Beer in the garden at 7 a.m.

[ElizabethB]

For the slugs - not me.

I walked out to the herb bed and found my basil leaves full of holes. I could not find a culprit. I have some Gerbera Daisies in pots near by. The leaves were also chewed. I checked the plants and pulled 3 slugs off of one plant.

Time for a beer.

I put pans of beer in the herb bed and next to the pots of daisies. Went in the house for breakfast and a shower. I walked back out 45 minutes later - slugs that had died happy in the pans of beer.

I have been out and about most of the day and just checked again - even more slugs in the beer. I imagine there will be a bunch more in the morning.

[valley]

Good morning, Sounds like you nipped or dipped them in the Bud! Good go. After breakfast as noon approached I would think a lunch for the family would include some of the same; ,beer, would be in order.

Congratulation on the quick victory.

Richard

[applestar]

I'm not a beer drinker so I would have to go buy some if I wanted to do this. What brand beer did you use?

I wonder if NJ slugs like same beer as La slugs?

[ElizabethB]

Slugs are a cheap date - the least expensive, rot gut beer you can find. It does not even have to be refrigerated.

The party was a great success. There were at least 2 dozen dead drunk or maybe drunk dead slugs in each of the 3 containers. The problem is that they snacked before imbibing. Fortunately we made cat food this morning so I had plenty of egg shells to rinse, crush and place around the base of my young basil plants. The party guest do not like to crawl over egg shells - it cuts their bellies.

So - egg shells around the plants and fresh containers of beer. Hopefully I won't see more damage to my basil.

[brandon558]

Mind sharing what brand or does it matter? Also does it need to be in a low sided pan or will a regular bowl work? Im guessing the slugs like the smell so they investigate and it kills them?

[pearl]

Brandon, I just moved to NC this year and believe gardening here will be a whole new ballgame... I don't even know if the slugs are the same here, but up north they love any kind of beer, but I found that if I dug into the ground and set the bowl in level with the ground that more would jump in...if you check around sunset you may get to see the heavy traffic of slugs traveling in line to their last keg party.

[imafan26]

Since the slugs are really after the yeast in the beer. It is a lot cheaper to buy activated yeast, put it in some lukewarm water with couple of tablespoons of sugar and the trap will be ready. I add some soap to the container.

[ElizabethB]

The slugs are after the yeast in the beer. They re not at all particular about brand - the cheapest you can find works just fine. I like to use disposable pie tins but any container will do. The slugs will climb up the sides but if you partially bury the container you will get even more. Do put crushed egg shells around the base of the plants they are snacking on. The sharp edges cut their underbellies so they will not crawl over them. The combination of egg shells and beer will keep the slugs out of your garden. Pans of beer keep them off of the patio. I hate going out to the patio for my morning coffee and seeing slime trails.

[Cola82]

I need to make a quiche or something. I made egg salad over the weekend and got barely enough eggshells to mulch half of my leeks.

I've also put boards around my beds to catch them--you just lift them up and squish squish squish and put it back.

I feel like a monster, but what are you gonna do...

[ElizabethB]

G has a 2 egg omelet for breakfast every morning. Today I am trying my hand at making an Angel Food cake so that will give me 12 shells. Between the crushed egg shells and the beer the slugs are no longer snacking on my young plants.