I have been toying with the idea of growing hostas once again (the last lot
got eaten by slugs and snails) but raising them up in the bed somehow. I
was at the Chelsea Flower Show recently and saw a neat little garden with
some plants raised higher than others in some sort of inconspicuous circular
container (not a pot as such - but much shallower). It looked very
effective. It gave me the idea of doing something simliar in my shady
corner bed.
My only problem is trying to work out what sort of container I could use,
either to partly bury in the ground or sit on top of the soil (and secure a
ring of copper tape around) to give the same sort of effect, thus raising
the hostas and hopefully avoiding the slugs and snails.
Any ideas would be gratefully received.

Jo

"Jo" wrote in message
news:JtSdnWfY4MFP9aHVnZ2dnUVZ8rCdnZ2d@plusnet...
I have been toying with the idea of growing hostas once again (the last lot
got eaten by slugs and snails) but raising them up in the bed somehow. I
was at the Chelsea Flower Show recently and saw a neat little garden with
some plants raised higher than others in some sort of inconspicuous
circular container (not a pot as such - but much shallower). It looked
very effective. It gave me the idea of doing something simliar in my shady
corner bed.
My only problem is trying to work out what sort of container I could use,
either to partly bury in the ground or sit on top of the soil (and secure
a ring of copper tape around) to give the same sort of effect, thus
raising the hostas and hopefully avoiding the slugs and snails.
Any ideas would be gratefully received.

Why bother?

Why not grow something which isn't eaten by the little darlings?

I gave up hostas years ago.

Mary

On 27/5/08 21:01, in article JtSdnWfY4MFP9aHVnZ2dnUVZ8rCdnZ2d@plusnet, "Jo"
wrote:

I have been toying with the idea of growing hostas once again (the last lot
got eaten by slugs and snails) but raising them up in the bed somehow. I
was at the Chelsea Flower Show recently and saw a neat little garden with
some plants raised higher than others in some sort of inconspicuous circular
container (not a pot as such - but much shallower). It looked very
effective. It gave me the idea of doing something simliar in my shady
corner bed.
My only problem is trying to work out what sort of container I could use,
either to partly bury in the ground or sit on top of the soil (and secure a
ring of copper tape around) to give the same sort of effect, thus raising
the hostas and hopefully avoiding the slugs and snails.
Any ideas would be gratefully received.

Jo



I don't know what your circumstances are, obviously but we saw plants
growing at Rosemoor in tall, wide circular, brick built cylinders. The
Hostas were surrounded by gravel. Something like that on a smaller scale
of e.g. old chimney pots, would be spectacular.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

Mary Fisher wrote:

snipped
Why bother?

Why not grow something which isn't eaten by the little darlings?

I gave up hostas years ago.

Mary

I've got Hostas growing in terra cotta pots with no slug damage at all
(yet). I find the secret is copious quantities of vaseline on the rim
of the pots and ensure that the pots are not placed near to walls, and
that the lieaves of the hostas don't come into contact with any other
plant or wall. So far so good, and the best year yet for hostas.

Peter
--
He spoke with a certain what-is-it in his voice, and I
could see that, if not actually disgruntled, he was far
from being gruntled.
P.G. Wodehouse 1881 -1975

--
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2683436/
"Peter James" wrote in message
news:1ihn3u3.xkh2yy145hahdN%pfjames2000@googlemail .com...
Mary Fisher wrote:

snipped
Why bother?

Why not grow something which isn't eaten by the little darlings?

I gave up hostas years ago.

Mary

I've got Hostas growing in terra cotta pots with no slug damage at all
(yet). I find the secret is copious quantities of vaseline on the rim
of the pots and ensure that the pots are not placed near to walls, and
that the lieaves of the hostas don't come into contact with any other
plant or wall. So far so good, and the best year yet for hostas.

Peter
--
He spoke with a certain what-is-it in his voice, and I
could see that, if not actually disgruntled, he was far
from being gruntled.
P.G. Wodehouse 1881 -1975

I took all my hostas to my garden site (work). We don't have a slug snail
problem there just rabbits.
The rabbits leave them well alone including the roots (rabbits dig up all my
plants). What's it about hostas that rabbits don't like?

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...8/P1020808.jpg


I have grown mine in these pots for some years and so far so good , and i also have them on a large concrete front driveway with not much soil around , but this year i have moved the pots to the back garden so i will see if it makes any difference , because in the back garden there is lots of soil around and lots of snails

"Jo" wrote in message
My only problem is trying to work out what sort of container I could use,
either to partly bury in the ground or sit on top of the soil (and secure
a ring of copper tape around) to give the same sort of effect, thus
raising the hostas and hopefully avoiding the slugs and snails.
Any ideas would be gratefully received.

The easiest cheapest and most beneficial method of deterring slugs and
snails, is to put a layer of spent coffee grounds around the plant. Ok
there's not much food value left in the grounds but it has great moisture
retention qualities, it helps break up the soil, the worms love it, but the
slugs and snails hate it.

Next time you're in town, pop into the local coffee shop and ask them. The
owner of Starbucks encourages his staff to give the stuff away, rather than
have it end up in an infill site.

I mulch around lettuce and I also grow courgettes on a mature compost heap
and so far, no slug damage. I only wish coffee had the same effect with
pigeons!!

Bertie
--
Links to some online UK coffee bean and machine suppliers:-
http://www.geocities.com/cumberpach/