On a separate thread, yesterday I mentioned my first efforts at slug control/reduction. Decided to give it a separate thread today. First of all there are several good threads related to slug control, so if looking for info, do a quick search on this forum's search feature.
In the past, yesterday especially drove home the fact, that snails just love to spend the day in dark, relately cool, open spaces or cavities. Yesterday while unstacking two nestled clay pots, I hit a gold mine of at least twenty slugs. First, the number of slugs was alarming, and secondly, the ease of gathering and destroying them was a revelation.
After that experience, I walked the yard and garden, looking for potential slug havens. Amost every clay pot or clay pot fragment had between one and a dozen snails underneath. I also have some large rectangular planters that hold about a 12 inch depth of soil. I imagine that provides some insulating coolness, plus the molded feet create about a one inch space. Both yesterday and today, those spaces housed as many as 10-20 slugs each.
The slugs have only done superficial damage to any of my crops, so thus far I have not really considered them to be such a bad pest. Am especially surprised at limited damage, given the huge number that inhabit various parts of the yard and garden.
Anyway, this experience is giving rise to a two pronged attack on these abundant pests. First, I'll place nestled clay pots of two each in various locations around the garden. Also will place broken curved section of pots, curve down, at select locations around all gardens of concern. Third will try out a couple of covered beer traps. Will likely just set a shallow container of beer underneath a clay pot, to keep the rain from washing contents away. I place a small stick under one side of the inverted rim of each pot to allow easy access for the slugs. Each day I'll walk the garden with my slug soup mixture of water and chemical fertilizer, which kills much quicker than salt water and only takes a bit, will gather the slugs and give them a quick end.
Yesterday between 100 and 150 slugs were gathered. Today between 50-100 were gathered. Will be interesting to track the numbers harvested over time.
Slug motel. Pieces of clay pots. Turned over to get the day's harvest.
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