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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!eagle!pyuxdd!rib
From: rib@pyuxdd.UUCP (RI Block)
Newsgroups: net.garden
Subject: Re: use of black plastic sheeting
Message-ID: <228@pyuxdd.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 14-Mar-84 08:58:01 EST
Article-I.D.: pyuxdd.228
Posted: Wed Mar 14 08:58:01 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 15-Mar-84 01:34:24 EST
References: <139@hercules.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Piscataway
Lines: 27

While wet weather is common to the Pacific NW,
it was not a problem here in Central NJ until last year.
I had an *invasion* of slugs. Black plastic is a slug-related
problem only at the corners of the season; late spring and summer
days are hot enough to *cook* any slugs that would venture under
the plastic.

There does not seem to be a really satifactory approach to slugs;
I don't know of any biological controls and metaldehyde pellets
are toxic to children and pets.

The control which I do know of:

	- Beer (yeast is the active attactant)
	- Slug traps (contain the poison & shield from rain)
	- Decoys (cabbage leaves or boards left out and checked)
	- Gritty impediments (wood ashes)
	- Rigorous cleanup of garden area
	- Handpick at night
	- 1% acetic acid spray during (night) feeding time

None of these are specific to balck plastic, of course;
the idea is to keep the population down in the general area.

I would love to hear other ideas on slug control because
the creatures do a real number on my head lettuce (which of course
grows only during prime slug time).