The elephant ear bulbs are really small this year...not sure why.

I love the fragrance of Star Gazer lilies I put them in pots so the rodents don't eat them. Lilac Lime sounds pretty.

I know it is Lilac Time.

tee, a good idea on the clematis is to grow it on in a pot the first year to get a really good start...then plant it in the ground once the root system is developed well.

I have to remember to check out Hilltop this year; I haven't been there in several years.

Helen, I have buds on my new 'Annabelle' lilac!

Nancy, these elephant ears in the bags are rather small. I don't know what that means though. Smaller plants? I saw the usual huge ones too.

Helen, and I know it's Nelly, not Nellie, lol.

Gld, I've about decided to just wait on the clematis. Babying plants isn't my strong suit at all. I don't know how many I've killed off this way.

When I go to Hilltop I've got to ask how they keep slugs at bay with all those hosta gardens. I'm digging mine out this year if I can't figure out a way to stop the slug damage. I'll put my favorites in pots as they're basically slug-free like that but the rest will be offered here free to anyone who wants them.

teeandcee, I'm glad you found the large elephant ears. This store only had the golf ball sized ones in bags. I'll look again this week.
Have you tried crushed egg shells around your hosta? I wash them out and crush them after drying. I hate the thought of you loosing your hostas. good luck :)

Diatomaceous earth works around hostas for slugs, also I have found that coffee grounds around the plants seems to help plus they are a great fertilizer. You can get bags of them free at any Starbucks. The thicker the leaf of the hosta varieties, the more slug resistant they are. Thin leaves are a slug magnet.

Thats good info mosswitch. I put coffee grounds on my veggie garden but never thought about putting them around hostas. There isnt a Starbucks close by but the corner coffee shop allows me to take a bucket in and pick it up in a couple days. oppps, theres a bucket waiting for me now.

It seems that I read that you put down your protection before the plants are out of the ground much...that way you can get good coverage. I know I have tried once I start seeing damage and that is too late.

teeandcee there is a product iron sulfate I think. It is in sluggo and escargo. If you order from Gardens Alive sometimes they have a coupon. It is cheaper to find it in a garden center because when I have the $25 coupon, I order more to get the deal. Last time I wanted to make my order over $50 to get the coupon, I got row covers which I think I can use. The products are expensive but the chemical is not hazardous to pets or other friendly creatures. I think sluggo cost about $12 for a bag when I bought some several years ago. You have to reapply but the old stuff decays and becomes a nutrient for the plants. It is worth the money if you are fighting a losing battle. There are other cheaper poisonous products but I wouldn't consider them with my 6 little predators who live here.

Thanks for the tips everyone. I'm afraid my dogs would eat the coffee grounds and egg shells. The last thing I want is a caffeined-up wiener dog barking all night. :D

I do have sluggo but have always waited until I see damage so think I'll try applying it early this year along with some diatomaceous earth.

Last year during the peak of damage I went slug hunting at night but much to my surprise I saw only a couple. Based on the damage I assumed I'd be wading in them.

In the interest of being thankful, I'm glad we don't have those banana slugs here. I believe I'd have to move.

Here is a link that might be useful: banana slug

tand c are you sure it is slugs and not cut worms eating your hostas. When you go out at night with the flashlight look under the leaves for climbing cutworms. My hosta damage is more likely cut worms than slugs. I have seen them and know what they do. Before I found out I thought it was slugs. Slugs leave a slime trail. I planted a garden once near a stump it was at the Elks Lodge where there is plenty of beer for a trap. A few hours after I put out a bowl of beer, it was full of slugs. I could get loads of them every time I tried the beer. In good slug habitat there can be loads of them.

Here is a link that might be useful: climbing cutworm

Helen, you might just be right on the cutworms. I always thought of cutworms as chopping off plants like they do with tomatoes. My hostas had those same types of holes as in the link.

Thanks for that link. I'm saving it and making a note in my garden journal about it too. I'd be so happy to save my hostas!