I bought a variety of hostas from Valley Nursery in Ogden last summer, and they all wintered over well and have thrived this summer. I think the key is to buy from a Utah nursery, so you can be confident the plants they sell are zoned for this area.

After that, it's important where you plant them. Mine are planted in a scrub oak bed, where they do get sunlight, but it's dappled, and the afternoon soon is not that strong, thanks to the oaks overhead. Also, the sprinkler system waters them thoroughly.

I have had many beautiful Hostas over the past 8 years. The snails and slugs have eaten them to the ground. Only one is surviving. I hesitate to use strong snail bait because of my dogs. I would love to eliminate these pests once and for all. ALSO, I had one Hosta (with a French name) that produced white blossoms that permeated the air with a wonderful fragrance. None of the nurseries I have visited can tell me the name. Thanks for your genius.

Supposedly, extremely strong coffee will kill slugs and snails. I don't remember the details, but the coffee was much stronger than even Starbucks coffee.

I think that smaller concentrations have shown usefulness in deterring slugs and snails. I may be wrong, but I think that a layer of grounds will also deter them. If there's a Starbucks near you, you can get used grounds from them for free, even if you don't buy any coffee (you're doing them a favor by hauling off their trash for free).

If your worried about using a strong snail bait my grandma would sink empty tuna cans to ground level and feel them with beer the slugs and snails found it irresistable and would drown in the brew.. I know some people wouldn't want to be seen with beer here in Utah but it really works. If you don't want to be seen buying beer just leave some apple juice out and let it ferment instead I am sure it would be just as effective just don't drink it.

A good way to detire slugs is go out at night when it cools down and look for them with a flash light, squash them, or drown them in a bucket of water. Also remove any dead folige thats covering the ground ( leaves, fallen branches, etc..) They give a cool place for the slugs to hide. They like to eat my lilies and dahlias too. I have been sucsesfull with this method but you have to do every night for a while Josh

There are many varieties of hostas that are Snail/Slug resistant! I have more than 50 varieties of hosta in my yard and havn't had many issues. yes, snails love them. But with proper watering---it is possible to still have beautiful hostas.

Usually the blue varieties and the hostas with "tough" leaves are the most resistant.

Snail and slug bait is a good help---but unless your neighbor treats their yard too---they will still come back for more. A good help is to prevent decaying matter on the soil surface. Incoorporate the dead stuff into the soil as well!

Best Wishes with your Hostas!

Ryan

other things that i've read to help keep snail / slugs of plants is
-broken egg shells
-copper wiring
-Diatomaceous Earth (DE)
-seaweed
-beer
-lava rock

I have found that watering early in the morning is best.
If for some reason I have not watered by 10 am.... I defer watering til the next day.
Snails like cooler, dark, moist places, if the soil is moist, but the plant is dried(by evaporation during the day) when nightfall comes, the roots are happily drinking away, while the snails/slugs are off finding some other place to hide and snack for the night.
I have NEVER had a problem with snails using this method.