The enemy:
Slugs! Even the word sounds gross right? I can't stand slugs. Everything about them gives me the heeby jeebies. I have found that I definitely have a slug problem in my garden. It's mainly my own fault though and here's why. In my eagerness to plant I overcrowded my cabbage, collards and lettuce. This means that there was plenty of shady cover and that means the dirt stayed nice and wet which is exactly what a slug wants. You live and you learn. I won't be doing that next time but for this season I have to deal with these things. They are eating my plants. Oh yeah sure- you think I've been growing these seeds for months just for the likes of a slug....ummm I don't think so. You eat my plants? This means war. Slugs are very easy to find. Look for a dark, moist hangout and some telltale slimy trails and you will spot one.
Slugs! Even the word sounds gross right? I can't stand slugs. Everything about them gives me the heeby jeebies. I have found that I definitely have a slug problem in my garden. It's mainly my own fault though and here's why. In my eagerness to plant I overcrowded my cabbage, collards and lettuce. This means that there was plenty of shady cover and that means the dirt stayed nice and wet which is exactly what a slug wants. You live and you learn. I won't be doing that next time but for this season I have to deal with these things. They are eating my plants. Oh yeah sure- you think I've been growing these seeds for months just for the likes of a slug....ummm I don't think so. You eat my plants? This means war. Slugs are very easy to find. Look for a dark, moist hangout and some telltale slimy trails and you will spot one.
The crime:
Slugs will eat your plants like there's no tomorrow. And since they love the all you can eat buffet that you planted for them they decide they will just hunker down with the missus and make some slug babies who want to eat all your plants too. Ain't nobody got time for that!
Slugs will eat your plants like there's no tomorrow. And since they love the all you can eat buffet that you planted for them they decide they will just hunker down with the missus and make some slug babies who want to eat all your plants too. Ain't nobody got time for that!
The war plan:
So how do we get rid of them? There are several options available to you. I prefer to go the moro natural route first. We can put down anything that is rough and sharp such as crushed eggshells or diatomaceous earth. They either won't go over it or if they do it will kill them. You can handpick them off of your plants early in the morning while it's still cool. I don't have the heart to stomp them so I put them in a can of beer. You can also buy iron phosphate which they will eat and it will make them starve to death although that sounds unusually cruel to me. There is slug bait you can buy at any home improvement store. This stuff is highly effective however it has a nasty habit of killing other beneficial insects. Also, its not safe for humans and with my toddler running around I take no chances. I went to my lettuce bed and removed all dead leaves and overgrown lettuce. I made it dry and bright in that bed and now there aren't any slugs there anymore. I haven't done that with my cabbage bed which is exactly why I busted the slug in the garden this morning. I need some more eggshells to make a full barrier. This slug just went around the end of my egg barrier and kept right on snacking.
So how do we get rid of them? There are several options available to you. I prefer to go the moro natural route first. We can put down anything that is rough and sharp such as crushed eggshells or diatomaceous earth. They either won't go over it or if they do it will kill them. You can handpick them off of your plants early in the morning while it's still cool. I don't have the heart to stomp them so I put them in a can of beer. You can also buy iron phosphate which they will eat and it will make them starve to death although that sounds unusually cruel to me. There is slug bait you can buy at any home improvement store. This stuff is highly effective however it has a nasty habit of killing other beneficial insects. Also, its not safe for humans and with my toddler running around I take no chances. I went to my lettuce bed and removed all dead leaves and overgrown lettuce. I made it dry and bright in that bed and now there aren't any slugs there anymore. I haven't done that with my cabbage bed which is exactly why I busted the slug in the garden this morning. I need some more eggshells to make a full barrier. This slug just went around the end of my egg barrier and kept right on snacking.