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  • From: J Hobbs <hobbsj@efn.org>
  • To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [permaculture] slug management
  • Date: Tue, 16 Nov 2004 08:40:06 -0800

Hello,

Living in the Pacific Northwest slugs are definitely one of the challenges in the garden. I find hand picking in the evening or early morning cuts the population down tremendously-- pick for four days in a row and you'll notice a difference. I also use bran...here is what I wrote up for our local permaculture Guild:
--
Red Wheat Bran Saves the Day

Coastal Farm (local feed store) sells red wheat bran..50# bag for $13. H&E Feed sells it for $12. This product looks like what you might find in the bulk section of the grocery store (wheat bran). The nutritional analysis is: 14.5%protein, 3%fat, 12% fiber.


I apply a 1 inch barrier around each plant I want to protect- so imagine a cracklin' pattern around your lettuce starts (looks like a honey comb pattern). The slugs and snails go after this yummy substance- they eat until their content and then seem to desiccate (dry out) -. The bran needs to be reapplied after the rains....it will expand with moisture and contract in dry weather-- when it contracts there are 'alleyways' the critters meander into and find their way to the plants... Just add more bran-- The plants quickly become larger and slugs tend to move on.

The functions:
1. nutrients as stated above
2. detour for slugs and snails
3. I notice more worms in these areas
4. Easy to work with
5. Cheap
Conversation starter..............

A negative:
Not grown locally

I store it in the bag in a metal trash can I got at a garage sale. Be sure the lid is tight, keeps pout moisture and other animals.



Agro-Ecology Northwest
Cascadia Landscape Design
1161 Lincoln Street
Eugene, Oregon 97401
541-342-1160
hobbsj@efn.org
www.cascadiapermaculture.com




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