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  • From: Clint Popetz <clint@cpopetz.com>
  • To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [permaculture] Slug control
  • Date: Mon, 15 Nov 2004 14:40:52 -0600

Greetings,

We have a large (well, for city folk) sheet-mulched area that
has served our annual bed wonderfully. It has however also led to an
explosion in the slug population. I find trails up the side of my
cob greenhouse, across the screens on our house, even on the toilet
seat. (Eww.)

Since they spawned after the spring transplanting and direct-seeding,
they didn't cause any problems this year. However, we are really
worried about next spring's planting. Most material on slug control
suggests numerous ways to kill the buggers by hand, and as a last
result I might resort to that, but I'm hoping there are less deadly
(and less tedious) methods for balancing the population. Any advice
is appreciated, and here are some questions as well:

What are natural predators for slugs? Ducks I know, but I'm not ready
to take the plunge into poultry yet.

We heat our house with a wood stove; does wood ash deter slugs? In
what quantities? Worked into the soil, or sprinkled on top?

Are there any border plants that will deter slugs? Wormwood is the
only thing I've heard of; anyone have success?

I have a border of slowly-decomposing but still-tied straw bales
around the area, which provide nice paths for walking when the ground
is wet, and have helped hold moisture in the garden, but they are also
slug heaven. Should I remove them for the winter, to reduce winter
habitat? Or just remove them a few weeks before the spring transplant
season begins?

Finally, one book mentions that slugs are a great protein source.
Does anyone have experience or recipes cooking them? The look on my
eight year old daughter's face should be priceless.

Thanks,
-Clint
Zone 5b, Urbana IL, US





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