Coll! Shhhhh!!!!! LOL

Is that what they're calling Miami Heat fans these days?? Ouch.

I don't see them too often here, but actually, I've got no trace of them at all. Not yet, anyway.

Don B.

I have a pathetic Seducer I am tying to get settled in a pot for now and it's poor new growth is getting riddled. I believe it's slugs. Anyone know if putting some pennies around the base of the plant ( only one eye) would deter them?

You could try- copper works like a charm for me. but you have to make sure there aren't any hidden slugs around the base before you put copper there. (drench with diluted ammonia). You might have better luck putting some copper foil tape around the pot because they could probably burrow under the pennies.

I've noticed a lot of toads this year. But I can't imagine they've eradicated my slugs- I've had toads before and still been overrun by slugs. I'm sure it's just a matter of time, sadly.

Interesting - in my zone 5B southwestern Ontario I've noticed a ton more toads this year. I haven't seen any slugs but just a couple of my hostas have a few holes so I assume they are around. I've drenched the soil around each hosta with diluted ammonia (first time trying this) and I thank all the toads for their voracious appetite.

That toad has a sister visiting my yard. I gave her a saucer of water to bask in. So happy to welcome any and all toads!

Coll, I heard that snail and slug populations are affected by very cold weather. The past winter may have been a horrid one but if it decreased the population, bring on the cold! I also noticed a decline here as well. All I've seen are the dark brown ones and they are very small (new generation?) and only an odd one here and there. I've set out bait anyway as a preventive.

Let's hope our luck continues to hold, eh?

Oh that would be fabulous if the horrible winter killed off some slugs. I've seen more toads in the last week than I did all winter- I appreciate them but they startle me every time because they don't move until you are right on top of them!

I hope the ultra cold winter had an effect on nematodes, too- fingers crossed!

Good to know, Jo. We had some near-record lows (records in some places) in our area, so GOOD! Hope I won't see any evidence of those slimy losers around here. Don B.

And i thought it was my attentive gardening skills, : )
As soon as my budding appeared, i sprinkled diatomaceous earth and set out some small beer traps to test early populations...
I have copper strips i lightly steel wool and use if necessary but have not needed the past couple years after using dia. earth early and before sightings/damage.

I did witness a mama deer give birth last night in my back yard near the forest edge...
Twins. Cute and wobbly knees this morning. Future hosta destroyers in one evening...
(i have a plan...)

We have lots of new toads or frogs, I'll have to look up the images to see, and some baby ones as well.

Our two dachshunds were each watching a toad (my guess) . The younger one was using a front foot to keep it from moving away while she observed it. I'm hoping if they get too close and try to do bodily harm to the toad, that it squirts them with some bitter stuff. Might make them foam at the mouth, but it is all for a good cause. They need to learn to leave them alone.

I now believe the hissing pot from last year held a toad which got stuck with my plant name tag. I had another pot hiss at me this spring. And, in a newly planted hosta, next day there was a hole between two eyes, just right size for a toad to slip down to the bottom. I left it alone, but put new mix in the hole. I tell myself it is a hissing toad anyway.

I'm thinking too that wild birds eat slugs. Yuck.

You're probably right, Mocc. About the hissing.

Don B.

Sleevendog, how exciting for you - a little fawn is adorable. I hope it nor its momma ever get anywhere near your hosta.

Don, "slimy losers" made me laugh! You, too, have a way with words! :-)

Mocc, I'm laughing and cringing too - about the hissing!

Colleen and everyone, I sincerely hope the brutal winter's cold has minimized a number of our perennial woes!

Mocc- a hissing pot sounds really scary! There was a huge toad once sprawled out on top of some dahilias I had in a pot next to my deck on year. I am always afraid the dogs will discover the toads, but my vet said that there is no real harm, other than that foaming at the mouth thing.

sleevendog- that is pretty amazing! Can't really hate on Bambi now, can we? Even slugs I feel sort of bad for- I mean, they have to eat like all of us. But if they moved to Florida, I'm cool with that. ;)

Sorry Paula (ilovetogrow), but ALL the pests can just move to Florida! It's the good winters!

Don B.

This post was edited by Don_in_Colorado on Wed, May 28, 14 at 18:38

Not many slugs here,either,but I never have that many anyway. I sprayed a few small ones. Phil

Same here, I saw only one baby slug, actually came into my freshly painted garage. But I have to spread more poison pellets, they might plan an invasion of hosta lands. No rabbits here either, see none of their small piles of droppings. Theory is that a smart fox is around. 9 squirrels went to nicer woods, only one fat one is left. No sign of HVX either. So far so good.
But some hostas are smaller or come up all crinkled, so need to give some more time.
Bernd

Not a secret that we have lots of chomping (hosta) predators in the south. We have a high population of them. My DH, a life long New England gardener, expressed his amazement at how many things are ready to destroy everything he tries to grow. Not simply snails and slugs and cutworms, but diseases that can fill a book.
It is a jungle out there!

Hostas are a new source of food. New cuisine.