Dahlias coming up but eaten by slugs | Bulbs and Tubers

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Dahlias coming up but eaten by slugs

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Dahlias coming up but eaten by slugs

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karslinky Joined: 8/28/2004 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 1197	Posted: Jun/28/2007 4:35 AM PST Iposted in the pest control section, but this is more a question of whether the dahlias will make it - they are just coming up through the soil, and slugs are eating the leaves voraciously. Some of the plants came up 6" overnight, and they just look unsightly, but others are just peeking out of the soil and they are getting defoliated before they have a chance. I've tried diatomaceious earth (does it need to be applied daily?) and sunken containers of beer (which is grabbing a few, but I need deeper containers and more of them apparently). Anything I can do to protect the dahlias until they are up and established? Quote \| Reply \| Report

bluethumb Joined: 5/13/2007 Location: Central North NJ Posts: 96	Posted: Jun/28/2007 5:29 AM PST Get a piece of copper wire make it into a loop. Slugs hate wire. I use 3 strands of wire and make a braided wreath, and place them when plants emerge. I Staple the outside perimeter of my raised bed with copper wire, never had a slug. Quote \| Reply \| Report

karslinky Joined: 8/28/2004 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 1197	Posted: Jun/28/2007 8:13 AM PST do you just place the wreath around the base of the plant? Quote \| Reply \| Report

bluethumb Joined: 5/13/2007 Location: Central North NJ Posts: 96	Posted: Jun/28/2007 11:35 AM PST Yes. That why I make a wreath so it makes full contact with the soil. If you can get your hands on copper strips, make a collar and place it onto the soil just as you would for paper cups to take care of the cutworms. Quote \| Reply \| Report

karslinky Joined: 8/28/2004 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 1197	Posted: Jun/28/2007 6:42 PM PST I will look for copper tomorrow, but all I am thinking of is the number of articles in the paper about people getting arrested for stealing copper pipe from rehab or unrented homes! Is it that precious?? Quote \| Reply \| Report

bluethumb Joined: 5/13/2007 Location: Central North NJ Posts: 96	Posted: Jun/28/2007 7:09 PM PST Yes. Some country is buying up as much as they can and driving up the price. Make sure it is bare not coated. I take electrical wire and strip off the insulation. You can also use copper tubing. If you get the soft stuf you can easily bend it (1/4" dia) also get a connector to tie the ends together. Which I had some so I could show you a picture. Quote \| Reply \| Report

AngelsGarden Joined: 5/30/2006 Location: Central Louisiana Posts: 1261	Posted: Jun/28/2007 10:34 PM PST Until you get your copper protection going you could crush up some empty eggshells and sprinkle around and out a ways from the base of where they are coming up. It will cut them as they slither over and they should die. Quote \| Reply \| Report

karslinky Joined: 8/28/2004 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 1197	Posted: Jun/29/2007 4:54 AM PST Thanks for all the suggestions! Two days and no slugs feasting in the morning when i go out to check - but still no growth from the really hit dahlias either... Quote \| Reply \| Report

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