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John Whistler 25-05-2003 09:20 AM

Caffeine for slugs and snail control
 
I've read about a study in Hawaii showing a 1% solution of caffeine
controlling slugs and snails in orchids in this newsgroup. We've had some
pretty wet weather in Virginia lately and they're beginning to get
bothersome. I picked up some No Doz tablets which are 200 mg of caffeine.
Has anyone been trying the caffeine solution? How would I make a 1% solution
from 200 mg tablets?
Thanks,
John Whistler



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Michael Gerzog 25-05-2003 01:56 PM

Caffeine for slugs and snail control
 
John Whistler wrote in message ...

Has anyone been trying the caffeine solution? How would I make a 1% solution
from 200 mg tablets?
Thanks,
John Whistler


I've never tried it, but to make a 1% solution (assuming they mean by
weight which they probably do), dissolve, if you can, 50 tablets in 1
liter minus 2 tsps of water. (1 ml = 1 g of water, 1 tsp ~ 5 ml) This
is a rough approximation since I'm sure a No Doz tablet weighs more
than 200 mg which makes it hard to know how much water to use to get
even close to exactly 1% caffeine in the final solution.

I have no idea what else might be in No Doz and/or what effect it
might have on plants....

MG

Ray @ First Rays Orchids 25-05-2003 02:32 PM

Caffeine for slugs and snail control
 
Save yourself some money and keep the unused coffee from your morning brew.
I dilute mine 50% with water, fill up a quart sprayer, add about an ounce of
alcohol as a disinfectant (mold can grow on the top otherwise), and spray.

I have no idea what the caffeine concentration is, but I can says that I
have seen the elimination of bush snails through that treatment.

That, and a bunch of other "Home Remedies" are available at the URL below.

--

Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
http://www.firstrays.com
Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!


"John Whistler" wrote in message
...
I've read about a study in Hawaii showing a 1% solution of caffeine
controlling slugs and snails in orchids in this newsgroup. We've had some
pretty wet weather in Virginia lately and they're beginning to get
bothersome. I picked up some No Doz tablets which are 200 mg of caffeine.
Has anyone been trying the caffeine solution? How would I make a 1%

solution
from 200 mg tablets?
Thanks,
John Whistler



-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 80,000 Newsgroups - 16 Different Servers! =-----




John Whistler 25-05-2003 06:32 PM

Caffeine for slugs and snail control
 
Thank you for your reply.

Michael Gerzog wrote:

John Whistler wrote in message ...

Has anyone been trying the caffeine solution? How would I make a 1% solution
from 200 mg tablets?
Thanks,
John Whistler


I've never tried it, but to make a 1% solution (assuming they mean by
weight which they probably do), dissolve, if you can, 50 tablets in 1
liter minus 2 tsps of water. (1 ml = 1 g of water, 1 tsp ~ 5 ml) This
is a rough approximation since I'm sure a No Doz tablet weighs more
than 200 mg which makes it hard to know how much water to use to get
even close to exactly 1% caffeine in the final solution.

I have no idea what else might be in No Doz and/or what effect it
might have on plants....

MG




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http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 80,000 Newsgroups - 16 Different Servers! =-----

Wendy 25-05-2003 07:44 PM

Caffeine for slugs and snail control
 
Hi John, Do yourself a favor & get some stuff called "Thats It" for slugs &
snails. It is not the run of
the mill type pellets but granules so pets won't eat it. I use it in the
greenhouse & cover it when I
water.
I must tell you that there was a discussion about coffee extract & I started
saving my used coffee
dregs. I had a huge bowl full out side & it got rained on. I covered it with
a plastic bag & just
yesterday lifted it up. Found 4 slugs on the plastic bag covered in the
red/brown coffee juice!!
So my experiment is kaput!
Cheers Wendy

"John Whistler" wrote in message
...
I've read about a study in Hawaii showing a 1% solution of caffeine
controlling slugs and snails in orchids in this newsgroup. We've had some
pretty wet weather in Virginia lately and they're beginning to get
bothersome. I picked up some No Doz tablets which are 200 mg of caffeine.
Has anyone been trying the caffeine solution? How would I make a 1%

solution
from 200 mg tablets?
Thanks,
John Whistler



-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 80,000 Newsgroups - 16 Different Servers! =-----




Ray @ First Rays Orchids 25-05-2003 08:20 PM

Caffeine for slugs and snail control
 
I don't know about slugs, but spraying the stuff on-, and saturating the
medium of plants infested with bush snails seems to work.

--

Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
http://www.firstrays.com
Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!


"Wendy" wrote in message
news:5a8Aa.53609$MJ5.10860@fed1read03...
Hi John, Do yourself a favor & get some stuff called "Thats It" for slugs

&
snails. It is not the run of
the mill type pellets but granules so pets won't eat it. I use it in the
greenhouse & cover it when I
water.
I must tell you that there was a discussion about coffee extract & I

started
saving my used coffee
dregs. I had a huge bowl full out side & it got rained on. I covered it

with
a plastic bag & just
yesterday lifted it up. Found 4 slugs on the plastic bag covered in the
red/brown coffee juice!!
So my experiment is kaput!
Cheers Wendy

"John Whistler" wrote in message
...
I've read about a study in Hawaii showing a 1% solution of caffeine
controlling slugs and snails in orchids in this newsgroup. We've had

some
pretty wet weather in Virginia lately and they're beginning to get
bothersome. I picked up some No Doz tablets which are 200 mg of

caffeine.
Has anyone been trying the caffeine solution? How would I make a 1%

solution
from 200 mg tablets?
Thanks,
John Whistler



-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 80,000 Newsgroups - 16 Different Servers! =-----






Michael Gerzog 26-05-2003 01:56 AM

Caffeine for slugs and snail control
 
"Ray @ First Rays Orchids" wrote in message ...

I have no idea what the caffeine concentration is


Miniscule, as a percentage by weight. My brain isn't clicking on all
cylinders at the moment, but I think the number is about .08%. (The
amount of caffeine in a 6 oz/240 ml cup of "normal" coffee is
considered to be 200 mg.)

If it works, it works, but I do wonder whether it's really the
caffeine that's doing the working there. IIRC, the University of
Hawaii study found that a 1% solution only deterred the little
buggers, it took a relatively whopping 2% to actually kill them.
Perhaps the snails just prefer tea and go elsewhere when served
coffee.;)

MG

Geir Harris Hedemark 26-05-2003 07:56 AM

Caffeine for slugs and snail control
 
(Michael Gerzog) writes:
I have no idea what the caffeine concentration is

Miniscule, as a percentage by weight. My brain isn't clicking on all
cylinders at the moment, but I think the number is about .08%. (The
amount of caffeine in a 6 oz/240 ml cup of "normal" coffee is
considered to be 200 mg.)


Isn't that quite a lot? 4g ingested is rumored to be lethal to
adult humans, about 2g for babies?

I know I get the jitters after the fourth espresso or so, which should
be something like 700-900mg of caffeine, depending on the coffee and
degree of roasting.

(One of the local caffeine gadget vendors has invited me to a showing
of a new semi-professional espresso gadget next wednesday which takes
up even less worktop space than the one he has now. I think this might
turn out to be even more expensive than replacing dead orchids. On the
other hand, I haven't had to do that in quite some time. I actually
need to get rid of some Epi keikis to make more room.)

Geir

Jerry Hoffmeister 26-05-2003 07:56 AM

Caffeine for slugs and snail control
 
Interesting, I may give it a try although I have so few (I see one every few
weeks) I'll not know if it works unless I get an infestation (god forbid).

For slugs, try a product called "Sluggo" which if I remember correctly is
Iron Phosphate. Non toxic to animals which the other common slug killing
product can't boast. Seems to work well outside in the garden.

Better yet, if you wrap the legs of your benches in a copper strip an inch
or so wide, they won't crawl across it. I also wrapped the frame of my
greenhouse in it (I have a relatively small one - 8'x8' lean-to). We have
LOTS of slugs here in Seattle and I almost never find one in my greenhouse
and if I do, I can usually attribute it to something I've brought in -
tomato plant's I'm hardening off for example.

Another thing I do is leave the alge on the GH walls which they seem to like
then I go out at night, turn on a light in the GH then go outside and look
in - very easy to spot them. Also, if I see their tell tail tracks during
the day, I know to do the night routine until I find the bugger.

"Ray @ First Rays Orchids" wrote in message
...
I don't know about slugs, but spraying the stuff on-, and saturating the
medium of plants infested with bush snails seems to work.

--

Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
http://www.firstrays.com
Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!


"Wendy" wrote in message
news:5a8Aa.53609$MJ5.10860@fed1read03...
Hi John, Do yourself a favor & get some stuff called "Thats It" for

slugs
&
snails. It is not the run of
the mill type pellets but granules so pets won't eat it. I use it in the
greenhouse & cover it when I
water.
I must tell you that there was a discussion about coffee extract & I

started
saving my used coffee
dregs. I had a huge bowl full out side & it got rained on. I covered it

with
a plastic bag & just
yesterday lifted it up. Found 4 slugs on the plastic bag covered in the
red/brown coffee juice!!
So my experiment is kaput!
Cheers Wendy

"John Whistler" wrote in message
...
I've read about a study in Hawaii showing a 1% solution of caffeine
controlling slugs and snails in orchids in this newsgroup. We've had

some
pretty wet weather in Virginia lately and they're beginning to get
bothersome. I picked up some No Doz tablets which are 200 mg of

caffeine.
Has anyone been trying the caffeine solution? How would I make a 1%

solution
from 200 mg tablets?
Thanks,
John Whistler



-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 80,000 Newsgroups - 16 Different Servers! =-----








Ray @ First Rays Orchids 26-05-2003 02:08 PM

Caffeine for slugs and snail control
 
You might be right, but my eyes tell me it works, so who am I to argue with
myself?

--

Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
http://www.firstrays.com
Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!


"Michael Gerzog" wrote in message
om...
"Ray @ First Rays Orchids" wrote in message

...

I have no idea what the caffeine concentration is


Miniscule, as a percentage by weight. My brain isn't clicking on all
cylinders at the moment, but I think the number is about .08%. (The
amount of caffeine in a 6 oz/240 ml cup of "normal" coffee is
considered to be 200 mg.)

If it works, it works, but I do wonder whether it's really the
caffeine that's doing the working there. IIRC, the University of
Hawaii study found that a 1% solution only deterred the little
buggers, it took a relatively whopping 2% to actually kill them.
Perhaps the snails just prefer tea and go elsewhere when served
coffee.;)

MG




dusty 27-05-2003 01:08 AM

Caffeine for slugs and snail control
 
"Wendy" wrote in news:5a8Aa.53609$MJ5.10860@fed1read03:

Hi John, Do yourself a favor & get some stuff called "Thats It" for
slugs & snails. It is not the run of
the mill type pellets but granules so pets won't eat it. I use it in
the greenhouse & cover it when I
water.
I must tell you that there was a discussion about coffee extract & I
started saving my used coffee
dregs. I had a huge bowl full out side & it got rained on. I covered
it with a plastic bag & just
yesterday lifted it up. Found 4 slugs on the plastic bag covered in
the red/brown coffee juice!!
So my experiment is kaput!
Cheers Wendy

"John Whistler" wrote in message
...
I've read about a study in Hawaii showing a 1% solution of caffeine
controlling slugs and snails in orchids in this newsgroup. We've had
some pretty wet weather in Virginia lately and they're beginning to
get bothersome. I picked up some No Doz tablets which are 200 mg of
caffeine. Has anyone been trying the caffeine solution? How would I
make a 1%

solution
from 200 mg tablets?
Thanks,
John Whistler



-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 80,000 Newsgroups - 16 Different Servers! =-----



Slugs are tough as nails I've tried everything pellets, granules, very
expensive spray for slugs, and even including beer, gosh all those tiny
voices singing how dry I am.
The only thing I've found that works for sure is a hammer or a jar of salt
to drop them in.
SPLAT oh what fun sound that is
dusty


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