Hosta – Snails Or Grubs

Question

I put the beer trap out to see if I had a slug problem chewing up my hosta. I mostly drowned several of the decollate snails which I read now are actually good and will eat the brown snails. About 7 decollate in the beer versus around 4 of the small brown snails. Just now I found 3-4 tiny green grasshoppers on the leaves of one of my hosta. I started using the Seven spray after putting in new hosta just last week. We had a big rain so I sprayed them some more. I know there could be more than one of these pests causing the problem, but trying to find the best solution to keep the plants alive without harming beneficial pests. I read about the copper and vaseline but I have questions on how to use those properly. If I lay copper wire down around the plant… couldn’t the snails already be in the ground right under the plant and not even have to cross the copper? Vaseline? WTH? Spread it on the ground? Get a squeeze tube? I have a mixture of new shoots coming up from last year, to large Guacamole Hosta which grow quick and large but the leaves are being eaten by something! (I put rabbit repellent around plus now using Seven until I can find an organic solution) Clearing out some of the mulch around them. In one pic where the plant is sparse… I’m thinking 1) they might be in an area that doesn’t drain as well, plus I should have cleared out the old stems sooner as I read that can cause problems. Some of the new patriot hosta, the bottom leaves are looking cracked and browning. Gardening is NOT FOR SISSIES!!!! Please help!

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Answer 1

These articles should help:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/foliage/hosta/holes-in-hosta-leaves.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/foliage/hosta/hosta-pest-control.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/insects/slug-snail-eggs.htm