No Slugs

Discussion in 'Garden Pest Management and Identification' started by LPN, Mar 3, 2006.

  1. LPN

    LPN Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Last year I was nearly over run with slugs. Thousands of them made it difficult to walk though the yard without a constant, head down approach. This year... not one (so far). Anyone else notice this or is it site specific?
     
  2. bcgift52

    bcgift52 Active Member

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    I think site specific, mine are still around and feasting merrily - maybe you should
    tell us what you did to them last year so we can do the same. I have yet to see a
    complete leaf on one of my ligularias.
     
  3. LPN

    LPN Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Well ... it's a rather viciuos approach to eradicating slugs in the garden. I got tired of watching my every step and set out into the yard with a flat end shovel. I cut up and disposed of as many as I could find over the course of several days, and at several intervals through the Spring. Dispite the fact I killed hundreds, I doubt it would have much of an effect on the overall population. I did also squish eggs as I found them too. Apparently ducks love to eat slugs, but then there's the mess the ducks leave.
     
  4. Dee M.

    Dee M. Active Member 10 Years

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    My slugs aren't out yet but I'm sure they will return as it gets warmer.
     
  5. Carol Ja

    Carol Ja Active Member 10 Years

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    Hey LPN, I didn't know you were on this forum as well as UKOasis!
    I have no slugs on my property, as I'm on a rather dry slope facing south west. However, at my last house, it was a slug fest. There was no end to the population. Just when you thought you had them under control, you'd discover they had eaten all your hostas. Little buggers.
    My kid and I would go out every morning and kill off all the black ones, (we leave the native Banana slugs alone.) The next day you would think that we had done nothing.
    Carol JA
     
  6. Eric La Fountaine

    Eric La Fountaine Contributor Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    I always had very good results trapping slugs, using a bait filled cup submerged bellow soil level. For bait I used flour, water and yeast mixed to a thick liquid. Works better than beer, which I often see recommended. Leaves you with a disgusting cup full of slime, but I just toss it onto the compost.
     
  7. chuckrkc

    chuckrkc Active Member

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    I have used traps before to kill slugs. Beer is awfully handy at my home, a little handier than mixing a yeast concoction.

    I also use iron phosphate -- not metaldahyde. In fact over the winter I bought what I expect is at least a year or two's supply on big box store closeouts.

    Paghat the Ratgirl is passionate about the safety and effectiveness of iron phosphate over metaldahyde.
    http://www.paghat.com/slugcontrol.html

    There had been battles before, but last year slugs killed one of my Hellebore foetidus prizes (being caulescent, or having a single stem, made it more susceptible to slugs eating around the base of it and dooming it before I understood what had happened), so I began chemical warfare.

    Killing slugs is always a good forum thread.

    Chuck
     
  8. silver_creek

    silver_creek Active Member

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    We used the iron phosphate baits, too, but our cats find it quite tasty. No, it won't hurt them, but they often eat it before it has a chance for the slugs to find it! We're going back to yeast mix baited traps, tho those are often raided by raccoons....
     
  9. KarinL

    KarinL Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    I tried that submerged cup method (with beer) and found that I caught ground beetles as well as slugs, which broke my heart; these hapless creatures seem to find themselves in the way of my work far too often as it is and as I understand they are beneficial I can't bear to lose them unnecessarily.

    I have a lot of stepping stones, pots and such standing around the garden, and I find that almost all these things act as slug traps. (Weevil traps sometimes too, so a chance for a real sidewalk stomping fest). So if I am having particular problems in any part of the yard I just put down a board or something and check it every day or two. Any beneficial insects caught under them can simply be recovered, or sent on their way.

    Also, I do night hunts when I can, picking them off in action.
     
  10. Laurie

    Laurie Active Member Maple Society 10 Years

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    We have hundreds of containerized plants placed out in the weedy grass, which was growing here when we moved in and which I never have time to cut. So with the frequent rains, woodland shade, and wet grass hugging the sides of the containers, I had numerous, sometimes gloves full of slugs on each and every pot, as well as slugs under dandelions, slugs on wood debris, slugs on the leaves of plants, etc. The ducks next door used to waddle over here in animated conversation every time it rained. I would go out on slug patrol when I could, gathering them up and dumping them in a container of soapy water. The health of visiting dogs and resident birds was more important to us than the benefits of harmful chemicals like metaldehyde.

    I learned about iron phosphate slug bait just after it came out and promptly purchased a ten-pound bag from a wholesaler for over $30, and it changed our horticultural experience. After the first application, if I remember correctly, I ceased having to go out on slug patrol. I apply it when I think of it, although not religiously, according to the label. I have seen some of the smaller slugs every year since and occasionally a larger one, but certainly not the thousands of seasons gone by. We have neighbor cats come through here everyday, but they do not notice the product, perhaps because I scatter small amounts around and in the containers. My neighbor, who would never apply anything but water-soluble fertilizer in her garden, now uses the product as well, and she has five dogs, two cats, and a pond of koi. It is pricey, but it is definitely worth it if you have treasured plants that you want to protect.
     
  11. passionflower

    passionflower Member

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    Yeah, this is the best way to "cut down" their population!
     
  12. Dwain

    Dwain Member

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    Over 10 years I have tested every method for killing slugs . Some are effective, some are not, some actually make things worse. Try these 2 things and your problems are solved!!
    1. Place a border of lava rocks around the back of your bed- it blends in nicely with red mulch.

    2. Spray your plants at night with a 10%(12 oz per gallon) ammonia solution-regular or lemon scented- it doesn't matter. It has never killed a single plant in my yard and I have thousands of annuals and hundreds of perrenials. Spray your entire bed or spot spray every couple nights per week. I started this last year and went from literally hundreds of slugs last year to only 2 or 4 this year. You can add lime to the soil once a year to maintain the ph levels.

    *WARNING****
    DO NOT USE BEER or OTHER BAITS-they only attract slugs into your garden. Just use the ammonia-It's all you'll ever need again....Dwain
     

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