Hostas are some of the most striking plants for both spring and summer, but to keep them coming back in their prime it's important to have a little clear-up around them to deter those dreaded slugs and snails.

These gorgeous foliage plants welcome in the new gardening season with a flush of spectacularly lush leaves that can be ribbed, decked in painterly color strokes or edged in silver or gold. In late spring come tall spikes of flowers in lilac or white. They're also brilliant for those shadier spots in our backyards. No wonder, then, that they're a hugely popular group of plants, for growing either in patio and doorstep containers or at the front of borders.

Growing hostas isn't tricky in itself, but keeping their leaves free of that tell tale ragged snail and slug damage can be challenging. However, with a little thought given to autumn prevention – essentially removing suitable habitats for hostas' slithery munchers – you'll notice a big difference the following spring. First up, something warm and waterproof for the hands, like these CoolJob gardening gloves from Amazon, is essential for this rather damp and muddy gardening job.

It's important to understand a little about slugs and snails if you want to save your hostas from their unwanted advances. And the first thing they need in order to thrive is plenty of damp hiding places to overwinter and lay their eggs.

Slugs and snails lay their eggs (sometimes over 100 per batch) all year round but spring and autumn are peak periods. In October the cooler temperatures and steadier rainfall trigger a wave of mating and egg-laying in the mollusc population. So it makes sense that some timely intervention around now will make a difference to your hostas in spring.

One of the main egg-laying sites for slugs and snails is under garden debris, in leaf litter, so getting rid of withered and yellowing hosta leaves around now is a wise plan and it's one of the best slug-control methods.

A small spring-tine rake, such as the Expert Gardener 8in from Walmart, is handy here as it can get in between your plants more easily and make removing decaying foliage so much simpler. Next, cut back any hosta leaves that have turned brown or yellow and wilted back.

Cutting them cleanly off at soil level with sharp secateurs like these Corona Yard Essentials carbon steel pruners from Lowes. If leaves are soft and mushy, you can just pull them off with your gloved hands. You can throw all your waste on the compost heap where they'll rot down making excellent soil improver for next year's plants.

Garden designer Andrew Marshall from Go Wild Landscapes in Oxford, UK, offers similar advice:

'October is a great time to tidy up around your hostas, before we get the first proper, hard frosts of the year. Slugs and snails love to hide around these plants as they provide great shelter as well as being a few degrees warmer than elsewhere,' he says.

'I trim back leaves that are browning or yellowing, leaving only the brighter green growth. This older growth tends to be favourable to slugs and snails, which will end up finding a new place to live.'

Get Rid Of Overwintering Snails

Slugs and snails like to overwinter in the protected soil around plants, especially their favorite ones. While it's unlikely you'll be able to remove every single critter, a little remedial action in October can cut slug and snail numbers significantly.

To interrupt the overwintering cycle of slugs and snails, clearing away the topsoil around your hosta plants is a useful tool. Use a sharp-edged trowel like the Workpro stainless steel garden trowel from Amazon to carefully scrape away the top inch of soil around the base of your plants.

Also check the undersides of any pots (not forgetting any your hostas are actually growing in – growing hostas in pots is a great way to look after them), tiles, bricks, logs or boards nearby. If you spot clusters of clear bead-like eggs, those are next spring's slugs and snails waiting to hatch, so get rid of them now, and remove anything that's likely to harbor eggs on their damp undersides.

Another really useful preventative measure to take in October is to hand-pick snails at night and remove them. It's as basic as it sounds. You simply head out in the evening with a flashlight, a warm damp evening is best, and pick off any critters you see. Keep a bucket of soapy water in the other hand and just drop them in. It's extremely satisfying!

If you feel yourself tiring, just remember that one slug can lay 500 eggs per year, while each snail can produce double that amount.

Hand in hand with prevention goes protection when learning how to stop slugs destroying plants. So once you've cleared up the places they like to hide and the spots they prefer to lay their eggs, it's time to give the plants themselves some protection against any pests that are left behind or travelled further to seek out food.

Most sustainable slug and snail deterrents, such as nematodes and garlic wash, are best applied in spring when the soil warms up snail and slug populations become active again. However, copper tape around the rim of your hosta pots can help to protect your plants, creating a barrier that they prefer not to cross.

A crushed shell mulch can also help to deter slugs and snails. The best chemical-free way to go about it is by saving up your own washed eggshells, drying them in the oven for ten minutes, then breaking them up to a coarse mulch, which you then spread around each plant to provide a protective ring.

It's also worth remembering that hostas with thick, puckered or waxy blue leaves are the ones that are most resistant to gastropods, so if you're investing in new plants this season, why not give them a go? Known for its resilience is 'Sum and Substance', which you can buy at Garden Goods Direct. 'Blue Mouse Ears', also available at Garden Goods Direct, is another variety that's less prone to mollusc munching.

What to Shop

When it comes to hostas and gastropods, the old adage really is true: a stitch in time saves nine. So do dedicate an hour or two to your hosta plants in October to save the leaves from being munched in spring. It really doesn't take long to remove those old leaves, have a little clear-up and pop a few protective measures in place.

Your spring hostas will definitely thank you for it – as will many other backyard favorites, such as delphiniums, dahlias, sunflowers and all manner of tasty new spring vegetables and greens.

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