A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Plant pests and problems Slugfest 2010

It's a army...i can hear them begin their march from the edge of the battle line. It start's as a faint chat as they gather forces..O-UM.....O-E-O, there's beans to eat O-E-O. I leave a slimy trail to a bean salad treat 0-E-O. As I slither across the ground ,im on a mission to the closes bean party in my town O-E-O. As we munch from plant to plant you can hear the moans of our battle chant O-E-O-O-UM. As we feast on this battle of yum it's getting harder to pull this slimy bum O-E-O. As I wish I had another foot I just stay here under this and stay put O-E-O.
Now that we are full and sleeping our feast away , the farmer see's our evidence of a our party play 0-E-O.


........I now have "swiss" beans and stems


Yep...it's "WAR" time .


Been reading up on our slimy veggie munchers and I had a big suprise for them last night.
I been saving coffee grounds for the compost , but found out our friends don't like coffee...even leftover brewed coffee...they don't like caffine!. Glad they don't ..slugs on a caffine buz, we all would be in trouble

So I mixed up a bottle of dish soap, brewed coffee and kosher salt...weapon 1

Took the coffee grounds and sprinkled them over the bean area...weapon 2

Now I had weapon 3 but wanted to watch if the coffee had any effect.
It did .. the spray made them shed a layer of slim and move on but not sure if they would overcome it and still invade the plants.

Watched them move into the coffee grounds and they stopped ...but had a few that did move over it.

Now for weapon 3.... corn meal.... they love corn meal

Gave them a few piles out by the edge and It was a party!
Watched them head towards the beans to get their fix , but turn around at the coffee ground border and went right to the corn meal.

Corn meal dries them up , said they explode!!

This could be fun !... "revenge" lol . I thought I would see them all going off like popcorn after they ate enough .

Didn't see any go boom but there were many laying around like they ate way to much...like me at Thanksgiving .

Went out for the morning watering and No signs of the slimy bandits. Alot of meal was gone and my plants were spared , not one leaf was munched.

I also read ..not to water the whole garden before dark, keeping it dry also helps on detouring their travels.. not fond of the dry scratchies.
So if you water late just water the plant or do it early enough so the ground dries before dark.

Going to set up camp tonight and see how many venture back for more WHOOPA&&*

Snow

You should have a battle hymn! Good luck.

lol looks like it could be a happy one so-far, I think they have retreated with belly aches.

I skip last night and didn't add any more food for them . Today I check the plants out and they look ok ...well atleast no more visiable damage. Maybe they went back and told their friends.... don't go eat the beans , he put out this real good magic dust and I feel sick now . or...reinforcements

snow

Nice work snow!!! Luved your War story! Glad you defeated the enemy! By chunking coffee grounds at them no less!!

You know what Im doing tonight. Snow Im going in - let God sort it out

Well I laid down a suppressing fire with dish soap mix. Made corn meal land mines and mixed beer-oltav cocktails. Still Charlie didnt surf!! I did not catch any slugs

Something is nibbling on my peas! More like munching just one plant at a time. I am thinking it is a chipmunk. I will take a pic tonight maybe you guys can tell

have you ever found an albino slug (pure white) once I found one and i spared it becuase it was different, I moved it to a wooded area where it can eat anything it wants. Now I dont really like to kill anything I just move them.