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  • From: Paul Wheaton <paul@richsoil.com>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] Slug control
  • Date: Mon, 15 Nov 2004 14:38:06 -0800 (PST)

I had the best solution until you nixed poultry. Turning chickens into your
garden a
couple of hours before they go to roost would make it so they eat the slugs
and leave
your veggies alone.

Next up: how about efforts to attract more wild birds?

--- Clint Popetz <clint@cpopetz.com> wrote:

> 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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