OT, MEGA slug

[Greg88]

Thankfully not near my figs but found this GIANT slug the other night. Canister of salt next to it for size comparison. Roughly 4" long.

[strudeldog]

Well how would you rate it? a 8 with salt a 10 without?

[rusty hooks]

salting doesn't do it proper justice.....garlic salt gets it closer to a 10

[Greg88]

next time, I will try the garlic salt for sure!
;o)

[cjmach1973]

limax maximus slug, and they do get huge, up to 6 inches. they origionally are from Europe and Asia. I see them in central MA all the time. one listing said that besides eating decaying plant matter, they also eat other slugs.

[cis4elk]

We have those too. For some reason we have more slugs this year than ever before, those bigs ones and the little ones. Makes we wish I had some chickens, my chickens used to love slugs, I wonder if they would have eaten one of the magnum slugs?

[cjmach1973]

the slug would eat the chicken

[COGardener]

Calvin,

I've never seen them here, never heard of them being in Colorado. Interesting.

[lilfiggy]

Oh gross looking thing

[cis4elk]

I do my waterting late at night. Whats gross is when I step on one and it's like stepping on a banana peel or dog dukie. The other thing is when I roll up the hose afterward it seems to almost always slide accross one at some point while I'm watering, then a section of the hose is slimey. Let me tell you, slug slime doesn't just wipe or wash off easily.

[lilfiggy]

you have to use salt and lemon juice as I remember as a kid, when it was cool to go barefoot.

[cis4elk]

These are from the yard, average sized.

[lilfiggy]

Maybe time for the ole beer in a pie pan treat for the slimmers. Have you tried snail bait.

[COGardener]

Pie pan eh, I've seen buried jars of beer.

[cis4elk]

With the exception of strawberries, they haven't really been much of a bother. I have just let them be.

[COGardener]

My strawberries were bothered by the stands small slugs years ago, I planted various types of garlic through out the strawberry bed and no more slugs. Saw it in a companion planting book.

[randy/ga]

Hello Everyone, Am new to Ourfigs, this is my first post! Happened upon the slugs posting...here in Georgia no giant slugs that I am aware of....but a good supply of the standard sized variety. Due to our hot dry summer this year very few slugs, but this is my remedy when I do see them. Obtain some household ammonia (Parson`s or similar) and pour into a plastic spray bottle, spray them with a spritz of ammonia. Cheap, quick, effective.....they will curl up and begin squirming at once. Never fails to kill. Apparently breaks down harmlessly. Dont get on tender leaves....ammonia can burn. Good luck!!! Let us know if you try it and it does work for you......Randy

[lilfiggy]

thanks for neat tip randy

[lilfiggy]

scott the garlic planting is a great idea

[jkuo]

I'd heard of planting garlic next to strawberries, but never knew why it was beneficial. Turns out garlic oil is lethal to slugs:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/3312965/Garlic-proves-the-kiss-of-death-to-slugs-and-snails.html

I'm going to interplant some garlic in all my strawberry beds this fall.