A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Plant pests and problems Slugs everywhere!!!

Hello everyone, I just moved to eastern NC last week. I have noticed that I have alot of slugs in my yard and on my porch. I'm worried about them getting on my plants that I have on the porch. Is there anything that I can do to protect my plants?

If you are looking organic there are copper strips that slugs won't cross. There are other organic remedies in the snail and slug aisle of your local Home Depot, Loiwes or WalMart, etc. For a quick fix until you get there you can sprinkle salt on the floor of your porch around your plants.

I live in NC too and I used the salt and after a while they weren't such a problem. Lately, since we've had a lot of rain, I've noticed that there seemed to be a few more so I put out salt again and I haven't seen any latetly.

Hi! Just out of curiosity-- where did you move to? I lived in New Bern & in Ayden (near Greenville; worst slug problems ever).

I hate slugs!

See also: http://www.thegardenhelper.com/slugs.html

I followed the link and I laughed so hard!!! Very well written! I use the beer in a bowl trick and it really helps!! I am going to put out more today cause I think one was munching on my spinach last night.. Good luck to you on getting those nasty little things!

I live the salt. Works great. I used to have a bunch of taods but ever since Guido the Toad assain moved in I seem to be lacking in the toad department.
Apparently his favorite snack is TOADS!
Here he is doing his cobra immitation. He was not happy with me and the camera. LOL Darn Why cant I post pics anymore??

I have to take back my previous post. Yesterday morning I saw 2 slugs then last night I found 1 eating my cucumbers. I dusted with Sevin then it rained hard as heck all night. I try not to use Sevin but the salt seemed to disappear. Maybe they gnomes were making margaritas.

Hey Marcia, I live in New Bern, and they seem to be everywhere, espically at night

I just wanted to chime in.. I think the slugs have turned my garden in to the Maternity Ward! I found 3 tiny slugs in the bowls of beer this morning.

Bestoffour- Oh, and "Maybe they gnomes were making margaritas." ~ I laughed so hard!!!!!

Eerrr Ummm Sheri?? The salt disolves!
OK heres the reason I have no more toads to eat the slugs. Trying to post one last time.

I hate to be the one to say this, but there are "products" out there. (Sorry. I try not to use "products" but every now & then... .)

I've had moderate success with ashes, like from a firepit or chiminea. Could you sprinkle them in the pots?

New Bern is cool. Be sure to check out the Palace when they do the chrysathamum (sp?) festival there.

Ditchy- OH my word!!!!!!! Is that what I think it is!?! Whoa!

Kim, what kind of snake is that?

a BIG snake.

LOL Thats an adult Eastern Hognose in all his glory. They are wonderful bluffers. He sounded like a leaking radiator hissing. Really loud. And he flattens his head out try to look scary like a cobra. If all else fails they flip themselves over and open there mouth like they are dead. He was terrified. All coiled up. As soon as my back was turned he made a hasty retreat into the woods. I have not seen him since. LOL
But I also have seen only 3 toads all season. Its their fave food. Darn!

I thought it was a hognose so from pictures I have seen. I think all snakes flatten their heads. And most avoid humanity whenever they can.
Here is jonni with a rattler she and her dad caught a few days before He passed away.

The rattle snake is the one without a head.

Glad you made the distinction Tina.

She was looking over my shoulder when I posted that.

Oh my goodness!! You guys are so brave!!!

Actually jonni all snakes cannot and do not flatten their heads. It is a specific trait to certain snakes.
Why did you kill the rattler?? Was it threatening ? I am a firm believer in not killing them. There are many varieties that are threatened because of people killing them just because they are snakes.
If you avoid them they will not bite. Even rattlers.

Kim, I did not kill that nor any other rattler. I have relocated many away from our home, way away. They are not anywhere near endangered here. Their numbers are advancing in spite of or because of population growth here. That snake was cleaned, cooked and eaten within a couple of hours of that picture. It will probably be the last one that is done here because I am just not interested at all. It was a favorite of my husband who died last month. He used them for educating and entertaining strangers to our area. He was an agriculture teacher. In future I will probably just continue to relocate any miles from my home if I am able.
I am glad my daughter learned to distinguish that from other types of snakes and is able to deal with them appropriately. Because they are dangerous and abundant. She ran into her first alone when she was in kindergarten and it was a couple feet longer than she was tall. She did not panic due to her prior education.
If any of my neighbors are perturbed by any other types of snakes, they know that all are welcomed to be released near my home. I love them.
I prefer to buy my food at a grocery store all nicely cut up for me so as not to look the animal in the eye. I haven't ever killed for sport. But would be able to kill to protect my family if necessary.

Tina, Please dont get me wrong, I am not an animal rights wacko, However I love the wildlife, I am not opposed to hunting, responsibly, and it is necessary. What I meant was that people sometimes Kill snakes just cause they are snakes. They serve a great purpose. While I dont adore snakes, I do find them fascinating. I know there are several species in Michigan including the cool little Massasauga Rattler that are endangered. The michigan Rattler is the only venomous snake in the state. they are small have a short thick tail and are VERY shy. when we first bought out land on the edge of the woods I was mowing one day and found one. Scared him more than me. They will not kill a human, with there bite, There is an anti Venom, but biting a small dog or cat can be fatal. The incidences are rare because they are very shy and reculsive. I know people that will take a garden hoe to a common c
garter snake just because.
Incidentally MAny years ago when I lived in houston I dated a guy for a bit whos parents had a big cattle ranch I went to their home for a bar B Q HAd an interesting food which I later found out was Rattler.
BAck then I was grossed out, however It was pretty good. Would have been better if he had not told me what it was. LOL. Sorry if you thought I was being a creep. Friends??

No, I was not upset with you. I needed to explain in general that we don't just go out butchering snakes. I like most around for the critter control they do. Not that they actually eat that often. But the critters like rats and mice prefer not to live close to where they are.
I live out in the boondocks because I like Mother Nature's wildlife better than urban wildlife myself.

I have never eaten snake but would give it a try. I don't want to clean and boil one though. I don't even like to clean fish.

Mexicans are afraid of snakes. The gang next to us have cleared what was a wooded lot because they are afraid a snake will be hiding in the underbrush. Over the years I've had Mexicans help in our yard and two of them killed black snakes. Even after I told them NOT to kill my blacksnake. They do it anyway. The fear is embedded in them. I used to have a blacksnake that lived in my flower garden. I saw him almost daily and he saw me too. He didn't run and hide like the one I have now. I did my best to stay out of his way and he stayed out of mine. I got along better with him than a lot of people I know.

Sheri Black snakes are a horse barn owners friend. They are better than barn cats. I have friends who have a resident large black snake in their barn.. He hangs around, and they have no mice or rats. The horses dont seem to step on him either.!

Yep, they eat the mice. I didn't realize they are better than cats though. I don't see many mice around here anymore.

The problem with barn cats usually is they are too over fed on cat food. If you want them to hunt more, you feed them but dont leave food out all the time. Most barn cats I know are fat couch potatoes. You should see the one where I keep my horse. Sheesh. A few weeks ago I had my horse in and was grooming him and something caught the corner of my eye, I turned around and a mouse was sitting in the doorway of a stall across from me. The barn cat was sitting on a hay bale in plain sight and he ran right past her. She just yawned and continued to wash.