permaculture

[Saor Stetler <saor@ycbtal.net>]

   Does your garden get slimed all too often?

The Bite: 

Slugs can be the bane of any gardener's existence, wreaking havoc on 
your young plants shooting up in the spring. No big wonder that slug 
pellets and pesticides are so widely used. However, effective 
alternatives do exist.


   * A shockingly humane solution. Copper serves as a great barrier for
     slugs, giving them a small shock when they try to cross it. By
     using old pennies to create rings of copper surrounding your
     plants, you can have a natural, non-toxic, slug-free garden and
     get rid of your loose change.
   * Since slugs are most active in damp nighttime conditions, watering
     in the AM instead of the PM can reduce slug damage by 80%.
   * The coarse surface of lava rocks, gravel, and other rough
     materials irritates and deters slugs.
   * Beer traps
     
<http://newsletter.idealbite.com/oempro/link.php?URL=aHR0cDovL2lkZWFsYml0ZS5jb20vdGlwbGlicmFyeS90aXAucGhwP3RpcD0yMDA1MDgxMiZhbXA7dGl0bGU9RGV2ZWxvcF9hX0RyaW5raW5nX0hhYml0X2luX3lvdXJfU2x1Z3M%3D&EncryptedMemberID=MzUyMjY%3D&CampaignID=9&CampaignStatisticsID=505&Demo=0&Email=saor@ycbtal.net>
     can be effective (but only if you don't drink all the beer).