this is what i left in ground before vacation

this is what i came home to

So sorry! How disappointing, I am sure. I am no expert (though you'll hear from them!) but I do know that when there is a bit of crown and root, there is hope. I imagine these guys will pull through. Of course they won't be happy about it, especially with them newly transplanted, but I'd bet they'll come back in some way shape or form. (Didn't Ken once mention that shipped hosta used to come with the leaves shorn off for packaging purposes?)

I wish I had advice on getting rid of the critters, but we are fence people. Again, so sorry, and good luck!

Androidmom, that looks like deer damage to me? If so they will come back. I have lots of deer, they are a real challange.
James

I assumed groundhog, because we have so many holes dug up around the deck and one by the side of the house. All of them very deep about 5 feet plus using the outdoor broom for measurement. I am very concern about not be able to plant my yard. And yes we have deers however so much much damage to my plants

We have both groundhogs and deer...

I suspect deer on these. They grab the leaves in their strong jaws and rip them away... and sometimes pull up the plant by the roots if it is newly planted and still not set into the soil.

Two steps...

first, make sure the crown is still in the soil and properly planted for soil level... and kept appropriately moist-without-being-wet. planted this time of year, in your climate, the crown should send out a new flush of foliage and still develop some root structure. You'll save all or most of these.

second step Get some Liquid Fence and spray these plants religiously for the rest of this season... get them established and get the deer used to eating some other foliage on your acreage.

(Of course, you can learn to make your own rotten egg / pepper /whatever spray... but we've just found LF to be easy to use and effective... you can get a quart of Liquid Fence concetrate and use what you need and still have some left for next spring when you will want to again practice "steering" the deer away from your favorite plantings...)

Not sure if your groundhogs are the same as marmots , mountain beaver and whistlers but the ones here are like a large gopher ( as large as out daschunds) Our three wiener dogs are our hunters and have caught more this year then my husband has. They dig very large holes and so far have just trimmed off the petunia , the marigolds and a couple other annuals. They haven't made it to the back where I have all my hosta but the war would be on! Our neighbor has a really good pellet gun with a scope but we only have larger type guns and can't shoot in the front because of too many close houses. They are too smart for traps and even if you catch one , it may never happen again.. Tricky little creatures.
So sorry about your hosta but they should live and come back for next year but the trouble maker will also return. Get an outdoor cat or two and it may help control them. Then again , it could be deer . Either way... the war is on! lol And I thought slugs were nasty

We have had very good results with liquid fence as well. I very rarely see the deer around the hosta anymore. Before we started using it they were everywhere.

Here is a link that might be useful: Liquid Fence

We had groundhog problems for years and finally solved it by trapping them all out.I think we caught 10 or them finally. We used live traps baited with cantelope rinds, and transported them to a location far, far away (at least 10 miles or they will be back). If you don't want to trap them, try putting black pepper on your hostas. They hate that.

Sandy

Sandy, yes, my friend trapped a groundhog and relocated it and it came back! (don't know how far they took it but it was not far enough) That is a determined animal!)

Androidmom, I am sorry about the damage. I would be devastated to come home and find that. We have a fence and so far that has kept deer and other things out.

Thanks for all the tips, definitely liquid fence, replanted all the hostas and hope they grow again. Some of the roots were eaten. We call for help and got three trapped but we are assuming there might be more I am not so discourage anymore. Will looks for more tips on keeping rodents out of my flower bed

the second one, will update on the health of my hostas

How would you ever know if it was the same one coming back? They all look pretty much the same to me, well maybe except for the one who left a small clump of fur in a bear trap we set back in Illinois. He had a bald spot for awhile. They are clever. Around here in CA we're not allowed to re-locate wildlife, and if we get caught dropping off "city" raccoons in a wild preserve, we get fined. Seems they are fat and happy and so used to the good life here, living in the storm sewers and feasting on pet food (and MY tomatoes!), they can't survive in the wild. That and spreading disease somehow.

-Babka

In northern VA. they are killed not transplanted per law.

My hosta are finally the target of a groundhog. First it was a few leaves a day, now its one or two plants. Would you consider potting them up away from the critters (even the ones without leaves) until it is trapped, and then replant them in the fall? Thank you for your consideration.

Judy

I am confused. I have two live traps and use them.
In rural areas farmers shoot groundhogs and other critters and hang them on fences.
In a town a guy killed a cat and possibly goes to prison now for cruelty to animals. Our groundhogs (woodchuck here) are the size of cats.
In my suburb we may not shoot guns. When someone corners a groundhog eating his garden and kills him with a handy spade, probably he did cruelty to that animal and goes to prison?
Perhaps someone can explain the differences.
Bernd

Groundhogs eat Hostas. Cats don't. They catch voles. Next question.

Steve

Good kitty...

Don B.

Very funny and well known. But my question was :
"When someone corners a groundhog eating his garden and kills him with a handy spade, probably he did cruelty to that animal and goes to prison? "
With small lots in the suburbs, people could notice my behavior to that groundhog and might call the cops. What then, get arrested? Someone might know cases where that happened. Otherwise a law forum probably is better to ask.
Bernd

All joking aside, that's actually a very good question. Laws like that, I'm guessing, could vary greatly from place to place. Other than that guess, I would have no idea. Certainly a law forum is a very good place to ask. Just don't ask PETA. They'd execute you for accidentally running a squirrel over with your car. : )

Don B.

If groundhogs are listed as vermin/ varmit in your state, I wouldn't worry about dispatching it.

Otherwise, in the scenario you presented, Berndnyz, I'd claim that the groundhog was acting crazy & I was convinced that it was probably rabid.