. And yes, plenty of slug holes. Here it is at the end of July 2007. I actually don't think it looks too bad for that time of year considering the amount of white the plant has. But that is my opinion; I wouldn't recommend it to others because of the afore mentioned negatives.
{{gwi:903511}}

Slug prevention; I agree with Ken on this one. The thicker the leaves the better chance the hosta has, but you have to be proactive on all hostas.

Last year, I used the 10-15% ammonia solution every 10 days all summer but I guess I don't get up early enough (before 5a); I only saw three slugs all last season but the evidence of their existence in my hosta beds was sure apparent. This year I'm going to forget the ammonia spray and use Deadline. This is what Hank Zumach from the Hallson Hosta forum uses and his Pic of the Day photos always look great. You don't need much to be very effective. I also asked a local hosta grower in Madison, WI what he uses and with no hesitation, he replied, "DEADLINE".

Char

Here is a link that might be useful: Hallson Hosta forum

"Last year, I used the 10-15% ammonia solution every 10 days all summer but I guess I don't get up early enough (before 5a); I only saw three slugs all last season but the evidence of their existence in my hosta beds was sure apparent. This year I'm going to forget the ammonia spray and use Deadline."
Char

Will you define your application method with ammonia?

I have all of them except for Dancing In The Rain and i like them all - guardian angel is a favorite

bs has been slow for me but it has more to do with my dogs them the plant - hope it will be a good year for it in 08

EO,

I used a pressurized tank. I measured the ammonia adding it to water to achieve a 10% solution (the first application). After that, I made it a 15% ammonia solution for the rest of the summer. I soaked the petioles, leaves, underside of leaves and about a foot of soil/mulch around each plant.

Like I said, I only saw 3 slugs all summer but those three melted like the wicked witch in Wizard of Oz when I sprayed them. I tried to do this as early in the a.m. as possible but before dawn I just end of stumbling around (even with my headlight on).

Char

Char, sounds like you did just as you should and it also sounds like it worked really well?

Am I missing something?

I want to thank all of you for your comments and the great photos. I have decided not to get Dancing In The Rain. I think I will get all the others, and also try Paradigm. I have Great Expectations, Paul's Glory, June, Liberty, Fire and Ice, Blue Angel, Krossa Regal, Great American Expectations, as well as many Sieboldiana Elegans and they are all growing really well in my yard with only slight slug damage. I have had to get rid of many nice thin leaved hostas because the slugs loved them and they ended up looking just terrible. I have several cats and dogs and wouldn't use anything for slug control that might harm the pets. Thanks, again, for your help. Sophie

Sophie - Sluggo is safe for animals.

Sophie I have three dogs and a cat that visit my garden often. I won't use any slug control bait that would harm them. I only use the iron phosphate type slug bait.
You can find it under various names, Escar-Go, Sluggo, etc., maybe try a google search if you can't purchase it locally. Just make sure the kind you buy is iron phosphate based, safe for kids and pets.

Thanks for the information about Sluggo and Escar-Go. I will look for iron phosphate based bait. I really appreciate everyone's comments. Thanks for taking the time to let me know. Sophie

I thought i posted this before but i don't see it

glad you picked up paradigm it is a great hosta

Greenguy, what a great picture. Thanks for posting it. I'm glad I picked Paradigm, too. I am making a shady walk at the back of my garden near the woods. It is so nice to see all these wonderful pictures. They really cheer me up as I look at the 2 feet of snow in my yard and hear about more coming. Sophie