Slugs
With my fences deployed, I have discovered that its 1″ mesh is no match for my newest arch: the slug.
My garden advisor and mother in-law suggested a product called Deadline. In my enthusiasm to stop these slimy jerks from eating my thriving pumpkins and very last watermelon plant, I rushed out and bought a large bottle. I then proceeded to apply most of its 12 ounces; too much by my advisor’s reckoning.
The scene the next morning was horrific. There were bodies strewn everywhere. As it turns out, Deadline is not only a slug killer, it is also a powerful slug attractant. There were no less than a dozen slugs, all keeled over after their last meal.
The next day, it was even more gruesome. There were more fresh kills, but in every place where a slug had lain the previous day was now just a small pile of jelly. It was as if the slugs’ skin had evaporated and its innards were nothing more than egg whites.
This made me feel good.
I realize that I probably shouldn’t take joy from the eviscerating death of a literally mindless pest, but I’ve developed a parental attachment to my garden. After all, what would you do if slugs came in the night to eat your children?
I thought so.
Don said,
June 16, 2008 @ 3:10 pm
I used to live in Seattle and loved to garden.. Some cheaper advice on the slugs..
Shallow dishes set around the garden at ground level and put some Beer in them. The Slugs love the stuff, they fall in and drown happy, and it kills them pretty quickly. They will go to the Beer before the greens.
As an alternate you can wait until just before you go to sleep or if you stay up late go out about an hour after dark and use a flash light and you will easily see there slime trails. Sprinkle some salt on the MANY slugs you will find approaching your new munchies. The salt melts their membrane just like the Wicked Witch. If it is not raining you can just pour a sprinkling of course kosher salt around the perimeter.
The above is more environmentally safe anyway.