Living in the Pacific Northwest slugs are definitely one of the
challenges in the garden. I find hand picking in the evening or
early morning cuts the population down tremendously-- pick for four
days in a row and you'll notice a difference. I also use bran...here
is what I wrote up for our local permaculture Guild:
--
Red Wheat Bran Saves the Day
Coastal Farm (local feed store) sells red wheat bran..50# bag for
$13. H&E Feed sells it for $12. This product looks like what you
might find in the bulk section of the grocery store (wheat bran). The
nutritional analysis is: 14.5%protein, 3%fat, 12% fiber.
I apply a 1 inch barrier around each plant I want to protect- so
imagine a cracklin' pattern around your lettuce starts (looks like a
honey comb pattern). The slugs and snails go after this yummy
substance- they eat until their content and then seem to desiccate
(dry out) -. The bran needs to be reapplied after the rains....it
will expand with moisture and contract in dry weather-- when it
contracts there are 'alleyways' the critters meander into and find
their way to the plants... Just add more bran-- The plants quickly
become larger and slugs tend to move on.
The functions:
1. nutrients as stated above
2. detour for slugs and snails
3. I notice more worms in these areas
4. Easy to work with
5. Cheap
Conversation starter..............
A negative:
Not grown locally
I store it in the bag in a metal trash can I got at a garage sale.
Be sure the lid is tight, keeps pout moisture and other animals.
Agro-Ecology Northwest
Cascadia Landscape Design
1161 Lincoln Street
Eugene, Oregon 97401
541-342-1160
hobbsj@efn.org
www.cascadiapermaculture.com