Browning hosta question
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My Hostas are turning brown around the edges and looks like bugs are eating them, they look terrible. I water and spray them for bugs but they still aren't looking any better. What do I do?
15 answers
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You need to fertilize them. Also place mulch around them to keep the moisture in. Remember when spraying an insecticidal soap to get under the leaves, but don't over coat.....
Amy
on Aug 01, 2016
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I would say the hostas need shade.
Karen
on Aug 01, 2016
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Browning edges is also a symptom of too much water and or too much chemicals in general. Unless you actually see bugs, don't spray. Before you wart again stick your finger into the soil to if its really in need of water.
Margaret Drahaus
on Aug 01, 2016
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Go to a garden center and get the stuff you sprinkle around them to get rid of slugs. That's what is eating them.
Suzanne Eder
on Aug 01, 2016
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Most likely it is snails and slugs attacking the hostas. Treat for the situation with slug and snail bait. DO NOT FEED THEM NOW>>>Hostas should be fed at the start of the season.Trim the bad leaves. Repeat the process for the slugs based on how much rain you are getting as that will wash the bait away.
Janet Pizaro
on Aug 01, 2016
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Probably slugs are eating them. Set out a shallow jar lid near your plants...bury it up to the lip and fill the lid with beer...they will fall in and drown.
Dorothy Roush
on Aug 01, 2016
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I would say they need more shade. Cut the most badly damaged leaves back to the crown of the plant. Slugs love hosts' so get some copper wire and string around the base of your plants to deter them. Copper shocks them and keeps them away. Diatomaceous earth also works good.
Lorraine Wilson
on Aug 01, 2016
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I have a lot of Hostas and I spread sand around the bottom of each Plant as slugs won't crawl over the sand. I have also noticed that slugs are less likely to eat the all green Hostas but seem to prefer the ones with white on them
Janet Martin
on Aug 02, 2016
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It sounds like they need more shade. Too much sun can "burn" the leaves. I use pecan shells as mulch around my Hostas. The slugs are sliced by the shells and it is a safe way to rid your garden of them. No Chemicals!
Tanya
on Aug 02, 2016
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Putting crushed up egg shells around the hostas will also help keep slugs away.
Cathy
on Aug 02, 2016
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Definitely too much sun
Moni Batthish
on Aug 02, 2016
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Slugs won't crawl across the sand as they don't like the feel of it so, therefore, they don't crawl up into the hosta and chew the leaves. I have also heard that Epsom salts will work, as well as copper pennies, but sand is much cheaper to use
Janet Martin
on Aug 04, 2016
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Thank you. Looks like I will be buying bags of sand next year for my hostas. Ralph
Mer5413796
on Aug 05, 2016
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The hostas are in the shade all day. I guess it is slugs then? I will try the egg shells or sand. Thanks!
Janet chambers
on Aug 05, 2016
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I used the sand around the plants and also sprayed them with a pesticide for hostas. I sit on my porch every night and every night I see at leat 8-10 slugs crawling out of the flower beds. The flower bed of hostas is only 12' x 3'. I don't know how many slugs can live in such a small space. They are all huge, at least 6-8" long. Next spring I will spread sand all through and around the hostas as soon as they start to grow. The hostas are tall and it seems that whatever is eating them likes to go to the top and chew around the edges. I would think that slugs would be too heavy to be up there. Could it be grasshoppers or something else along with the slugs? The hostas only get about two hours of morning sun and I water them every other day but the leaves are still turning brown around the bottom. Very frustrating. I also have a large hosta garden on the side of my house that I never water or do anything to and they all look beautiful but they are in shade all day.
Janet chambers
on Sep 03, 2016
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