My orchids have been "slugged". Help needed, please!

[nynighthawk]

Hi folks,

I have a small growing area that's located just inside the door from my garden. From time to time, especially after rainy weather, I see a few slugs (or their slime trails) in my growing area.

Recently, my one cattleya, that I'd been babying along for a couple of years, finally began to bud. Just when I was starting to get excited and optimistic about finally seeing a flower from that little 'chid, I came in to water it and saw a slug nestled in the flower sheath...having totally gobbled up the bud right down to the stem! AAAAAAAAAAARGH!

Also, I think some slug has nibbled off the growing tips of some of the roots of the other orchids.

I turn over the pots and very occasionally find a little slug. But, I'm sure there must be others that I don't see.

I'd appreciate any guidance on how you control slugs in your growing area.

Also, how do you protect your orchids when you summer them outdoors? I'd love to put my 'chids outside. I'm sure they'd love it. But, I know there are slugs out there the size of my index finger...and snails the size of a quarter! I'm not sure how to protect them during the summer and also what to do to get rid of any hidden slugs when I bring them inside in the fall.

Any help very, very greatly appreciated.

:-)

[lepetitmartien]

If you can totally surround the openings with it, or isolate the furniture with… copper tape.

In the kill'em department, environment conscious, and safe for kids and beasts (but not slugs) : iron phosphate. It's available under the Ferramol trademark in Europe, there must be something equivalent in the USA. It's organic certified here.

[james mickelso]

Sluggo snail and slug bait. There are others more and less benign. But slug and snail bait is the only thing that really works. I tried to get them drunk but they just had a good party at the expense of my orchids and orange tree. This big basterd took a nap after gorging on a luscious cattleya bloom. I put him to work feeding a raven. Heheheheh.

[nynighthawk]

Thanks so much. These are great suggestions. I think I have some copper tape from when I did some stained glass work a few years ago. I was wondering if it'd help to put it around the legs of the table where I was going to put the plants outdoors...or maybe around each pot rim. Maybe I can snag some copper wire from the local hardware store and try that.

About the Sluggo and other baits...can that actually go into the pot? Won't damage plant roots? Use it full strength?

These are very good leads to follow up.

BTW...your slug looks exactly as happy and besotted as mine did after noshing on my poor cattleya's bud. Even the birds around here won't touch a slug, so I tossed it down the porcelain thrown.

:-)

---------- Post added at 12:52 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:51 AM ----------

Oops...I meant porcelain throne.

I guess it was thrown down the throne.

:-)

[james mickelso]

It can go right on the plants. I would put it as many places as they would travel.

[nynighthawk]

Thanks.

It's good to know that it's not toxic to plant roots.

I'll definitely give it a try.

No more Mr. Nice Guy (....er...well Ms. Nice Gal)! This is war!

[Ray]

I use a product called "Tree Tanglefoot". It is a sticky paste in a squeeze tube intended to keep birds off of buildings, but by putting a bead around the legs of the benches, no mollusk will even think about climbing up.


Ray Barkalow
Sent using Tapatalk

[Skayc1]

sprinkle salt on the floor to to garden door where the buggers are coming in at...or across the area you've seen their trail, esp in the evening before it gets dark..that'll stop em.

[cbuchman]

Another trick is to put a pie plate/bowl with beer in it (yes the kind you drink). The slugs love it and will drown themselves in it. It's best if the bowl can be made level with the surface to encourage the critters to go for a swim. I suggest that you use a disposable container so you can just throw the whole thing away. (The little plastic cups that fuit cup come sin work well).

PS you can drink the rest of the beer

[littlefrog]

Ducks...