cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/18068633

I had a really bad slug infestation on my balcony garden last year.

Because they were eating on everything, and were in the thousands almost, I had to resort to “poison” bait.
Not one of the toxic ones, because I have cats, but ones based on Iron phosphate.

Still, it resulted in another pest: all those slimy slugs crawled under the floor cover and died there. Disgusting. Everything was full of flies and stank. But mainly, it was mentally horrifying.

This year, I want to do it differently. Instead of killing them, I want prevention.

I already looked up online, but all “natural predators” are bigger ones, like ducks and toads, but of course that isn’t viable on my small balcony.

So, I thought about already killing them in the egg stage.

What natural killers, like nematodes or bugs, do they have in this life stage?
What can I do to attract them?
How is that regulared by natural balance?

Anyway, I got outside and dug up some soil samples from different locations and spreaded them in the pots, hoping that there are some eggs or critters in there that are currently hibernating and then improve the natural balance in the summer.

It was only one hand full of dirt per big pot, but that should be enough I believe. It’s only the catalyst/ starter culture after all.

Btw, I’m currently building up the soil for the following season.
Last year has been absolutely great with organic living soil, and I want to improve on that.

The new soil, consisting of spent mushroom blocks, some soil, leaf matter, and more:

And the old one from a few months ago, when I harvested my hemp tree:

I plan to reuse it of course! No-till, a shit ton of organic matter, very well aerated with deep roots from the decaying plant that was previously in there. Extremely healthy dirt 🤌👌

  • Guenther_Amanita 🍄OPEnglish
    1•17 days ago

    Thanks for your help!

    I think one of the most important pieces is to figure out where the slugs are coming from, because there’s no benefits to a barrier if all the slugs are already inside of it.

    I already know that. I practice both hydroponics AND organic no-till gardening.
    I probably got a few slug eggs from somewhere, which hatched and then spreaded like crazy.

    Over the day, they crawl into the soil, live there and lay their eggs in it, because it’s very rich and healthy dirt with a huge lot of hiding spots under the mulch and cover crops.

    And in the night, they crawl out and feast on my LECA containers, which is a perfect hiding spot because it’s constantly moist and has gaps in it.

    Also, the floor covering is shaded and slightly moist, also providing great shelter.

    But there’s almost nothing I can do about it :(

    On the bright side, at least it’s a great hiding spot for the predatory insects too, like spiders or centipedes :)

    Go out at night, particularly if it’s a humid night with a flashlight.

    I did that for weeks daily for a hour every evening. There were literally >100 slugs per square meter, if not more. I gave up on it.

    If you can squash all that you see, or drop them in a bucket of soapy water

    I first tried table salt, which makes them explode due to osmotic pressure. But I quickly got afraid this also salts my soil.

    What works extremely well is alcohol, especially disinfectant spray. One spray, and they’ll explode. They’ll also not slime as much as with salt or other methods.

    9,5/10, very satisfying.

    Some people use crushed eggshells as they apparently don’t like those sharp edges.

    They crawled over thorn bushes in front of my eyes. They absolutely don’t give a flying shit.
    Not even copper bands worked.

    Another method i use is to place scrap boards on top of the soil around my plants. That makes good hiding places for the slugs during the day. Then you can just flip the boards during the day and kill all the slugs.

    One of the most useful tips I’ve ever read. I didn’t try that one yet, but it sounds great.

    Thank you a lot stranger! 💚

    • @evasive_chimpanzee
      2•17 days ago

      I’m going to have to try the alcohol. I’ve also done a spray bottle with biodegradable soap water, which i always have on hand for aphids. I seem to have mostly reduced my slug problem. My main problem now is squirrels.

      Also, the hydroponics and organic no-till is a fun combo. I used to do aquaponics a bit, and I’d like to get back to it. Now I tend to be more permacultury, though I think people in that field tend to embrace more pseudoscience than I’d like. I’d like to find a way to combine the science and productivity of aquaponics with the stability of soil based growing. Basically, I want a pond, lol.

      • Guenther_Amanita 🍄OPEnglish
        1•17 days ago

        I actually enjoy both types of gardening, because they’re basically complete opposites with entirely different pros and cons.

        I find that hydroponics teaches you everything about plants, but the living soil stuff teaches you everything about nature.

        Hydro gets you into tune with the plant, and you understand its’ needs and how it functions and reacts, and balcony gardening with dirt is all about understanding relationships between insects, funghi, bacteria, pests, symbiosis, and more.

        Hydroponics is actually really easy imo, easier than dirt. Aquaponics on the other hand is an entirely different discipline…