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Be Silly. Be honest. Be kind.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Garden Pests: Slugs and
Snails |
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According to a study published in Agriculture, Ecosystems
and Environment you can reduce slug and snail damage
dramatically by watering in the morning instead of the
evening. The study showed that lettuce watered only in the
morning had only 1/5 the damage that lettuce watered in
the evening had.
Here are some additional guidelines that will help you
control the slug and snail population in your garden:
Encourage reptiles to take up residence in your garden.
Toads, turtles and snakes all prey on slugs.
If you see evidence of these pests avoid dense
groundcovers and mulches that provide a hiding place. Oak
leaf mulch will deter slugs and snails.
Handpick slugs and snails at night. Use a flashlight, and
drop them into a bucket of soapy water.
Lay boards in the garden to trap slugs and snails. Check
your trap early in the morning and remove the slugs and
snails as they collect.
Diatomaceous earth sprinkled around the base of the stems
will deter slugs and snails, but keep in mind that it will
also discourage beneficial insects.
Drench the soil with wormwood tea.
Line the garden with copper strips. Slugs receive a shock
when they touch copper, and they will not cross the
barrier. When using this method, make sure you trap the
slugs OUT and not IN.
Slugs love beer. Bury a shallow container of beer in the
garden, with just the lip above the ground. When they go
in for a drink, they will drown.
Contributed by GardenGuides
http://www.gardenguides.com
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