ChrisC_77
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Location: West Virginia (Zone 6)

Best ways to protect watermelons. Need suggestions.

I now have about 6-7 watermelons growing. Very small at this stage. I am worried about slugs and snails. So The ones that are on the ground right now I elevated on small wood boards. Will this keep slugs away from the fruit? The boards are small (about 10 inches by 8 inches) and are kind of rough to the touch.

6sparkpug6
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Location: Zone 6b

This is my first year growing watermelon, but I've grown pumpkins before. I have always had problems with slugs--big ones and small ones. I found that there was a pumpkin in the shade that was oddly shaped and decreasing in health. I guess the slugs could tell, because they ate the entire thing until you couldn't even recognize that there was a pumpkin there in the past.

Well, the slug didn't really attack the one in the sun. I had a few small black ones underneath it (I used black cloth--or maybe it was straw, or a combination), but in the end it was OK and the slugs didn't eat it. I think they can detect when something is going to die anyway, as they tend to also eat the weaker plants--or maybe they just think it will be less work. Not sure, but they didn't destroy the others. :) Have you grown watermelons or pumpkins before?

I use sluggo now and it seems to be controlling the issue. I also use a copper wire around the basil. If you are really concerned, I would invest in some copper tape or wire and attach it to the perimeter of the board. However, they might be deterred by the roughness, as I have used diatomaceous earth and it cuts their bodies.

Also, do you have any pictures?

Hope this helps!

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RogueRose
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Put a circle of something sharp around your watermelons. Like crushed eggshells. Or a ring of (course) salt :P Snails don't like walking across ouchy things.

ChrisC_77
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Location: West Virginia (Zone 6)

RogueRose wrote:Put a circle of something sharp around your watermelons. Like crushed eggshells. Or a ring of (course) salt :P Snails don't like walking across ouchy things.

Thanks. I have them on small wood planks. That aren't the smoothest. Hopefully that will work. I might add some crushed eggshells too.

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applestar
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Wood planks is probably not the best choice. Slugs find them attractive hiding places and will gather underneath during the day, and creep out looking for food at night....

Put the planks a few feet away on the ground and turn them over in the morning to collect and destroy them.

ChrisC_77
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Joined: Wed Jul 31, 2013 6:00 pm
Location: West Virginia (Zone 6)

[quote="applestar"]Wood planks is probably not the best choice. Slugs find them attractive hiding places and will gather underneath during the day, and creep out looking for food at night....

Put the planks a few feet away on the ground and turn them over in the morning to collect and destroy them.[/quote

Thanks for the tip. I removed the wood planks and although no slugs. There were thousands of small ants nesting. I did send them to their maker. I decided just to gather some straw and made a small bed for the melons that are laying flat on the ground. I will do the same for the others once they are big enough.
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RogueRose
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I think I also read somewhere you can put halved lemons and oranges face down on the ground near your stuff and snails and slugs go in there.
Organic Slug Traps

...If you are big on organic gardening, a simple grapefruit rind works well. Use grapefruits that you have cut in half and scooped the flesh out of. Place the traps around your yard and garden wherever there is slug damage, then let them sit overnight. When they are done with their nightly feast, the slugs will retreat underneath the moist rinds. All you have to do is pick the rinds up in the morning, throw the slugs into soapy water...
https://gardening.answers.com/fruits-and ... our-garden
Last edited by applestar on Wed Jul 16, 2014 8:19 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Modified quoted info and added link to cite the reference.



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