Slug preventer?

Discussion in 'Flower Gardening' started by Ronni, Nov 11, 2016.

  1. Ronni

    Ronni Hardy Maple

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    Anyone ever heard of doing this? Does it work? My hosta leaves are always riddled with holes by the end of the season. I'd love something that easily and naturally took care of that problem!

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  3. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    I have heard it suggested on a few gardening programs. Don't pulverize the shells, just crush them with your hands leaving some pieces sharp and jagged....that's supposed to be the deterrent to the slugs since the sharp edges cut their undersides. Supposed to work on snails too.
     
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  4. Sjoerd

    Sjoerd Mighty Oak

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    I have tried it with no success at all.
     
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  5. Hasadurks

    Hasadurks New Seed

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    Crush shells with hands works perfect for me, thanks ?
     
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  6. kate

    kate In Flower

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    Heard but not tried, too messy to pick out later.
    What about coffee grains instead.
    Maybe the stuff they use for packages in bottom of pots.
    K
     
  7. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    Kate, you don't have to pick the egg shells out later, just dig them into the ground around the plants to provide some calcium that all plants need anyway,
     
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  8. Sherry8

    Sherry8 I Love Birds!

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    I just buy the pellets that Gardens Alive have and it took care of my slug problem...I think everything they have is safe to use and most organic.
     
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  9. Jewell

    Jewell Incorrigible Gardener Plants Contributor

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    Egg shells unfortunately didn't work for me. Researching the slug baits, even the organic ones claiming to be pet safe have been proven harmful for pets. Very disappointing considering their claims.

    I have been using shredded cedar bark for the last several years. I know not everyone has it available, but it is cheap here. I use it all my paths that don't have pavers. Because it is organic and does break down over time I do renew it every spring. Just did it this weekend.

    It has limited my slug damage and those were 6"er slugs. If there is a problem early with newly hatched slugs I put the bark on the crowns and around the plants, but really thinly. Now I just renew the paths around the garden beds and rarely have to do more. The exception is I do "stir/rake" the bark/paths occasionally if slug trails from the neighbor's slugs appear. Who knew they liked to travel?

    Besides scratching up the slug foot there must be some natural chemical in the fibers of the cedar. Just a guess.
     
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2017
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  10. Tooty2shoes

    Tooty2shoes Hardy Maple

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    Jewell I know cedar oil can be used as a flea repellent. So maybe it works the same on slugs. I read a funny article in a magazine many years ago about a lady that was having slug trouble. She said that she was going to put their dead bodies on pikes and stick them in her garden to show the other slugs what would happen to them if they invaded her gardens. It was a pretty funny read.
    BUT I HATE SLUGS. If I see them in my garden I run for the salt shaker.:mad:Heeeheeeheeheehee.:smt068
     
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