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  • From: "Suzanne Pierot" <suzanne@hvi.net>
  • To: "gardenwriters-on-gardening" <gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [gwl-g] natural slug controls
  • Date: Mon, 12 Apr 2004 07:26:23 -0400

I have more than 20,000 hostas which I use as ground cover as well as
specimens and naturally, I have a slug problem. I use lots of slug bait -
and it is effective as long as it is repeated every month or so. I am
looking for a less expensive, and less time consuming way to control slugs,
but my problem is that I open my 12 acre garden regularly for garden tours,
and anything that is unsightly can't be used.

Any other suggestions for me?
Suzanne Pierot
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lon J. Rombough" <lonrom@hevanet.com>
To: "Gardenwriters on Gardening" <gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Sunday, April 11, 2004 9:12 PM
Subject: [gwl-g] natural slug controls


> My oldest son, Chris, who is just finishing a degree in wildlife
> management, has been doing experiments in encouraging the local reptiles
and
> amphibians. He has placed old pieces of aluminum roofing around our yard
> and in the fields to provide shelter for them. He has been successful in
> more than one way. First, he has found as many as 31 of the native Garter
> snakes under the sheets, and he is now finding the native alligator lizard
> (a very small species that is quite harmless in spite of it's name, given
> because of it's appearance). In the process, the local slug population
has
> plummetted. Chris was collecting slugs to feed some turtles he has, and
he
> now has to go far afield to find them. In every case, there is an
> ever-expanding radius around the sheets of alumuminum that are becoming
free
> of slugs. The lizards hunt at night or in the very early morning, and the
> snakes largely seek out the slugs underground where they hide.
> Ironically, when first placed, the sheets drew slugs from all over.
Then
> the snakes and lizards moved in because they had a food supply, shelter,
and
> an area where they could get warm from the sun all in one spot.
> In short, if you don't mind the appearance of it, laying sheets of old
> sheet metal siding is a good way to control slugs, assuming you have some
> native reptiles and amphibians that will eat them, and you don't get in a
> hurry before the animals find the shelter island/food supply.
> Oh yes, the sheets keep weeds from growing in those spots, too.
> -Lon Rombough
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