Does that prohibition include biologicals such as Bacillus Thuringiensis - Kurstaki? Keep in mind that a good, healthy soil is itself a good deterent, a soil well balanced with nutrients and the pH in the proper range for the plants you are growing.

What I have been doing is when the plant is put in the ground put a ring of course sand around each plant. This will protect the seedling so it can get a good start. The ring of sand shoud be kept as wide as the largest leaf on the plant.
If I see signs of dammage on the plant during its growth I use Diamacious earth every few days. It works best if the slugs not only have to come in contact with it, but if they have to ingest it also.

Bt var. kurstaki targets caterpillars and caterpillar-like larvae only. It will have no effect on slugs because their digestive system is different.

Mechanical controls like diatomaceous earth, ground shells or copper stripping may work - DE will need to be reapplied after wetting. Beer traps are highly effective. Biodegradable and environmentally friendly baits derived from iron phosphate, a naturally occurring soil compound, are extremely effective and safe for kids, pets and other wildlife. Look for brand names like Sluggo or Escar-go.

It will help considerably to eliminate hiding places for slugs. Remove weeds and garden debris promptly and avoid things like stepping stones or pieces of wood in the proximity. Many types of mulches can be habitat for slugs as well, especially straws, leaves and large textured bark or wood chips.

To add to gardengal's comments....the active ingredient in Sluggo and Escar-go is iron phosphate. I believe that it is 1% or less. It is considered totally organic.

kimmsr, I ,too, am perplexed by your comment about Bt, as well as the admonition regarding healthy soil/plants. Slugs thrive very much in spite of the condition of the soil and plants.

I asked if that prohibition included biologicals and mentioned BTK because that is the most commonly known biological.

i am thinking - altered mental status

I wonder whether we tend to approach the slug question from the wrong perspective. Yes, certainly, one should use any method one finds that works to control slugs that does not damage the ecology of oneÂs garden. But surely slugs are one of the environmental factors one needs to consider when designing/planting a garden in the first case? If you have alkaline soil, you donÂt think of planting rhododendrons; if you have a shady site, you donÂt consider planting dahlias. Likewise, if you have a major problem with slugs and snails, there are certain plants you should not consider growing, except maybe as a deliberate sacrifice. I donÂt grow delphiniums or hostas or chocolate cosmos or other plants I have simply forgotten about, because we have lots of slugs and snails here in London. Similarly, I canÂt grow nasturtiums because they always attract a major infestation of blackfly, and I had to dig up my peach tree because of peach leaf curl. I have tried many different methods of controlling slugs and snails, and I go out religiously with a torch in the dark every evening in the growing season when it has been raining. I can reduce the population, but it is not possible to remove it altogether. At a certain level, pests and diseases are uncontrollable without major chemical input; once you have reached that stage, then either you are a bad gardener with bad soil, or you should grow different plants.

Not quite true, Andrew. Any insect pest as well as any disease pathogen can be controlled in the garden if proper attention is paid to the soil and it is made into a good, healthy soil which will grow strong, healthy plants that will ward off attacks from both.
Cold, caffienated coffee, sprayed on slug susceptible plants has been demonstrated at the USDA research station in Hilo, Hawaii to be an effective deterent. But I seldom need to spray my Hostas, Delphiniums, strawberries, of other slug susceptible plants because even with a lot of slugs they apparently are satisfied with the mulches on the soil as well as the organic matter in the soil. Toads and birds help keep them under control, too, and especially during nesting season I see Red Breasted Grosbeeks, Cardinals, White Breasted Nuthatches, Mourning Doves, Blue Jays, and others scratching in the mulch looking for insects to feed their young.

Again, I'd dispute the notion that soil conditions have any bearing on slug and snail populations or the damage they may produce any but the most tangential way. In areas and climates where these garden pests are prevalent, they will exist and proliferate regardless of soil conditions. However in a robust and healthy, biodiverse garden, the damage may be incidental simply because of the diversity. In the Pacific Northwest, often considered the slug capital of the US (how many other places actually have slug festivals, for heaven's sake?!), slugs are not a major problem in my garden. They exist in sufficient numbers to be sure, but populations are kept in control by other predators and because of the diversity of plants in my garden, I never have major slug damage issues, even with very slug-tasty plants like hostas. And I don't bait for them either, although I will dispatch them promptly if I encounter them when working the garden.

Although this may not be as practical in heavily urban areas, plantings to attract a wide variety of birds and other wildlife may be the best control. Birds are the very best natural insecticide there is. Gardens are entire ecosystems and to concentrate on one aspect of the system to the detriment of another will always create an imbalance that will raise problems.

Here in north Idaho if we stopped growing cole crops and lettuce, we would have trouble filling our veggie gardens.
I have found that acid soils do encourage slug populations. Also soils with low organic material levels.
I used a few lettuce plants in each bed to attract the slugs and made sure to keep them dusted with the Diamatious Earth. I went out during the day a few times and found some nice sized adults hiding under the lettuce heads and threw them in buckets of salt water. the smaller slugs came out to the tops of the heads of lettuce at dusk and would eat the DE and dry up. the heads of lettuce some times would rot at the neck from slug damage. The ones that didn't I trimmed off the leaves from aroung the stem and allowed to go to seed. They were great attractents for bees and hornets. The hornets kill slugs as well as polinating veggie plants.

"Any insect pest as well as any disease pathogen can be controlled in the garden if proper attention is paid to the soil."

So, as long as my soil is in the right state, my seedlings and the spring shoots of my perennials are safe from attack from slugs and snails coming from my neighbours' gardens a few feet away. I wish.

I can't believe that no one has mentioned beer! Certainly yeast, hops, barley, and water would be considered organic, right? I have in the past used shallow tin cans (like tuna or cat food comes in) with the lid partly attached, so that the top of the can is flush with the soil. Fill can with beer. Slugs will rush in to a happy death.

My brother gave me some Slug Saloons, little green jobs with slightly elevated caps (to keep out rain.) I hadn't used them before because I haven't had slug problems for years (good organic soil!) Then this year was wet wet wet and they came out in force, especially attacking my wax beans. I put out the Slug Saloons, they quickly became filled with dead slugs. Disgusting, but easy, cheap, and organic. And if there is extra beer you can drink it. :-) It is important to have the container only slightly open, so that slugs can crawl in, but not larger things. I found a drowned toad in the beer once years ago, felt dreadful about it. I just emptied them again, yuck, dozens of dead slugs in each, will have to put new beer in tomorrow. If you don't have any beer (you poor thing!) or don't want to share it with slugs, you can just mix a little yeast and sugar in some water, they like that, too.

Marcia