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Atlanta, Georgia

Hi everyone!
I'm in Atlanta and my leaves are starting to get eaten a bit. I use myco, fish, kelp, humic acid and have an abundance of worms in the patch and don't want to kill them with any chemicals. Any suggestions on how to discourage leaf eating pests? I don't see any beetles so it is something much smaller, whatever it is.
Any suggestions would be appreciated...

Also, does anyone know of a spot weed killer that is also organic that I could use to kill weeds as they pop up thru my mulch?
Best regards,
Michel

6/17/2008 12:19:07 PM

Columbus,ohio

Well if it is happening over night it is prboly slugs. I had a huge problem with them. What I did was bought a bag of sand and put a hand full or two under the vine and at the base. Slugs will not cross sand. Aslo you can use the beer method. The is two ways to do this. The way i have heard more sucsusful is puting bottle caps of bear in the affected areas. The slugs will get drunk. The other way is taking a can, filling it with beer,and burry it so the top id right at soil level. The sluges will fall in and drown. Talk abput drowning you r sorrows away... LOL

6/17/2008 1:09:33 PM

Westford, MA

Natures Avenger organic herbicide
naturesavenger.com

A good organic systemic is Messenger,EDEN Bioscience expensive and needs to be used every 3 weeks. It's supposed to strengthen the immune system of the plant. I use it on my reg.food garden and on pumpkins when they're young.
kevin

6/17/2008 2:00:31 PM

Atlanta, Georgia

I have seen some small blackish snails around the plants so maybe these are doing it. I suspected them but since they are not on the plants during the day, it was only a guess. If it is slugs I can also keep them off with some wood ashes. Thanks a lot and I will take a look very early in the morning to see if I can verify it. Good call!

...and thanks for the natures avenger info. I will check them out.

I also think that watering in the morning instead of the evening will help keep slugs down since the top of the soil will be dry by evening this way... I have been watering in the evenings.

6/17/2008 5:34:24 PM

Owatonna Minnesota

I make slug traps out of plastic pop bottles(16 or 20 oz).You just cut the top third of the bottle off and invert it back into the bottle and use a little duct tape to secure it .Put in a little beer and lay it on its side.they go in after the beer and then they are history.I know this is probably a little late but I hope it helps. Rod

7/20/2008 11:07:50 PM