From:  "Dee 
Date:  Sun Feb 9, 2003  8:51 am

from eartheasy.com

Slugs are in every garden, and cause more damage than most garden 
invaders. Commercial slug killers are available, but they are toxic 
to birds and other wildlife, and are less effective after rain, when 
slugs are most active. 

Here are a few alternative natural, non-toxic methods of slug control:

Watering Schedule 
Far and away the best course of action against slugs in your garden 
is a simple adjustment in the watering schedule. Slugs are most 
active at night and are most efficient in damp conditions. Avoid 
watering your garden in the evening if you have a slug problem. Water 
in the morning - the surface soil will be dry by evening. Studies 
show this can reduce slug damage by 80%.


Beer
Slugs are attracted to beer. Set a small amount of beer in a shallow 
wide jar buried in the soil up to its neck. Slugs will crawl in and 
drown. Take the jar lid and prop it up with a small stick so rain 
won't dilute the beer. Leave enough space for the slug to enter the 
trap.


Seaweed
If you have access to seaweed, it's well worth the effort to gather. 
Seaweed is not only a good soil amendment for the garden, it's a 
natural repellent for slugs. Mulch with seaweed around the base of 
plants or perimeter of bed. Pile it on 3" to 4" thick - when it dries 
it will shrink to just an inch or so deep. Seaweed is salty and slugs 
avoid salt. Push the seaweed away from plant stems so it's not in 
direct contact. During hot weather, seaweed will dry and become very 
rough which also deters the slugs. 


Copper
Small strips of copper can be placed around flower pots or raised 
beds as obstructions for slugs to crawl over. Bend the strips so one 
edge sticks straight up, making more of a "fence" for the slugs to 
climb. When crossing the copper, the slugs get a small electrical 
jolt which repels them.
Over time the copper loses some of its strength. This can be restored 
by going over the copper with a piece of fine sandpaper. 
Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth is the sharp, jagged skeletal remains of 
microscopic creatures. It lacerates soft-bodied pests, causing them 
to dehydrate. A powdery granular material, it can be sprinkled around 
garden beds or individual plants, and can be mixed with water to make 
a foliar spray.
Diatomaceous earth is less effective when wet, so use during dry 
weather. Wear protective gear when applying, as it can irritate eyes 
and lungs. Be sure to buy natural or agricultural grade diatomaceous 
earth, not pool grade which has smoother edges and is far less 
effective. Available in garden centers; it is fairly expensive.


Salt
If all else fails, go out at night with the salt shaker and a 
flashlight. Look at the plants which have been getting the most 
damage and inspect the leaves, including the undersides. Sprinkle a 
bit of salt on the slug and it will kill it quickly. Not particularly 
pleasant, but use as a last resort.


Overturned Flowerpots, Grapefruit Halves, Board on Ground
Overturned flowerpots, with a stone placed under the rim to tilt it 
up a bit, will attract slugs. Leave overnight, and you'll find the 
slugs inside in the morning. Grapefruit halves work the same way, 
with the added advantage of the scent of the fruit as bait.
Another trap method, perhaps the simplest of all, is to set a wide 
board on the ground by the affected area. Slugs will hide under the 
board by day. Simply flip the board over during the day to reveal the 
culprits. Black plastic sheeting also works the same way.


New caffeine-based slug/snail poisons
A recent study (June 2002) reported in the journal Nature found that 
slugs and snails are killed when sprayed with a caffeine solution, 
and that spraying plants with this solution prevents slugs from 
eating them. The percentage of caffeine required in a spray is 
greater than what is found in a cup of coffee, so homemade sprays are 
not effective. Look for new commercial sprays which are caffeine-
based. (Although two caffeine-containing pesticides have been 
developed, neither is on the market yet. These products should be on 
the market soon.) 

(this last one must be real new....but I have heard if you sprinkle 
coffee grounds around plants, the slugs won't bother the plant)

*****************************************************
From:  (rachel)
Date:  Sun Feb 9, 2003  8:55 am


I love this one - the seaweed. Hey, I can make the drive to NJ and collect 
seaweed there. I wonder, though, if it would be okay to just harvest it from 
what washes up on the beach. Do you think it might be polluted? 

***************************************************** 
From:  "Dee 
Date:  Sun Feb 9, 2003  8:59 am


I don't know Rach, as polluted as our earth is, I guess it would 
still be worth a try to someone over attacked by slugs tho. Gardeners 
near the coast may know the best answer here...

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From:   (Wendy)
Date:  Sun Feb 9, 2003  11:12 am

Leaving beer bottles laying on their sides always worked for me. 
Guess they like the dark AND the hops :-)
***************************************************** 
From:  Mike 
Date:  Sun Feb 9, 2003  10:31 am

Once I get my brine tanks set up, I may be calling on you, Rach. What 
kind of seaweed washes up on them shores over yonder? The leafy green 
kind? The stringy red kind?

***************************************************** 
From:  GardenLivin
Date:  Sun Feb 9, 2003  10:42 am

Welll, it's been years since I lived at the shore, but memory tells me the 
leafy green kind - the kind with the bubbles you can pop, if you know what I 
mean.

***************************************************** 
From:  GardenLivin
Date:  Sun Feb 9, 2003  9:00 am

Don't some people use coffee grounds in their soil anyway? So they could serve a 
double purpose - ammending the soil in some way and deterring slugs?

***************************************************** 

From:  "cynthia 
Date:  Sun Feb 9, 2003  10:55 am

Don't go crazy with coffee and tea grounds, by the way. Caffeine is 
phytotoxic to many plants

***************************************************** 
From:   (Wendy)
Date:  Sun Feb 9, 2003  11:14 am

I always sprinkle my coffee grounds into compost or under my 
Andromeda. Andromeda's are acid loving plants. Sometimes I toss my 
tea bags under it, too :-)

****************************************************
From:   (Dona Aria)
Date:  Sun Feb 9, 2003  9:09 am


I tend to have a slug problem and what I have done is cut off about half of a 
plastic cup and place them around my plants with beer in them. Slugs like beer 
and after they have had their cocktail they just kind of take a nap and then I 
remove them.

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