I don't know how the dish soap would work.

Are you sure she just doesn't have a slug-resistant variety of hosta?

I have heard of people using joy as mosquito repellent. Sprayed in the grass it is said to keep the bugs away for several hours. I do not know the ratio used for this application.

Worth a try. At least we'll have clean leaves-lol.

I use ammonia and water 1 to 10 and spray to the point of run-off at the point when the leaves just begin to unfurl - it kills slugs and their eggs on contact and gives them a small does of nitrogen at the same time. Recommended by many garden experts. Works for me.
Anne

I'll have to remember that, imagooch.

I've used dawn dish soap and water on Japanese beetles and it's killed them, but it has to hit the beetle to work. Can't say if it would work on slugs.

Karen

hey newbie.. welcome.. come back often ....

the only dish soap story i know about.. is mildred seaver combining soap with romaine lettuce ... lay out the lettuce ...it attracts the slugs.. next morn ... swish the lettuce in the soapy water.. they fall off and drown ...

NEVER heard of applying it directly to the plants ...

some coloration involves a wax covering of the leaves.. like all blues and probably about half greens .... i dont see how soap wouldnt ruin the wax.. and the natural color ... but who knows ... one thing for sure.. i would not spray the tops of the plants ....

also ... a gallon of vinegar or ammonia .. as ima noted .. is .. or used to be about 2 bucks for a gallon in the pickling or cleaning aisle ... so i can see where brand name soap could be significantly more expensive ... if you have a large garden ...

no one losses by experimenting.. so knock yourself out.. and let us know..

also .. on the hosta main page.. look for the FAQ's .. i am pretty sure there is an article or two about slug hunting ...

prevention is the key.. by the time you SEE damage.. you have already lost the battle for that year... fall cleanup ... and spring prevention avoids big problems in july on .. there is no reason you cant go treat the crown and the surrounding area RIGHT NOW .... to kill the giant mommas that wintered over.. and are ready to lay a couple thousands eggs ... [actually.. they are both momma and daddy.. go figure on that ...]

good luck

ken

oh.. i forgot to mention...

whichever.. soap.. vinegar.. ammonia..

they interfere with the slime coating on the slug.. and basically.. it is said.. slime themselves to death trying to fix the slime.. in other words.. the desiccate themselves to death..

since soap removes natural oils form the skin .... and dries skin.. i see no reason it should NOT work ..

and i would presume that any dish soap that has grease remover .. and which dries your hands upon use ... will have the impact you want ..

how much.. no clue.. but if you stick your hand in it.. there should be enough for it to feel soapy .. but you sure dont want your garden all bubbly come the first good rain storm .. lol ..

in other words.. no reason dollar store anti grease formula.. should not .. key words .. work just the same ...

ken

Thanks for the great info Ken.I just got bitten by the "hosta bug" last year, I tried to stick to the hosta societies top reccomendations, and sure don't want to lose them to a slug buffet! Didn't have much slug damage at all last year, but good to learn all you can about prevention.

It's amazing the amount of gardening nonsense one can find on YouTube!!! 🥴

It’s not Joy dish soap, it’s Dawn. A grease cutting dish soap. Don’t like it, don’t read it.🙈

It doesn't matter what the product is - they are both detergents, not soap, and include various additives that have the potential for being harmful to plant tissue.

Flowergirl welcome to the hosta forum. I do the vinegar drench fall & spring EVERY year. It works! It’s a pain in the butt, but works. Also, since no one else mentioned this, on the main page of the Hosta Library, near the middle, you will see in the left column, second line down, something called Rawsons Lists. If you click on that, it open lists of all sorts of hosta stuff…….green hostas, blue hostas, sun tolerant hostas………and yes, slug resistant hostas, which tend to be your heavier/ thicker leafed varieties, like June, Halcyon, Blueberry Muffins, Touch of Class and so on. In my experience thinner leafed hostas are more problematic…… the Tiaras (maybe not Grand Tiara) but the others always got chomped badly before I began drenching……..also I have found they love hosta So Sweet, which I also love. I have two and watch them very carefully, sometimes drenching mid-summer as well. I hope this information is helpful and visit us often with pictures!

debra

Do you use Straight straight vinegar outor is it diluted? Slugs like my day lilies, rose of Sharon too. About the only thing thethey haven’t touched is my prickly pear😂.