Question
I'm an 2nd story apartment dweller.  Last year I set out pots of flowers and veggies on the ground,in the area below my porch.  Slugs chewed leaves on everything.  I know it was them since I checked in the wee hours of the A.M.  I slathered vaseline on the outside of pots (1" wide strip just below the top, extending the circumferance of the pot).  Also set cups of beer in the soil.  Neither was efficient.  This year I placed the pots on the roof next to my porch.  No slugs there, but it really gets hot!  I'd still like to have some pots on the ground , but wonder what you'd suggest for dealing with those persistent slugs.  Thanks.

Answer
Kathleen, slugs are a big problem here in the midwest, especially in the early spring when it is cool and damp.  They are seldom a problem once the weather gets hot.

I have tried everything to control them, including beer traps, diatomaceous earth, homemade traps, and copper strips. I must admit that I抳e had moderate success with the beer, but it would evaporate each day and got expensive to maintain.

I am happy to say that I抳e finally discovered an effective deterrent. It is a product sold by a company named Gardens Alive, and is called Escar-Go. Although it is a pesticide, it is organic, and is therefore non-toxic to humans and pets. It also stays active and solid even after a heavy rain. Just sprinkle small amounts around each plant, and reapply every 10 days. In case you抮e interested, click on the attached website and search for Escar-Go.

http://www.gardensalive.com/

If you ever have this problem in a garden bed, and the area is large, making this product impractical, try spraying the soil with an ammonia solution. Mix one tbs. lemon ammonia and one tbs. of non-concentrated dishwashing liquid per gallon of water. You抣l need to apply this solution twice per week, and preferable in the early morning hours when slugs are most active.

Recent studies have also shown that slugs are deterred by coffee grounds. Many gardeners apply used coffee grounds to their soil as an organic amendment. These same studies have shown that plants with old coffee grounds sprinkled around them have 80% fewer slugs than those not treated. It also has shown that the coffee grounds kill young slugs. They suspect it is the caffeine, but they are still researching the actual cause and effect.

I hope this helps. Please write again if I can ever be of assistance.

Regards,

Mike