How do I save my hosta?

My hosta are being destroyed. Does anyone know what I should do to save them. Snails & some kind of small unidentified bug (see photo 1) are attacking them & no telling what else. I’ve tried water w/dawn dish wash, water & peppermint, epsom salt & diamatusus earth (splg).

Unidentified bug

Holes & tears in leaves

  7 answers
  • Try this: In a spray bottle, mix a solution of 2 cups water, 10 drops tea tree oil and 10 drops liquid dish detergent. Spray onto plant leaves, and repeat as necessary to keep insects from attacking your hostas.

  • Joy30150932 Joy30150932 on Jun 04, 2019

    You can try using crushed egg shells around the base of the plants as snails do not like to cross over the rough stuff. There is also a slug bait that you can buy from the gardening store which also works very well and one container will last for many years, depending on how many hostas you have. In the meantime, try spraying with a mix of 40 parts water to one part liquid soap, leave on 10-15 minutes and then hose off again.

  • Jeanette Jeanette on Jun 04, 2019

    Buy a spray container of insecticidal soap at any home improvement store. I also sprinkle diatomaceous earth on the soil around the base of my hostas to control slugs.

  • Ellis Ellis on Jun 04, 2019

    You can try Sluggo to get rid of slugs and snails. It's organic, so it's safe for you, pets and the environment. You can also buy copper mesh or "tape" and place in a ring around the hostas, snails and slugs don't cross it, but it's a bit pricey.

  • William William on Jun 04, 2019

    Sink a few bowls or plates in the ground level with the surface. Fill the bowls/plates with (cheap) beer. The yeast attracts the slugs. They drink their fill and drown. Not their sorrows


    Anything you can make it uncomfortable for the slugs/snails to crawl on will deter them. A combination of solutions from everyone here should take care of them.


    Broken nutshells work in the same way as egg shells when getting rid of slugs. Break up the nutshells into small pieces, and create a protective barrier around your plants. Any slugs that come near your vegetables will soon turn the other way.


    Crushed egg shells work as a great home remedy of slugs. This is because slugs don’t like moving across sharp objects, although it isn’t not impossible for them to do, they just prefer not to. Break up the empty egg shells into small(ish) pieces and place around the flowers, plants, vegetables, and fruits you want to keep safe from slug damage.


    Ash and Cinders make a rough protective barrier, and the fine ash also acts as a desiccant that dries the slug out. Wood ash and cinders are preferable. Avoid direct contact with plants.


    Grit and Gravel. The sharp rasping edges of finely crushed ‘horticultural grit’ makes an excellent slug barrier. Coarser gravel is largely ineffective, other than for decorative purposes.


    Sandpaper. Cut rings of sandpaper and slip them round the stems of vulnerable plants.


    Sawdust makes a good coarse barrier around tender plants, also acting as a desiccant that dries the slug out. Hardwood sawdust is most effective, and some people recommend cedar or oak.


    Copper Rings or Discs. Solid copper rings/discs of various diameter, used to encircle single or small groups of plants to inflict a mild electric shock on the unsuspecting slug. Look for rings that clip together. These are easy to slip round established plant stems, or join together to form a larger barrier.

  • Deb K Deb K on Jun 05, 2019

    There could be lily beetles

    If you aren't squeamish about bugs, you can pick them up and put them in a tall pail. You can spray them with soapy water or water mixed with olive oil to kill them. Neem oil is a great way to kill the larvae and the bugs, be sure to spray the underside of the leaves.