dstvns wrote:

On Wed, 06 Aug 2003 17:05:11 -0400, Mary McHugh
wrote:


True to rainy conditions, all but 3 of my cuke seedlings were wiped
out by slugs, even when using copious amounts of escar-go (we are
talking 3 packets of seeds....several hundred of them...none lasted
past germination). I had been planning on massive canning operations,
but will have to scale back (I planted new seeds 2 weeks ago but they
might not make it...seedlings are only an inch tall now).


Dan, I've had very good results from broadcasting generous amounts of raw
coffee grounds over my garden. Last year I was getting wiped out by the
sneaky little blighters (contemplating whether to put in a third planting
of beans or not) before stumbling across some Univ. of Hawaii research into
the effects of caffeine on amphibian that had the interesting side effect
of killing slugs. I applied the stuff and BLAM no more problems with
slugs last year. This year, at the first sign of damage, I did the same. NO
further damage. Lots of earthworms, etc (generally 2-3 per trowel full of
soil) but, so far as I can tell, no more slugs.

According to the Univ. of HA research, the slugs can't handle the nervous
stimulation of caffeine and die within minutes of contact with it.

Bill
--
Zone 5b (Detroit, MI)
I do not post my address to news groups.