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Subject: gardenwriters-on-gardening
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- From: "Betty Mackey" <BettyMackey@verizon.net>
- To: "gardenwriters-on-gardening" <gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org>
- Cc: Nellie Neal <mama@gardenmama.com>
- Subject: Re: [gwl-g] Western Slugs!
- Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2007 18:35:20 -0400
Thanks, Nancy, Jeff, Nan, and Miranda!
I was wondering about how much beer you'd need to drown those big western slugs. The brown and gray ones I have here in Pennsylvania rarely exceed an inch or two, and they go for my bean leaves and hostas so killing them does not bother me. I learned from Miranda that banana slugs can be helpful, so it would be better to make barriers. Nancy, very interesting about the kabobs and newspaper! I've seen that after a couple of slugs drown in beer a lot more come in quickly. Now I know why.
I sent my request for slug info to garden writer Nellie Neal, in Mississippi. Here's what she had to say:
"Down here, the beer traps just get overrun because the populations are so
high and the beer so attractive! We use those English slug copper rings
and/or keep the mulch down at the base of the plants and spread a ring of
diatomaceous earth around each one. We also hire children to collect them,
the going rate is still about a nickel a slug."
I sometimes go around the garden at dusk after a rain with a big bucket of soapy water and drop the slugs into it. But I can't imagine the Washington gardener doing this with five- to eight-inch critters.
Also, you can brew up more yeast broth economically by feeding the yeast. Add a spoonful of sugar or flour to the yeast and water in a small bowl and let it set overnight. I'll try soaking my damp newspaper mound in this.
-- Betty Mackey
----- Original Message ----- From: "Nancy Szerlag" <szerlag@earthlink.net>
Betty - So as not to waste too much beer, try my method. I soak a big
wad of newspaper in water and make a mound on the ground. The slugs
use it as hotel and hang out there full time. I think they dine on
the paper. The mound remains moist for several days and you can "
harvest" any time it's convenient. I use a shish kabob stick to
skewer them because I read they are cannibalistic and are attracted
by their dead. Use beer instead of water and turn the mound into a
24 hour saloon. I found this works especially well when its dry.
Nancy.
On Jun 28, 2007, at 3:05 PM, Betty Mackey wrote:
Thanks! Good advice -- and how much beer are we talking about?
Betty Mackey
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeff Lowenfels" <jeff@gardener.com>
Beer works in the west as well as it does in the east, but don't make
the mistake of most gardeners....slugs will travel up to 2 miles at
night to get to good food. The yeast smell of beer works, but if you
put the traps in your garden, you will kill some, but attract others
from outside the garden. It is much better to put the beer traps in
the yard about 10 feet outside of the garden.
-
[gwl-g] Western Slugs!,
Betty Mackey, 06/28/2007
-
Re: [gwl-g] Western Slugs!,
Jeff Lowenfels, 06/28/2007
-
Re: [gwl-g] Western Slugs!,
Betty Mackey, 06/28/2007
-
Re: [gwl-g] Western Slugs!,
Jeff Lowenfels, 06/28/2007
- Re: [gwl-g] Western Slugs!, N Sterman, 06/28/2007
-
Re: [gwl-g] Western Slugs!,
Nancy Szerlag, 06/28/2007
- Re: [gwl-g] Western Slugs!, Betty Mackey, 06/28/2007
-
Re: [gwl-g] Western Slugs!,
Jeff Lowenfels, 06/28/2007
-
Re: [gwl-g] Western Slugs!,
Betty Mackey, 06/28/2007
- Re: [gwl-g] Western Slugs!, Miranda Smith, 06/28/2007
- Re: [gwl-g] Western Slugs!, Ron Whitehurst, 06/30/2007
- <Possible follow-up(s)>
-
Re: [gwl-g] Western Slugs!,
KTCopsey, 06/28/2007
- Re: [gwl-g] Western Slugs!, Jeff Lowenfels, 06/28/2007
-
Re: [gwl-g] Western Slugs!,
Miranda Smith, 06/28/2007
-
Re: [gwl-g] Western Slugs!,
Doug Green, 06/28/2007
- Re: [gwl-g] Western Slugs!, Miranda Smith, 06/28/2007
-
Re: [gwl-g] Western Slugs!,
Jeff Lowenfels, 06/28/2007
- Re: [gwl-g] Western Slugs!, Miranda Smith, 06/28/2007
-
Re: [gwl-g] Western Slugs!,
Doug Green, 06/28/2007
- Re: [gwl-g] Western Slugs!, Nancy Szerlag, 06/28/2007
-
Re: [gwl-g] Western Slugs!,
Jeff Lowenfels, 06/28/2007
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