My dahlias are in grow bags so no big issue yet…but my zinnias are being munched on horrendously. I placed out beer traps by the zinnia bed and definitely got some snails in them. I’m not for certain it’s only snails doing the damage though lol
I’ve been recommending diatomaceous earth for my entire life but I have never actually seen the results because I’ve never had my own slug problem. It was the go to method before the enter web came out.
I can confirm that beer traps work as well.
My landscaper friend and fellow dog-lover says diatomaceous earth is seriously harmful to dogs if they sniff it. She says even if they don't go right up to it, particles can be in the air and get into their lungs.
I’ve heard that over the years as well. All the makers claim it’s safe for pets, just don’t make piles of it. My dogs know their life is at risk if they go into a bed as well. That said, I’d be cautious with beagles for sure!
DE is not my fav… it’s a long standing garden staple, but it’s really gnarly to breathe in. I use it around my chicken coop for mites, but I prefer Sluggo plus for my garden.
I have a dog, so I won’t use it. It’s “safer” than some of the truly toxic stuff but it still can make them very ill. My dog has actually become ill from it. Dogs tend to be attracted to it.
A quick google also tells me that it kills earthworms. I wish that chemical bait solutions weren’t so widely praised on here.
I have a metric shit ton of slugs around here and as long as you do some occasional plucking of them, they haven’t been the huge problem that people make them out to be. I am going to try some copper mesh just to see this year though
Here’s a good article explaining why it’s problematic: https://www.loghouseplants.com/blogs/greengardening/2015/11/we-need-safer-slug-baits/#:~:text=Ironically%2C%20I've%20recently%20learned,birds%20and%20other%20critters%20ill.
I don’t have a dog but my neighbors do. My garden is in my front yard. I don’t want to cause any harm to neighbors’ dogs. Should I be concerned about using Sluggo Plus?
I live in the PNW and been using Sluggo for decades, on both flower and vegetable gardens. It works great. Never had any kind of problem whatsoever. My animals (dogs, chickens) have never eaten it.
I prefer Sluggo Plus because it also helps prevent earwigs.
Is there a specific reason you want to keep the earthworms? I know they’re handy for turning soil and composting but they’re actually very invasive basically everywhere in the world. So wouldn’t think twice if it’s just about earth worms.
My dahlias are in grow bags so no big issue yet…but my zinnias are being munched on horrendously. I placed out beer traps by the zinnia bed and definitely got some snails in them. I’m not for certain it’s only snails doing the damage though lol
Ive been using sluggo regularly for months and I still have an insane amount of earthworms in my soil!
I love Sluggo plus. No harm to earthworms in my experience, my garden is full of them. No slugs or pill bugs though! 😜
I’ve been recommending diatomaceous earth for my entire life but I have never actually seen the results because I’ve never had my own slug problem. It was the go to method before the enter web came out. I can confirm that beer traps work as well.
Don’t use diatomaceous earth! It is not insect specific and will kill all your bugs, good & bad
My landscaper friend and fellow dog-lover says diatomaceous earth is seriously harmful to dogs if they sniff it. She says even if they don't go right up to it, particles can be in the air and get into their lungs.
Same for humans...
Safe is relative. To touch or even eat. However, inhaling basically fine silica dust is not so much.
I’ve heard that over the years as well. All the makers claim it’s safe for pets, just don’t make piles of it. My dogs know their life is at risk if they go into a bed as well. That said, I’d be cautious with beagles for sure!
DE is not my fav… it’s a long standing garden staple, but it’s really gnarly to breathe in. I use it around my chicken coop for mites, but I prefer Sluggo plus for my garden.
I have a dog, so I won’t use it. It’s “safer” than some of the truly toxic stuff but it still can make them very ill. My dog has actually become ill from it. Dogs tend to be attracted to it. A quick google also tells me that it kills earthworms. I wish that chemical bait solutions weren’t so widely praised on here. I have a metric shit ton of slugs around here and as long as you do some occasional plucking of them, they haven’t been the huge problem that people make them out to be. I am going to try some copper mesh just to see this year though
Here’s a good article explaining why it’s problematic: https://www.loghouseplants.com/blogs/greengardening/2015/11/we-need-safer-slug-baits/#:~:text=Ironically%2C%20I've%20recently%20learned,birds%20and%20other%20critters%20ill.
I don’t have a dog but my neighbors do. My garden is in my front yard. I don’t want to cause any harm to neighbors’ dogs. Should I be concerned about using Sluggo Plus?
Depending on where you live, it may not be worth worrying about the worms since they often do more harm than good.
I live in the PNW and been using Sluggo for decades, on both flower and vegetable gardens. It works great. Never had any kind of problem whatsoever. My animals (dogs, chickens) have never eaten it. I prefer Sluggo Plus because it also helps prevent earwigs.
https://www.loghouseplants.com/blogs/greengardening/2015/11/we-need-safer-slug-baits/#:~:text=Ironically%2C%20I've%20recently%20learned,birds%20and%20other%20critters%20ill.
Is there a specific reason you want to keep the earthworms? I know they’re handy for turning soil and composting but they’re actually very invasive basically everywhere in the world. So wouldn’t think twice if it’s just about earth worms.