I found this last night but I got grossed out and could not finish it all.


http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fa...

thanks.. didn't know about the ash / soot .. always have that in the colder months

2 times a year? holicow.I know they spend the hottest part of the day under the deck.I kill 'em as they cross over the slate walk from the Shadegarden to the deck.

Thanks for the OSU link, Susan!

I see I was wrong or partly wrong about slugs mostly laying eggs in the fall.

This OSU fact sheet says "mostly spring and early summer" in one place, then in another place says 30-40 days after mating, which seemed to me to add up to laying eggs in Sept. through mid-November.

??

Anyway, I try to reduce their numbers before they each lay dozens of eggs.
And then wipe out any egg masses I find.
And squirt or stomp any I see scampering slowly around my beds.

I guess I'll continue to avoid thick layers of mulch. Up to now, I was just being cheap, but now I read in the OSU fact sheet that a 3" layer of mulch may keep the soil surface SO moist that it is good for slugs. One inch of mulch is probably better where there are many slugs.

The OSU fact sheet also taught me NOT to mulch with weed remains or fresh grass clippings! Slugs thrive under wilted or decaying greens. Compost them instead.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet - - Entomology
Slugs and Their Management - - HYG-2010-95
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fa...

"most of the eggs are laid in the spring and early summer."

"During periods of particularly warm and wet climatic conditions, the rate at which the slugs develop may allow for eggs to be laid in mid-summer, thus making possible a second generation"

"Mating usually takes place from August until mid-October and eggs can be laid from 30 to 40 days after a successful mating. "

<<That last quote suggests to me that eggs are laid in Sept through mid-November, then hatch after several weeks of warm weather.>>

Slug eggs might take as many as 100 days to hatch at 32-42 F.
Or they can hatch in as few as 10-21 days at higher temperatures.

Glad you liked it Rick!

>>>>This OSU fact sheet says "mostly spring and early summer" in one place, then in another place says 30-40 days after mating, which seemed to me to add up to laying eggs in Sept. through mid-November.

That is what I was thinking partly because if they mate usually in august and then lay eggs after 40 days then that means we have babies in the fall.

>>>>Anyway, I try to reduce their numbers before they each lay dozens of eggs.

Me too Rick, the only good slugs are dead slugs. So I will keep on spraying my cheap ammonia.

>>>>The OSU fact sheet also taught me NOT to mulch with weed remains or fresh grass clippings! Slugs thrive under wilted or decaying greens. Compost them instead.

What about leaves, I think I read somewhere that they like to hide under leaves also, it is rotted matter?

>> What about leaves,

I bet they love to live under rotting leaves. Like a Gingerbread House: shelter AND food!

I used to leave pulled weeds in the garden as mulch, based on a friend's idea, "the dead relative principle". He thought that weeds might not like to grow surrounded by dead relatives.

Slugs are worse than weeds! Although they seem to be like locusts where i live: we had huge numbers of slugs for two years, then relatively few. I don't think they ALL drowned in my beer saucers!

I have huge slugs in my black compost box.I am careful when spading a bucket full.I get to the garden spot and there is a 4 incher on the side of the bucket.uggggg

hate that.. you put egg shells in the compost?.. it might help

Ohhh yes eggshells and coffee grounds.
Earlier this spring I was turning the stuff over and sliced into a vole nest.There they were living in the banquet.She must have moved the family because I havnt seen her since and besides the box gets a lot more activity now that our diet has gone to summer fare.

well that settles that.. 2 things they are supposed to hate.. and the reason I always wear gloves now.. nothing worse than getting slimmed when grabbing a container and one is hiding on the backside

They are hard to wash off when ground into the fingers grabbing weeds.I never intend to pull weeds when photoing in the AM it just happens.
How to get depressed in 5 minutes.
This time of year weeds are overwhelming and the slugs like the base of many including crabgrass.

Never though of the compose bin as a magnet, now I don't feel to bad about not having one. I pulled out a flat last week to water and found a huge slug between the pots and yes, I did get slimmed. Aaaarrrggghhh!!! I ran for the ammonia and hopefully killed it before it laid eggs.

>>>>I bet they love to live under rotting leaves. Like a Gingerbread House: shelter AND food!



I do need to do some raking but I did not put down much mulch this year and also I have been purchasing slug resistant Hostas the whole time. They also are pretty and one less bell to answer in my book.

>>>> Although they seem to be like locusts where i live: we had huge numbers of slugs for two years, then relatively few. I don't think they ALL drowned in my beer saucers!

You are finally getting the upper hand, maybe persistence pays off. We have also had a lot of rain this year and we had a lot over the winter so I think I have a very small population considering. I know I need to be persistent also, don't let my guard get too far down. LOL.

ge1836 said:They are hard to wash off when ground into the fingers grabbing weeds.I never intend to pull weeds when photoing in the AM it just happens.
How to get depressed in 5 minutes.
This time of year weeds are overwhelming and the slugs like the base of many including crabgrass.

Do you spray the weeds with Ammonia Solution? I am getting overwhelmed also and need to spray more ammonia if nothing else get rid of the slugs that are living there. If you do not like chemicals like the Preemergent Herbicides you could try a Garden Weasel WeedPopper? The good thing is that you do not have to bend over or squat down to pull the weed and it does leave a hole so you can insert a small plug or just leave it be.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

I am never rpepared for slug confrontation when I am taking pictures.

ge1836 said:I have huge slugs in my black compost box.I am careful when spading a bucket full.I get to the garden spot and there is a 4 incher on the side of the bucket.uggggg

I wonder if you could spray ammonia into the compost bin, would it affect the compost? If it repels slugs it might be better.

ge1836 said:I am never rpepared for slug confrontation when I am taking pictures.

Anyone else think Slug Resistant would be a good thing to add to the database?

If you mean for Hosta then yes! I add the information where ever I can, like under 'other' or as a comment.

YES!

Once I planted some flower seed mixes in a very slug-y year. I assume that the survivors must have been slug-resistant: Siberian Wallflower, Alyssum and Dianthus.

Either that or they got full.