Sluggo

[William Rose]

I need a reality check. Anybody know about Sluggo Snail and Slug Bait?

Epinions.com says,"new iron phosphate compounds, sold under several brand names such as Sluggo and Escar-go. These are non-toxic and unattractive to mammals and birds, but when slugs ingest the pellets, they stop eating and die. Iron phosphate bait can be sprinkled around your favorite plants without worry."

Greenfeet.com. says, "Sluggo will give protetion to lawns, gardens, commercial landscape areas, greenhouses, outdoor ornamentals, container nursery plants, vegetable gardens, field crops, fruit trees and berries. The bait can be scattered on the lawn or on the soil around vegetables, flowers, fruit trees, or bushes to be protected.

1 lb per 1000 square feet or 1 teaspoon per square yard. Apply more heavily if infestation is severe. Reapply Sluggo as bait is consumed. Scatter Sluggo on the soil around or near plants to be protected. May be applied over the top of plants. Aerial applications allowed. Sluggo remains effective after a sprinkle, irrigation or rain. Active Ingredient: Iron Phosphate . . . .1%".

It looks too good to be true. The two reviews above are from Monsanto "front groups", right?

I've lived in this "there's a sucker born every minute" country long enough that it must be "caveat emptor" time again.

What is the skinny?

- Bill Cloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)

[simy1]

sluggo works well. I have used it for years and I used to have a lot of slugs. I lost crops several times to them. Encouraging birds has also helped. They spend hours a day in there (I put out water for them). They clean up cabbage worms too, so if your infestation is mild a pan of water may be a solution to various insect problems.

Next year I am getting chickens, so hopefully this box is my last one. Six chickens take one day to eradicate them from a 500 sqft garden. I wish someone could rent chickens to home gardeners.

[William Rose]

Thanks "simy1" for the heads up, but I also have mice and "CATS(5)". I have a bird feeder and a suspended water source for birds but, because I like them (except for jays) I don't want them on the ground.

I respect your effort to find a more natural approach to snail and slug control than chemicals. My ultimate goal is probably geese but I need to work this out with my schaferhund and her side kick, the McNabb. (Two of the cleverest hounds that Beelzebub ever conceived.) (This is in no way an endorsement of organized, or otherwise, religion.)

My natural instinct is to try the flat piece of wood on the ground approach, but if the low labor intensive Borgia approach works, who am I to quibble?

Do I hear a dissenting opinion?

Thanks in advance,

- Bill

Cloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)

[jellybean stonerfish]

Pardon me, but what is the 'flat piece of wood on the ground' tek?

stonerfish

[Wane Smooth]

Hi stonerfish,the slug's hide under the wood at night.In the morning you lift the wood and take care of the slug's. I use a pair of scissors.

[Monty]

I keep a spray bottle with 1part ammonia and 2parts water around, whenever I see one of those slimballs one shot from the spray bottle and their dead!!!!! This works well in the morning after a good rain and they are still out on a cement driveway. You don't get them all but I see less damange every year. Hope that helps Cheers Monty