I have to disagree with your conclusions regarding decollate snails. When I still had 'standard' Californian plantings of Agapanthus and other mesic, leafy plants, the decollates really tore into the regular snail population. As I progressively xeriscaped my garden, the decollates died out. They were never a problem to the garden plants. Tim in SoCal >From: "C.J. Teevan" <gardenstreet184@yahoo.com> >Reply-To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> >To: Pacific Bulb Society <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> >Subject: Re: [pbs] snails & slugs >Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2007 23:33:43 -0700 (PDT) > >I can tell you all about Snails and Slugs. > >Diatomaceous Earth is a pain in the neck but it's very effective. You have >to re-apply every time it rains, or if you get the stuff wet. But it >works. > >Coffee Grounds, which are now available from Starbucks for Free at some >locations, to my surprise also works. I applied all over my garden last >summer -- any time something's free, I tend to go a little nuts, but I had >ready they attract earthworms while also amending the soil. Then I found >that the slugs would attack any Oriental Lilies right up the stem that were >not surrounded with these used Coffee Grounds but if I put down Coffee >Grounds the next day, no problem. > >I have not tried the Instant Coffee Method. But you have to buy that. >These Coffee Grounds are F R E E FREE! > >The copper collar also works but you have to keep it clean. At least it's >reusable. Apparently the goo on the slug reacts with the copper and they >get an electric shock. > >But my most favorite solution of all time (which I do not have any control >over yet): Fireflies. > >I have just learned quite by accident that Firefly Larvae LOVE to eat >Slugs. > >I had intended to buy some of these because I don't really know if I'll >have that many next summer. Clearly, I don't, or I would not have this >problem. It is however important to know what the Firefly Beetles look >like and the larvae as well. That way you don't kill the ones you do have. > >The beer can solution has never worked for me. I personally dislike the >taste of beer, but I went out and purchased a six pack of Budweiser for >this very purposes. I have several thousand slugs up and down my driveway >crawling all over the Hostas there. I am not kidding -- several thousand. >I know because I started hand picking them, out of desperation, and I would >count them. I was totally determined to win this slugfest. When I spent a >week pulling 500 a night off the leaves, and there was no end in sight, I >decided I would have to find a better way. > >Meantime, I learned that Slugs actually do have their place in the garden. >I let them have the Hostas in the driveway and they can crawl all over the >grass. They are extremely effective at digesting certain kinds of organic >matter and a few other things that make them worth having around. I just >don't want them crawling all over the flowers. > >Garter snakes and certain frogs also enjoy eating them. Of course this is >much more difficult and I don't know if even they could keep up with my >thousands of Slugs population. I have also heard that chickens work. > >Oh... there is another Slug predator, a Snail called a Decollete (sp?) >snail. It devours Slugs with a smile. Unfortunately, they will also eat >the rest of the garden, so don't even bother with those, because once >they've moved in, you're in real trouble. > >Finally... something I really know! > >Agoston Janos <agoston.janos@citromail.hu> wrote: Hi All again! > >I'm now fighting with snails and slugs. Here if I let bulbs in the clay >slugs go down to the bulb as leaves turn yellow and snack on them in the >whole summer killing a lots of valuable bulbs for me. > >There are some desiccant mollusticides here, but as a rain comes slugs are >rehydrating and slipping towards to eat someting new. > >Does anybody have some really good method to get rid of them, please? > >Bye, >Jani Z5a >_______________________________________________ >pbs mailing list >pbs@lists.ibiblio.org >http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > > > >--------------------------------- >Food fight? Enjoy some healthy debate >in the Yahoo! Answers Food & Drink Q&A. >_______________________________________________ >pbs mailing list >pbs@lists.ibiblio.org >http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php