Teeth marjs on Hostas!

It could be deer or rabbits.

Could be squirrels, rabbits, or deer.

Hi Marcy, I haven't tried this myself but others have had good luck shaving a bar of Irish Spring bath soap in the planted areas to keep deer from damaging their plants. Might be worth a try. Of course, it would need to be repeated as weather (rain/snow) occurs.

Thanks. The pots are no longer at risk of animals. They are in pots on my 3rd floor balcony. The question was-did the deer damage the roots or cause disease? These marks are on the plant 1 yr later. What do you think of that?

Branches, leaves and twigs browsed by deer have a rough, torn or shredded appearance.

Deer have no upper incisors and must grasp and tear leaves and buds from plants.

Deer typically do not leave tooth marks in bark.

Deer usually browse branches less than one inch in diameter.

Male deer also will damage or shred the bark of small trees by rubbing their antlers to remove the velvet during the fall breeding season or rut.

Antler rubbing can be a bigger problem than browsing and can occur even if you do not see browsing.

Deer droppings are a clear sign that deer were present.

These are signs of deer in your yard.

Hi Marcy,

Thanks for the updated info, so rather than an animal causing the indents, it could be weather conditions causing puckering, if you don't see any insects. And, it may be specific to this variety of Hosta. Another possibility with a similar appearance is a virus. Hopefully you are sanitizing your tools between plants to avoid that.

You might contact a master gardener or check with the cooperative extension near you. Perhaps a local nursery can help you.

rabbits also love hosta and have taken most of mine down to the stubs- here is info

https://anestwithayard.com/what-eats-hostas-animals-insects/#:~:text=Insects%20Eat%20Hostas%3F-,The%20bugs%20most%20likely%20to%20eat%20hostas%20are%20slugs%20and,black%20vine%20weevils%2C%20and%20nematodes.

https://worldofgardenplants.com/hosta-pests/

Thanks.

Could they be getting too much sun where you have them on the balcony? Deer shouldn't hurt the roots, even if they were nibbling on the leaves last year.

Mine to rabbits,squirrels

I notice the yellowing on the leaves more than the puckering. This happens to my hostas when they get too much sun. It could also have other causes. https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/foliage/hosta/hosta-leaves-turning-yellow-2.htm

Take one to your local garden center as they'll have the most spot on advice for you. It could be that that's just how they are, the leaves aren't always smooth. I don't think a previous year's chewing can cause them to grow oddly in the future.