(Chelsea Update would like to thank Jennifer Fairfield, owner of The Garden Mill, for the information in this column. This is part 3 of her vegetable gardening column. Part 2 ran on Sunday and Part 1 ran on Saturday.)
Baits
Baits that contain poisons can also be effective against slugs and other bugs.
But, be very careful about what kind of bait you use. Baits that contain metaldehyde or carbaryl (also sometimes called methiocarb) are toxic to animals and people, so don’t use them where your pets or children might come in contact with them, and definitely don’t use them in your vegetable garden. Actually, just don’t use them. They are really nasty poisons, and there are products that are effective that don’t contain those two chemicals and are safe for use around pets and children (and the rest of us).
Organic baits, such as Espoma’s Bug & Slug, usually contain iron phosphate, which when ingested, causes the snails and slugs to stop eating and eventually die. This may also need to be replaced after heavy rains.
Beer
I haven’t had as much luck with beer as with other control methods, but I know people who swear by it. The best method I have seen is to bury a shallow, wide jar in the ground so that only the rim is above the soil. This keeps the vessel from tipping over while also putting the beer at the level of the pests. The beer attracts them, and they fall into the jar and drown.
You will want to check your beer traps regularly, dump out the bodies and replace the beer. One of the biggest problems with beer is that it isn’t effective if it gets diluted, so watering with sprinklers or lots of rain can mean you won’t be attracting slugs and snails to your traps.
The other reason I don’t particularly like using beer is that you have to have lots of beer traps around your garden in order for them to be effective, and that isn’t very attractive in a garden. If you decide to use beer, don’t bother with the expensive stuff – snails and slugs are not picky drinkers.
Ducks and chickens
Ducks and chickens are great slug and snail controls. They make a great meal for the birds. So, if you’ve ever considered having chickens, this is one really good reason to do so, though ducks are even more effective.
I don’t have either chickens or ducks because my dog would spend all her time herding them, and they wouldn’t be able to be very effective in slug control for me, since they would be getting chased around the yard all the time.
Cabbageworms
I also have some issues with cabbageworms in my veggie garden at the moment. They were helping themselves to my broccoli, cabbage, and kale while I was away.
But their fine dining pleasure has come to an end. The easiest way to deal with them is to pick them off your plants and step on them. But if you’re squeamish, an insecticide might be the better way to deal with them.
I like the Espoma Earth-tone Insect Control that we carry in the store because it’s organic and can be used up-to and including the day of harvest without concern that you will be eating harmful chemicals with your meal.
Happy Gardening.
I love these articles from Jennifer. So helpful, even for an experienced gardener!