Invite company for dinner? Can't just leave it like that, lol. A few years ago there were a lot in my area and the most effective was hand-picking, ewww....gloves recommended - the slug pellets were a somewhat effective but I was impatient to remove them. Couldn't believe how stuck they were to the leaves!

Agree with Handpicking- best times for effectiveness the early morning and dusk hours or overcast days.

It is gross but satisfying to find the slugs hiding in their little spots under things nearby or clinging in between the stems of the hostas. It is not as satisfying to squish them because that just results in a gooey mess on gloves. (yes use gloves they have a surprisingly very thick slime).

I have not tried the beer trays. I have not tried copper tape or coil around the hosta base. I have not tried Sluggo, but I would guess that if you have high numbers it just takes time to see a reduction.

Hand picking gives instant gratification. ;)

I have tried a ring of sand, ring of corn meal, ring of Diatomacous Earth and carefully dusting the lower stems, 10% ammonia spritzing ( I watched a slug shed the skin off and continue on minutes later). These were so-so in results, yes the slugs at e the cornmeal but that did not deter them too much from the Hosta. The sand and D.E. is just to aggravate the Slug, rather than make it easy for them. It does not kill them (or I have not seen them die from it).

I want to try the 10% ammonia soil soak to kill the babies and snail eggs- but I worry for the earthworms- so I have not tried it yet. But that is a suggestion I have read many times on this forum and it seems to help folks.

Last year the slugs had their way with my hostas. They had no mercy, so I returned the favor. I plucked and tossed them over the fence and into the street with hope in my heart that they became a bird's breakfast or shriveled up in the sun.

This year it is not as bad in my area, but I think it has to do with less rainfall.

Have company for dinner, hahaha! Yes, on a drizzly morning last week they were all over the patio. Couldn't step w/o hearing crunch! I started hand picking and asked the hubby to help. He didn't want to throw them in the outside garbage where they surely would die, because he felt bad. I just rolled my eyes and chuckled.

So it sounds like there's not much to do other than what I've been doing and hope dryer weather comes soon. Thanks so much for your input! I appreciate the replies!

PS.. I have tried the beer in a cat food can. It worked great! Only thing is, it seemed like it drew in extras and the slimy mess with drowned slugs hanging out was more than I wanted to deal with. It does work though!

If the snails are that bad, then I agree too that hand picking would be the most important thing to do. That way you would be able to greatly reduce the population. It wouldn't end there though because there would be new ones emerging from their eggs. But with regular picking and slug and snail bait, you would be on your way to an almost snail and slug free garden. Slugs and snails love moisture so days when its rained would be good ones to go hunting! Good luck! Oh----you might try Ortho Bug Geta pellets.

You need to apply the Sluggo often when it rains. I have just about eliminated snails and slugs in my California yard. No rain helps (haha), but they used to hide up in the eaves and sneak down at night. This year we had record rain and I expected to see them all come back, but so far only a couple have ventured out across the walk way leaving their slime trails. A few years ago I could hand pick a 1/2 gal bucket's worth of 1" snails. Tossing them into the street for that one last wild ride.

-Babka

Will keep on top of the Sluggo better and continue hand picking. I haven't tossed any into the street, but thinking I should do so. It sure would be funny, my neighbors already think I'm weird so.... Hahaha!

Happy father's day to all the Dad's out there and pet parents too. Thank you for taking the time to reply!

O

I would think cat food cans would be too small. We always used those disposable aluminum pie plates full of beer. But I would think either way, it's probably a beer swimming pool is really a losing battle.

I have a really old bottle of beer that I've been saving for just such an occasion! Babka, it's too old to drink - ick! How deep does the beer need to be so they can't just crawl back out?

Sarah - you could get a duck or two - they eat slugs.

Deanna

Speaking of snails, check out this guy I found in my yard a couple weeks ago.

This may not seem strange, but this is highly unusual for notoriously dry Colorado. I've lived here all my life and never seen a snail this big that wasn't in someone's pond.