Continued—- so I pulled and pulled and pulled

So I am barely moving now and am seriously considering do I remove the ground cover and and go back to mulch? Or keep the ground cover and just make sure I do the preventative steps in fall and spring? What steps should I take to deal with those blasted slugs?

Now my friends, time to gripe about your sore back, knees ,shoulders or whatever ails you and/or share your accomplishments and crazy moments!

I've never used anything for slugs so I'm of no help to you..I hope less ajuga helps..I was out for most of the day (came in for lunch)..I'm sore all over too..I'm retired and out everyday so I'm sore most of the time lol..the watering cans are killing me..I started not completely filling them to make it a little easier..we moved a redbud today..it was a volunteer and I let it be planning to move it "someday"..it was about 6 ft tall..we should've done it sooner..he didn't seem too rough but my husband sure damaged the roots..we planted it but I'll be pleasantly surprised if it lives..I poured 4 FULL 2 gallon watering cans on it..at least you have a lot of accomplishments to show for your pain..I didn't come close to finishing my plans for the day..

Try a 10% ammonia solution just as the pips come up in spring. It won't get every slug in the garden, but it sure cuts back the population, and it fertilizes the hostas at the same time.

, Hey, at least you can get out there and play in the dirt. I'm on my last day of no gardening, no gym, no bending, and no lifting. I cheated a little and spread grass seed Saturday. Tomorrow I get to gradually add things but no digging, and there are hostas to plant, daylilies to divide, and mulch to spread. Stupid back.

I prefer the plants as groundcover and treat for slugs. I don't go to the gym, so I try to appreciate the soreness I get from gardening.

I don't have much of a problem with slugs and snails, probably because of the climate. Plus I only grow in pots and put them on pot feet, so they have a little work to do to get to my hosta. However, I've read on this forum that mulch is a good place for slugs to hide and to lay their eggs. I can't remember the specifics, but they said to be sure and pull the mulch back away from the hosta.

bk

Nicholsworth and MadPlanter —- I have a feeling that you both have health issues like I do. I have had every Orthopaedic surgery one can have, except replacements. I do however have 3 spinal fusions which shows you how crazy I am to be doing this type of stuff. And fibromyalgia too, so tired and sore even when not extremely active....

Nicholsworth I forgot why you are carrying watering cans all over instead of using a hose? That‘s a back breaker for sure. I hope that situation resolves for you soon.

MadPlanter- it sounds as if you’re recovering from a back issue. How bad of a problem?Take it easy then because you don’t want to end up with surgery if that’s not what you’re recovering from. Sorry to hear this is a problem for you.

Ken, you are so right about anger...... I won’t let another fall or spring pass without preventative treatment!! I’m gonna become an expert at it!!

Steve, you must really be a sweetheart.......you want to treat the slugs, awwwwww. So pulling your ground cover up is a great way to stay in shape.... no fees, no feeling self conscious, no driving back and forth to the gym. Good idea for you!

bkay, I am so envious of you——no slugs??? How many hosta in plants do you have? I imagine the slugs trying to crawl up those pots, they croak from the strenuous climbing and fall off. And you must be in a warm climate where you don’t have to bring your pots in for the winter.

Well, this week, my garden guy Bert is off so he will be helping with a number of projects. He couldn’t help yesterday because he and his family went to a festival. Could I have waited until today? Nooooo, I couldn’t! I had to plant those plants yesterday! Right???

Sluggo! Get some of the basic Sluggo. I toss it around the hostas a few times during the season, especially in early spring. It's not supposed to be harmful to animals and birds, or anything else out there, just slugs and snails. Just keep it in a place where no kids or pets get to a full bag of it, (just in case you have a knucklehead that would eat it :) ....but the little pellets on the ground don't seem to be a problem. There's a cheaper generic version I've never found, but it's worth it to try Sluggo.

djacob..I guess I exaggerated..compared to others my problems are minor..no surgeries ever on my back, shoulders, knees etc..my problem is: I'm older, weaker, not as flexible etc..so gardening makes me ache but I love it and don't intend to stop!..I'll just do it and gripe Lol..I use watering cans for my way too many potted plants..my steady stream of new perennials..even established shrubs that like water..my wooded half acre feels big..it's loaded with plants and the hose is aggravating..in really dry times I pull the hose as close to the plants as I can and fill the cans from there..not often but I have connected my 2 hoses (don't want to buy more) and can reach some areas..

anger is probably how the whole throw them on the driveway thingee started .... lol ...

ken

"throw them on the driveway" DOES sound like the end result of a fit of anger..lol

,Hey, djacob. I had scatica last fall and thought it was gone for good. This spring we had a lot of rain, and the ground was soft. What better time to dig up all the honeysuckle that was making the paths too narrow? I got quite a few paths widened, and then my back said WRONG! I guess it's time to pay the tree service guys and save my back for important things like planting.

Many sympathies on your back problems. Isn't it irritating not to be able to do the things you did 30 years ago? hope your back , knees, etc. hold up as well as possible.

Thank you all for your kind sympathies...... I just needed an outlet last night. I really wanted to drink wine but my back needed relaxants and if you drink while taking relaxants, you actually turn into a slug....... lol!! Hmmmm, that may have been ok....

I have used Sluggo in the past, never thought it did much. Also read an article referenced here I thought, that talked about it not really being safe after all.

Okay I’m going to brag. I’m years past full retirement age and avoid orthopedic surgeons at all costs! I treat my aches and pains with chiropractic and bodywork and have since I was 25 years old. Highly recommend the less invasive approach!

nicholsworth -- I highly recommend the WaterRight brand of lightweight hose -- it has saved my gardening life. Truly light weight to pull across my large yard (have two 100-footers connected) and it is worth the money, in my opinion. I am 73 and just under five feet tall, and my old heavy hoses had me questioning whether I could continue gardening my 20+ beds at all. My WaterRight hoses have made watering an absolute pleasure!

They run about $1.00 - 1.50 per foot on Amazon. And have held up well for 4 years (stored in shed over winter, drained).

Zkathy, I actually had chiropractic work when I was a child. Had signs of sciatica even before teen years. No problems through high school or college. Always had low back pain. I have what used to be called a “sway” back, over curvature. In my Twenties I went to chiropractors for treatment. Then at teachers convention one year in a movement workshop for young children, I bent over and literally couldn’t get back up. Crawled to my car in excruciating pain. By this time I had developed a relationship with an orthopedic doc. At that point the disc was gone. No chiropractor could have helped. I had this happen when I was 30. So now three fusions later, a person doesn’t go to a chiropractor because the back is fused and there isn’t normal movement. However I am soooo very happy for you and anyone who gets relief from chiropractic work! My husband goes and he believes it helps him tremendously.

roxanna, I appreciate the recommendation of the WaterRight hose brand! I will look into this,

I like that we help each other and have words of hope for all that need it!!!

Yes, n2hostas, that’s kinda what this post was all about! Thanks to everyone who chimed in!

:-)

roxanna..thanks..I'm going to check out those hoses..I keep thinking that when all of my plants are established I can cut back on the watering..but I keep planting new ones..or moving old ones..all of my potted plants are in close proximity to one another and it's great for watering..

I saw the hoses and read reviews..they have a good rating but a few people said they kink..have you had kinks?..

nicholsworth, the kinking is minimal, esp. compared to other hoses I have had in the past. It usually happens for me with the WaterRight only when I am too lazy to coil it up properly. Even then, kinking isn't really much of a problem, and being so lightweight can be corrected without much hassle. I just give it a quick, sharp flip to shake out the kink and am good to go.

Try one of these if you can -- I think you'll like it!

djacob68z5sewi - it seems like you did a LOT of work. I get it, I have to gripe slightly also. Moved about 6 of my own hostas, not sure what variety, maybe Big Daddy because they were burning in the place they were previously at. Not sure if the new space is helping them at all. Weeded all the gardens. Lots and lots and lots of weeds! Didn't get around to putting the weeds in the garbage, they're just sitting in my driveway....classy I know, I'll get to it.

Still have to plant some potted plants, reorganize a bunch of the plants in the gardens (waiting for the heat to mellow), have to build a mini-retaining wall for my front garden and do all the dirt filling, cutting and plant relocating that goes along with it. And have to get rid of the last 4 or so cubic yards of mulch in my driveway because it's driving my husband nuts lol.

I've also had a ton of slugs on my hostas and have no clue what to do about it, they also go for my poor daylilies and catmint.

roxanna..good to know that kinking isn't really a problem..by far the reviews were favorable..they are expensive..quality usually is..15? 16? years ago my Felco pruners were expensive but are worth every penny to me..

Kali_deere, YOU really have done a lot of work!! Wow! And I am assuming you are not retired like me, maybe even with kids, so you don’t probably get the down time that I do. Make sure you take care of yourself, you don’t want to end up with injuries or many years down the road terrible arthritis. Yet, many gardeners find a way regardless. I hand a neighbor lady who was one of the original founders of the Milwaukee Rose Garden Society. (?) Not sure that’s the correct name, anyway she had terrible osteoporosis and a lovely garden with many roses. She was still gardening at 100 years old! Amazing!!

Well my work is just about to begin. I was away for five days, then came home for three days and just got home from a two week motorcycle trip.
The garden is a mess, did not get watered right, weeds are rampant, of course slug damage as usual and many seed stalks to cut down.
I have several mature hostas that need to be divided and moved. Hopefully i get most of this done after all the honey-do's.

djacob - thanks! I always feel like I never get enough done somehow. Luckily I'm still mostly energetic being 26, no kids, but four fur babies haha. You're very right I already get a sore back most weekends because I spend both days in the garden hahah, sometimes I get the opportunity to do it after work but it's such a long day and commute.

olddirt- wow that sounds like a challenge good luck! always a pain when you come back from a trip and have to catch up.

Just a gripe-the deer have finally made it down the road to my hostas. Aaarrrggghh.

Oh and one happy thing-We are taking out a ~40 foot forsythia hedge on part of our property line and putting in Limelight hydrangeas (I know, off topic). We were dreading doing it ourselves after our landscaper (mower mostly now and for about three minutes time for the crew since we have very little grass now) quoted $2500 to do it and that was just for removal, not the new planting. So, I called my son's guy. Estimate-$500 for removal, planting the LLs I bought (10-12 of them), and mulching. Done, sez I! DH is thrilled. Unlike Kali, we are getting too old for some of this!

Love Limelight Hydrangea Trees......I have one in my yard and It’s blooming now.

ok, off topic, but here goes

I have beds with ajuga and w/o. Slugs appear in both. I love a good slug hunt with my ammonia sprayer. I spray the pips in the spring and hit the garden after a rain. I also find Get-A-Bug to work well--or it makes me feel better. In the end I have slugs. By this time of year their havoc shows and it always disappoints and frustrates me. They are a fact of life in a shade garden. This year I have an over abundance of frogs and toads about. Still there are slugs doing damage. It's been a lot of years since I rooted around and had the carnage you show, from it. Enjoy it while you are still able!!!

Thanks for your input. I probably will still get slugs but I am hoping to significantly limit the damage. I thank goodness I live in a city where my garden can only get so big. Your property is beautiful! I can’t imagine what it takes to keep up with it.