There are no barriers, sprinkling a sluggo type product is the most efficient and effective. On coolish evenings after a rain it is satisfying to take a spray bottle with 10% amonia They curl and die instantly. The plants life the spritz of nitrogen.

i just moved into a house with a shade garden in front and we get slugs all the time. i really didnt think it might have something to do with the hostas planted there. where would i get this slug stuff? lol.

I don't grow them any longer because Hostas seem to me to be especially susceptible to snails and slugs. The ammonia sounds like a great idea.

Hostas are even more susceptible to deer.

For a long time I've trapped them with beer in soda bottles and little dishes, and sometimes used boards on the ground and collected them the next day. After seeing this video, I'm putting newspapers under the boards. I think I may be getting more slugs, and they're definitely easier to collect.

Here is a link that might be useful: slug control

There is a hosta that is supposed to be 'slug resistant', it is called "Blue Angel". I imagine there are others. My husband and I are sick of doing the beer dishes - they end up looking disgusting and you really have to keep up with it. I just bought "Sluggo" (check with garden centers or on-line). I hope it works, it is so easy - you just sprinkle it around and it lasts through rains and is completely organic and pet safe! Kind of expensive though....but may be worth it.

Sluggo does work, but I find I have to put it out about once a week as soon as the hosta starts to sprout. I'm going a little longer between applications now that the plant has fully sprouted. I have holes in a couple leaves, but diligence pays off in this case. The plant has never looked better.

I had the same problem and found some natural ways to prevent the slugs. First of all, if they cross copper wiring, they get a shock. You can make a ring around your plants with this. Be sure that the ring extends all the way around the OUTSIDE of the plant or the slugs will just hop on the leaves and chow down! Make sure you use bare wiring, not the coated. It is sort of expensive, but it lasts.

Another thing that has worked is using diatomacopus earth around the hostas. When the slugs crawl across it, it is the equivalent of you walking across broken glass. Ouch! The only bad thing about this is that is has to be reapplied after hard rains, etc.

I found a product called slug away that I used too, although I prefer to stay away from chemicals as much as possible. I have pets, and I worry about exposing them to poisons.

I hope this helps.

thanks, planatus, for the attached video re: slug control. I found it really helpful (along with everyone else's commments, too!), and with more & more hostas each year...well, you see my drift.

Some slug poisons are designed to attract the slug. Whatever you do, don't put these near your plants. The slugs WILL be attracted and while they are waiting in line to get to the bait, they devour everything else in their path. Place any poison bait far SWAY from your plants.

As far as keeping deer and rabbits away from hostas, or anything else for that matter, I sprinkle Milorganite around the plants. This acts as a fertilizer as well.

I buy Escar-Go from Gardens Alive and love it. Have been using it for a year now and it works great.

http://www.gardensalive.com/product.asp?pn=2967&ss=Escar-go

I try to be natural when possible but in the case of slugs /snails I have no patience and get the slugo it works well and I work to hard to have those damn things take the joy of my garden away.
Peter

Hello:
I have used both Sluggo and Slug away for years. They both are excellent products that work really well. I have dogs that share my garden with me, so i have to be careful what I use. I haven't a problem with Snails or Slugs since I began using these products.