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Old 22-02-2003, 06:03 AM
Jane
 
Posts: n/a
Default slug and snail control

Thanks for your clarification paghat.
Why waste good coffee on unappreciative slime anyway.


Jane
"paghat" wrote in message
news
In article , "Jane"
wrote:

Hi Sameer, I just read on another gardening group that if you sprinkle
ground, un brewed coffee around the garden it will kill slugs.
Jane


Not exactly. If you SPRAY a 1 to 3 percent solution of caffeine ALL OVER a
plant, the solution may damage the plant, but when the slugs have finished
eating it, the BABY slugs & snails will die, so that in the long run there
will be fewer slugs to reach adulthood. It does not kill adult slugs &
snails; it does not stop any slug or snail from eating the plant; it has
zero prophelatic value. It just lowers the slug population over time.

The Hilo study has been widely misrepresented, since it did not run tests
on coffee or on coffeegrounds, but on a caffein solution sprayed all over
the subject plants. Plus the findings are clear that this method does NOT
stop slugs from eating plants, it just kills the youngest ones that do so.


The many "it works for me!" testimonials appear to be poor observation of
the many things that influence slug activity -- temperature, humidity,
rainfall, time of year & slant of sun as season progresses, age height &
accessibility of plants, & what choice things are available to eat at any
given time -- but if someone just broadcast some worthless spent
coffeegrounds & there's no slug activity the rest of the week, none of the
actual factors are even considered.

The grounds do at least provide a mild slow-release acidifying fertilizer,
so no harm done by the practice unless it is repeated so often that the
whole surface ofd the ground is covered with mold. Folklore dies a hard
death, however, so expect testimonials to continue pretty much forever "I
spread coffeegrounds under my hostas & have never had slugs again!" It's
like those alternate-medicine treatments for cancer that have plenty of
testimonials from people soon after dead -- because it is human nature
that belief trumps reality.

http://www.paghat.com/coffeeslugs.html

-paghat the ratgirl


"Snooze" wrote in message
hlink.net...
Does anyone know of an effective organic snail and slug control or

atleast
a
solution that relies on less pesticide.

I've tried the pan of beer method, and frankly it's area of affect is

not
that wide. I'd rather not have to pepper the garden with half buried

cans
of
beer.

Using the shotgun approach with lines of Cory's or Ortho slug/snail

bait
across the yard is highly effective and not as noticable as a pan or

half
buried can of beer. And it often reminds me of the French Maginot Line

Sameer

--
Sameer

change the two in my email address to a 2, when replying



--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/