nikimiller1
Newly Registered
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Aug 02, 2010 3:37 pm
Location: Vermont

first time gardener/Bugs

This is what I'm growing: Tomatoes, Roma & Juliet.
Hot Peppers, Habanero, Jalapeno, Serrano, Cherry.
Sweet Peppers, Red, Orange & Yellow.

And the bugs I have seen are: Snails, slugs, millipedes (tons!) and ladybugs.

All my plants look healthy and I'm just wondering if I should be concerned about the bugs or are they the good guys?

If they're bad any recommendations on what to use to get rid of them?

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microcollie
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Posts: 319
Joined: Fri Jun 04, 2010 5:17 pm
Location: Western MA

The slugs and snails are not good guys, but I have never had a problem with the eating my tomatoes or peppers. If you can keep the bottom leaves off the ground it might keep them off your plants somewhat.
Ladybugs and milipedes are generally good. Ladybugs will eat aphids and scale insects, while milipedes tend to eat detritus from the soil. (I think that milipedes may, from time to time, damage plants, but for the most part not.
Slugs and snails don't like some rough types of mulch, so that might be something to consider, but I would do nothing about any of them unless you begin to notice damage.

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rainbowgardener
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Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

Hi and welcome to the forum!

The slugs have never bothered my tomatoes, but they do like my sweet bell peppers!

As a newcomer around here, one thing that is helpful to learn is about using Search the Forum (in the black strip above). Click on that and it will bring up a Keyword Search box. Slugs have been MUCH discussed around here. If you type slug control into that you will get over 40 posts. Search the Forum is your key to reams of wonderful stuff that is already here (and you don't have to wait for someone to get around to answering your question. :))

Here's just one of the threads you will find, to get you started:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=152300&highlight=slug+control#152300

That particular thread doesn't mention beer traps, but other ones will.

Snails and slugs are pretty much the same thing except for the shell. Any control methods for one works for the other.

Agree that of your list the snails and slugs are all you need to worry about and you should be very glad for the ladybugs.

garden5
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Posts: 3062
Joined: Fri Aug 07, 2009 5:40 pm
Location: ohio

As the others have said, keep the millipedes and ladybugs and ditch the slugs and snails :wink:.

If you've had your crop going for a while and haven't noticed any damage, you may not even need to fool around the slugs or snails, either. Just keep a watch and as soon as you see a slime-covered hole, it's time to slug-hunting.



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