I live in Mass...zone 6 and for the past few years we've had about 24 hostas
by a stream. However this year something is doing a number on the leaves
and in some cases eating them right down to the ground. We do have deer
roaming the yard in the winter, but I haven't seen them since early Spring.
What enjoys eating hostas and what can I do to get rid of them?

On Wed, 25 Jun 2003 23:58:27 GMT, "seepnezorf1"
wrote:

I live in Mass...zone 6 and for the past few years we've had about 24 hostas
by a stream. However this year something is doing a number on the leaves
and in some cases eating them right down to the ground. We do have deer
roaming the yard in the winter, but I haven't seen them since early Spring.
What enjoys eating hostas

Deer. slugs. Possibly rabbits.

and what can I do to get rid of them?

Move to the city. Sorry.


Mike Prager
Beaufort, NC (on the coast in zone 8a)
(Remove symbols from email address to reply.)

On Wed, 25 Jun 2003 23:58:27 GMT, "seepnezorf1"
wrote:

I live in Mass...zone 6 and for the past few years we've had about 24 hostas
by a stream. However this year something is doing a number on the leaves
and in some cases eating them right down to the ground. We do have deer
roaming the yard in the winter, but I haven't seen them since early Spring.
What enjoys eating hostas and what can I do to get rid of them?

Adolescent deer. The winter killed many, but the ones that lived are
growing fast. They are growing fast on your hostas...and they don't
follow pre-established deer trails...they find their own way, and
usually their own trail of destruction, especially in the summer all
the way to the rut.

Spreading bone meal or blood meal *BEFORE* the trail is established
might stop them, but by now he knows there's food in your area, so
they'll keep coming back. A hunting license or very high fence is
your only hope now.

Dan

After I was talked into putting some hostas on a bank, I heard a comment on
a PBS gardening show that hostas are "deer hors-d'oeurves". Mine got eaten
back to the point of dying. I seldom see the rats with hooves but they
leave plenty of sign with eaten plants, droppings and prints.
Frank

"seepnezorf1" wrote in message
newsGqKa.19059$XG4.15149@rwcrnsc53...
I live in Mass...zone 6 and for the past few years we've had about 24
hostas
by a stream. However this year something is doing a number on the leaves
and in some cases eating them right down to the ground. We do have deer
roaming the yard in the winter, but I haven't seen them since early
Spring.
What enjoys eating hostas and what can I do to get rid of them?

I seldom see deer, but I see evidence of their presence. The deer in my
area only come close to the house very late at night. I woke up last year
about 2 AM to see one looking in the window! There is a product that you
can spray on your hostas that MIGHT help. It is a bitter tasting liquid in
a latex base. The latex keep it from washing away quickly.
http://www.hybridpoplars.com/thisone.htm I haven't used it, but the
gardening guy on the radio recommends it.

It could be a groundhog. One year after he had finished with the violets,
he discovered the ambrosia of hostas. He nibbled right down to the ground.
Haven't seen him this year- I think somebody got him! (loud cheering) I'm in
northern mass in a riverside neighborhood- we don't have a deer problem.
Just groundhogs.

Sonya
"seepnezorf1" wrote in message
newsGqKa.19059$XG4.15149@rwcrnsc53...
I live in Mass...zone 6 and for the past few years we've had about 24
hostas
by a stream. However this year something is doing a number on the leaves
and in some cases eating them right down to the ground. We do have deer
roaming the yard in the winter, but I haven't seen them since early
Spring.
What enjoys eating hostas and what can I do to get rid of them?

I feel your pain Sonya, I'm 20 miles north of Boston and that ratty creature
(woodchuck) was my enemy for a few seasons . . . then we got a coyote :-D

LeeAnne
-has flowers this year-

"thoranw" wrote in message
...
It could be a groundhog. One year after he had finished with the violets,
he discovered the ambrosia of hostas. He nibbled right down to the
ground.
Haven't seen him this year- I think somebody got him! (loud cheering) I'm
in
northern mass in a riverside neighborhood- we don't have a deer problem.
Just groundhogs.

Sonya

LeeAnne said:

I feel your pain Sonya, I'm 20 miles north of Boston and that ratty creature
(woodchuck) was my enemy for a few seasons . . . then we got a coyote

Where did you get it? Do any garden supply houses carry these natural
solutions?
Actually there are reports of a coyote in my neighborhood, and there are
enough woodchucks to feed a pack of them, but I don't think they travel in
packs.

Dave
http://members.tripod.com/~VideoDave

I didn't 'get' him/her -- they just showed up. I'm assuming they are still
around since my WC population hasn't come back yet. I wish the garden
supply places carried little coyotes, that would rock! Rear them from pups
and set them free :-D (I can dream, can't I?)

I don't think they travel in packs either - but if you've got one in the
neighborhood hopefully it'll stick around and chow down!

LeeAnne

"DavesVideo" wrote in message
...
LeeAnne said:

I feel your pain Sonya, I'm 20 miles north of Boston and that ratty
creature
(woodchuck) was my enemy for a few seasons . . . then we got a coyote

Where did you get it? Do any garden supply houses carry these natural
solutions?
Actually there are reports of a coyote in my neighborhood, and there
are
enough woodchucks to feed a pack of them, but I don't think they travel in
packs.

Dave
http://members.tripod.com/~VideoDave