Slug or snail how to manage ?

[Northernfox]

I got to work at 6 am this morning I came home at 6pm and continued to work. Lots of "interesting" Stuff going on right now . So as I was on the phone with my bosses boss I took a walk in my garden. Mosquitoes ate me alive but I did not mind. Until I saw slug or snail damage to my alpine strawberries. I quarantined the container right away.


As I was strolling I found slugs or snails in the act of eating my flipper potato plants as well. Not a big deal as you have seen in last weeks garden update but still.


So my question is. How do I deal with these monsters before they do too much damage or they spread to my other sensitive crops?

Help!!

[DoubleDogFarm]

[rainbowgardener]

diatomaceous earth.

It works well for me except that it has to be reapplied after rain. Since we have had nothing but rain, I haven't even tried using any this year.

[digitS']

Ah ha! The Canadian mint made copper pennies until 1996. They are still copper plated. Slugs do not like to cross copper wire -- how about pennies?

Okay, I've never tried copper but thought I'd check that out . .

Sluggo makes an organic slug bait. It works well and I use it every spring in the greenhouse. Pricey and it melts with water. Slugs look real sick after eating it and they die. The claim: it amounts to a fertilizer altho' toxic to slugs & snails. The organic is not supposed to be dangerous to other animals.

Steve

[Northernfox]

Double dog your funny I wish I had birds !

Unfortunately Canada does not make or circulate pennies anymore. Hard to find them. Copper is also expensive !!

I think I'll try DT first and if that is not working try Sluggo.


Thank you for the quick response.

[imafan26]

Well, even with the bait, you may still have to go out early in the morning or in the evening with a flashlight and hand pick them. For every slug or snail you find, you can assume there is probably 10 you missed.

I can usually find slugs and snails under pots, rocks, in the weeds especially where it is wet, and they will even be inside the potted plants chomping on the roots so I have to put a screen barrier in the pot so they won't come in through the drain holes. Slugs and snails climb on the house, trees, fences and onto benches so you just have to be diligent.

[Northernfox]

Monsters... I found a bunch more this morning So I got bait... Where are the birds I had 3 weeks ago that made my garden their personnel buffet!

[rainbowgardener]

Re finding them under rocks etc, it helps to lay a board flat on the soil near plants that are being bothered by them. In the daytime, lift the board & find a bunch of them you can get rid of.

[Northernfox]

Ill have to do that. The bags are sitting on grass.

Pests

[3 Pound Tomato]

Seems to me we put out saucers full of beer which kills off the slugs.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN6ZLRHvf5g

[Northernfox]

That looks like a great method. I might take a two pronged attack!! Although as a brewer I hate to waste beer but as a gardener those monsters must die !!

[DoubleDogFarm]

Use crappy beer like Bud Light or Coors. Any cheap mass produced American beer.


Eric

[Northernfox]

Ok good. The cheap stuff will work