21 replies to this topic

[oldmarine]

For years my lawn has been infested with cut worms that kill the grass from the roots. For years I have used a commercial insecticide to elliminate cut worms and other destructive insects.

Since I installed my 365 gallon pond a year ago September, 2009, I have stopped using any kind of insecticide in my back yard where the pond is because I didn't want to take the chance of harming the life in my pond. The garden landscape around my pond is heavely planted with "Lrish Moss' and 'Wooly Thyme' right up to the edge of the molded edges of the pond.

After dark and before bed, the old jarhead has always performed a night patrol around the house, and stopping to check his fish pond. Over the last several weeks I have been finding small slugs about 1" to 2" long eating the Irish Moss. I pick them out by hand and make them look like slug butter with a brick. Within the last several days I have been finding anywhere from 6 to24 cut worms eating the Irish Moss each night. I have been putting them in a Mason jar of water so they can drown.

My question is, would it be safe to carefully sprinkle down insecticde by hand around my pond landscape? I'm thinking that would be a real risk and possibly poison my Shubunkins in the pond. Or, is there another way to rid my yard of cut worms?

[DrDave]

Your big risk is runnoff during a heavy rain. If you have a negative horizon around your pond, there is little risk of that.

[Meekaboo]

I also had irish moss around my pond and the slugs congregated there every night. I would just pick them up and toss them into the pond. The fish devoured them immediately.

[oldmarine]

Meekaboo,

I never thought the fish would eay the slugs. Ducks do, so why wouldn't my fish? I'll give it a try. Thanks.

I do have a slight negative horizon around my pond.

On that same note; Jerry Baker wrote the book, 'Terrific Garden Tonics', and he has an excelant 'cutworm chaser tonic' in this book. The ingredients are; 1 cup of Murphy's Oil Soap, 1 cup of tabacco tea, 1 cup of antiseptic mouthwash, all mixed in with 20 gallons of water. Use a 20 gallon hand pump sprayer to apply. I'll be giving it a try in a couple days.

[oldmarine]

Meekaboo,

Now that the weather is getting much warmer here in the Northwest, in the evenings after dark I have noticed 1/4" to 3/4" long young slugs in and around my pond, and mostly in the irish moss that just starting to make a come back. Like you, I started to pick them and toss them into the pond. You're right, the fish love them. Really hard to get that slug trail goo off of my fingers, so found an old pair of tong sized tweezers to pick up the slugs.

Happy ponding,

Rich

[DrDave]

oldmarine said:

Meekaboo,

I never thought the fish would eay the slugs. Ducks do, so why wouldn't my fish? I'll give it a try. Thanks.

I do have a slight negative horizon around my pond.

On that same note; Jerry Baker wrote the book, 'Terrific Garden Tonics', and he has an excelant 'cutworm chaser tonic' in this book. The ingredients are; 1 cup of Murphy's Oil Soap, 1 cup of tabacco tea, 1 cup of antiseptic mouthwash, all mixed in with 20 gallons of water. Use a 2 gallon hand pump sprayer to apply. I'll be giving it a try in a couple days.

Fixed the gallons for you.

Edited by DrDave, 08 March 2010 - 01:15 PM.

[DrDave]

A local newscaster here has a book out called "Dead Snails Leave no Trails" he believes in poison free recipes for your garden. The author is Loren Nancarrow. he has all kinds of cool recipes for the garden.

[oldmarine]

DrDave said:

How are you carrying that 20 gallon pump around? Hmmmm...

DrDave,

Thanks for bringing that up. That was supposed to say, two gallons of water and a two gallon sprayer. Glad you caught that, I proof read it and still didn't catch my mistake.

Happy ponding,

Rich

[Meekaboo]

Oldmarine,

When I first started feeding slugs to my fish it really grossed me out. I find it's alot easier to pick up a slug and toss it than to grab a big old earthworm and break it into small enough pieces for my goldfish to manage.

I had irish moss around my first pond and the slugs were always all over it after dark. That was one of the main reasons I never planted any here at my new house. Now that I know how much the fish like slugs, I'm considering planting some again.

[oldmarine]

Meekaboo,

I also have wooley thyme planted in with the irish moss, and the slugs won't touch the wooley thyme. The wooley thyme also seems to be a bit hardier and tolerates a freeze better than irish moss.

What do now is I go out after dark with a high beam flashlight and pick slugs for the shubunkins.

Happy ponding,

Rich

[undrtkr_00]

DrDave said:

A local newscaster here has a book out called "Dead Snails Leave no Trails" he believes in poison free recipes for your garden. The author is Loren Nancarrow. he has all kinds of cool recipes for the garden.

My favorite slug trap is a bowl full of beer set out in the garden. Works like a champ. Just the cheap stuff! They aren't picky, so don't go putting your premium micros out.

[oldmarine]

You know that's funny that bring that up. Many years ago my mother sent me an old 'Orgnaic Gardening magazine' that had an artical about killing (drowning) slugs. The artical shared that same method of putting cheap beer in several jar lids throughout your garden to atract and kill the slugs.

I tried that again last spring, and it would have worked except I can't keep our dog, Mr. Buttons from drinking all the beer shortly after I put it out. I put the beer out in parts of the yard that Mr. Buttons can't get to. great idea. The slugs are appearantly attracted to the yeast in the beer.

Happy ponding,

Rich

[undrtkr_00]

oldmarine said:

You know that's funny that bring that up. Many years ago my mother sent me an old 'Orgnaic Gardening magazine' that had an artical about killing (drowning) slugs. The artical shared that same method of putting cheap beer in several jar lids throughout your garden to atract and kill the slugs.

I tried that again last spring, and it would have worked except I can't keep our dog, Mr. Buttons from drinking all the beer shortly after I put it out. I put the beer out in parts of the yard that Mr. Buttons can't get to. great idea. The slugs are appearantly attracted to the yeast in the beer.

Happy ponding,

Rich

LOL! Well at least your dog has good taste! Hopefully he doesn't get enough to make him loopy.

[koiguy1969]

i drink Jim Beam, no beer so should i put out a chaser? LOL

[oldmarine]

Sounds good to me, but what about the slugs?

Happy ponding,

Rich