Slug reports - how are you faring?

14 years ago

Found a lot of slugs early as eyes were emerging - hit 'em directly with 10% ammonia spray and followed that with bait and diatomaceous earth(DE). Went for a second applicaton today of bait and DE and see very little signs of damage from slugs on past problem plants.

Have I been lulled into false confidence? How have slugs been for you this year?

Paul

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Comments (17)

countrycarolyn
14 years ago
Slugs havent been to bad for me. Though I use egg shells to get rid of the slugs. Works great here.
slp0100
14 years ago
We transplant toads from down by the creek each year...seems to work.
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caliloo
14 years ago
They are worse than ever here :-( Add to that, it seems that malathion is off the market and all that is left the the earth friendly brand which doesn't work at all. Also we have had a TON more rain this spring than I can remember from years past, I think the slugs have communes underneath all my hostas.

I hate slugs (and deer and rabbits and voles)

Alexa
paul_in_mn
Original Author
14 years ago
Alexa - do you mean Metaledehyde in slug baits, if so look for Bug-Geta by Ortho (@HD).

Been very dry here but I water regularly so don't know if that affects or not.

Paul

-Rabbits are still a bugger for me too, thought with more leaves coming out it looks better. I have a pentagon shaped Toku-Flavocircinalis because of the trim job.
countrycarolyn
14 years ago
I read somewhere earlier that if you grade soap over your plant it will help with the rabbits. Some say irish spring works great and I think a few others tried ivory. Heres the link to that post.

Our co-op still sells malathon which is totally different than the active ingredient in your bait paul. I am trying to go more green though, so any form of ridding pest without insecticides, pesticides or fungicides, is my prefrence.

Alexa maybe you should try the egg shells, I mean what harm is it we all use eggs and just toss the egg shells in the garbage, try to save them and crunch them up around your hostas see what happens. You may find that it works better than the malathon and you sure dont have that horrible odor that comes with that chemical, YUCK.

Here is a link that might be useful: Another.. which is worse??
maryann_____chgo
14 years ago
We were over-run with them early on despite traps, 3 gallons of ammonia and slug hunts almost daily. I found hundreds of them without searching even in broad daylight, sprayed them all dead, and the next day there were more.

Actually I enjoy the hunt but that gets old so I caved in last week and sprinkled the Deadline. The next morning slug bodies were laying all over the place and I haven't seen a live slug since. My leaves have never looked so good. I do expect another generation to hatch after a couple warm rainy days, so more blue pellets.
aezarien
14 years ago
I think the slugs are enjoying the Sea Thunder feast too much to bother any of the other Hosta.
chris-e
14 years ago
I am having a terrible time! It has been very wet this spring in the DC area and the plants are growing beautifully but almost every plant has slug damage. I am SO discouraged!

I got the stuff with Zinc Oxide the other day but it hasn't stopped raining long enough to put it down. I hope it works because I can't use the Bug-getta with my dog.

I have found everything from the large adults to the tiny babies which are about 1/4 inch long and white eating the leaves. I killed the ones I found but I know there are more!
:(
pzelko
14 years ago
I put down Bug-Getta Plus (also kills the Earwigs ) about a month ago, you put it down when the soil is moist, or wet, and I only have one Ligularia that has holes in the leaves ( no hosta )! I guess that I must have missed that area.

Paul
waynet
14 years ago
Like you Paul i had some slug damage on unopened eyes, hit them with a load of metaldehyde bait, did it again last weekend and have not had further damage. I'm trying to remember to do it on about the 1st and fifteenth of the month which has worked for me in the past. Ontario has gone "green" and banned every useful pesticide there is so I bought 12 big boxes of the stuff for 75% off just before the deadline date. When that's gone I will have to start "importing". Wayne
hosta_freak
14 years ago
I've probably seen more slugs this year, than all the years I have had hostas. I know it's the abundant rain we have had this spring,that's causing this. I just pick them off and toss them deep into the woods. By the time they get back,it's winter! I really should use a sprayer with some ammonia in it,but they've never been this bad before,so I just never bothered. I never use slug bait,because I think it attracts more slugs,and who needs that? The only hosta that looks bad is Invincible,and Red October;which look like a sieve! Phil
von1
14 years ago
Deer and slugs...I'd answer, buy it would jinx me..LOL
Von
omoelegba
14 years ago
Chris-e is right on the money...it has been so wet here in DC that this year they came back with a vengeance. Babies everywhere, eating everything in sight. Sluggo seems to not be working...
loisflan
14 years ago
I rarely have any slug damage at all. In fact, last year I found the first ones I'd ever seen in my gardens. This year has been so dry, I found only one. They are terribly cute with their little antennae. I hate to kill them, so I'm glad I don't have many. I'm sure if they did much damage around here, I wouldn't think they were so adorable.
Hosta_Haven
14 years ago
I only saw one and I just did my first slug bait this week. I should have done earlier but was too busy getting ready for our fundraisers.

Char
shade_tolerant
14 years ago
MaryAnn hit the nail on the head, that is exactly how I feel this year with the slug situation, every day killing more of the same, it's like that movie Groundhog Day, I feel like I'm spraying the same slugs every day!
Rain, rain and more rain bringing them out in droves. I've always been an organic gardener, no toxic pesticides but this year I'm giving in, just bought some toxic slug bait, sorry to say that iron phosphate isn't cutting it any more. Now how to keep my dogs and the birds away from it? I remember John (aka Cowboy) had a "slug saloon" method. John if you're out there and read this can you re-post your slug saloon?
caliloo
14 years ago
" I've always been an organic gardener, no toxic pesticides but this year I'm giving in, just bought some toxic slug bait, sorry to say that iron phosphate isn't cutting it any more."

I have given in too. You are right that the iron phosphate just cant keep up. I bought 2 large containers of Ortho Bug Geta (metaldehyde) today to resolve the problem I witnessed first hand this morning.

I was up at 5 AM (don't ask) and decided to have coffee on the patio before it got hot. I walked outside and there were no less than 50 slugs on my potted Jewel of the Nile. OH MY GAWD! This has GOT to stop! I dug some amonia out of the garage and did the 10% solution in one of my kids super soakers and went to town. I felt like Ahnold in Terminator! It was fantastic! I just hope the poor hostas aren't going to whither from the drenching they got. Every single hosta in my garden had at least 10 - 15 slugs and the ones near the rock walls were even worse.

I just finished spreading the Bug Geta and will be doing recon tomorrow morning again.

I HATE THOSE SLIMY BASTARDS!

Alexa

Slug reports - how are you faring?

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countrycarolyn

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Slug reports - how are you faring?

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