tempts all manner of small pests, aphids to beetles. How to Prevent Holes in Hosta Step 1. In fact, I have several miniature hostas right now waiting for their hot spot in my garden. Ideal mulch for hostas includes shredded bark, pine needles, or … Tips on how to get rid of slugs eating hostas: Eggshells – crush them up and place them around your hostas. See the size of the hostas that we sell! These small hosta cultivars are 9 to 14 inches tall at maturity. Richard talks about the best time of year to transplant hostas, the tools to use and the soil and type of compost he uses at New Hampshire Hostas. Separating large hosta plants is the perfect way to get free plants for your garden, but the trick is knowing how to divide and transplant hostas correctly! Good luck and happy gardening The slugs will be drawn to the beer instead of your plants. I like it that small hostas can grow in tiny spaces. Watch Richard Merritt of New Hampshire Hostas as he shows you step-by-step how to propagate your hostas. I have a row of wonderful hostas, but each plant looks like it has tiny bullet holes on the leaves. Divide miniature hostas every two to three years to keep mounds on the small side. ... Keep the plants cool. Buy hostas as dormant, bare-root divisions or potted plants in the spring. There are actually slug-resistant hostas available. It became a hobby of mine to grow plants on small containers before I decide the perfect place to display them. An integrated approach to managing small hosta pests should include repellents and barriers, so that they don't reach your ornamental plantings in the first place. Many miniature hosta clumps often pull apart easily by hand to make divisions — you don’t even need a knife. Here is a tip on what to do when the slugs take bites out of your hostas or ligularias or other leafy perennials. The best way to keep a hosta from spreading is to cut the plant back. Gently dampen … It is important to be proactive with slugs. Please see our Disclosure Page for more information. With this information I know that I have to walk the gardens and pay close attention to any size of distress on any of my plants. Few diseases bother hostas, although anthracnose can show up in warm, humid weather. Try grouping several small and miniature hostas in a bed of their own. Forms a low, spreading mound. Set the plants with the crown even with the surrounding soil and the growing tips visible at the soil surface. Since the eggshells cut the slugs’ sensitive skin, they will reach the barrier and then avoid it, leaving your hostas safe and sound. Divide miniature hostas every two to three years to keep mounds on the small side. After planting, add a 3-inch (7.6-cm) layer of mulch to the top of the garden bed around the hostas. The mulch will help keep the soil moist, prevent weeds from growing, and protect the plants from rodents. Hostas are the best perennials for temperate shade. The mulch will help keep the soil moist, prevent weeds from growing, and protect the plants from rodents. If you spot some, the slugs who left them are likely to chew holes through the foliage, so choose one of several ways to keep slugs under control. One common problem gardeners find when growing hostas is that small critters like voles can cause serious damage to plants over winter. I have a row of wonderful hostas, but each plant looks like it has tiny bullet holes on the leaves. Hosta 'Blue Baron' - Small. 7"h x 31"w. Pale lavender flowers. Pepper Spray Many hostas are great container plants. ... which means that I may earn a small commission from some of the links in this post. Take a flashlight outside after dark and carefully check your hosta... Nix the Nematodes.