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San Diego

Is it normal to have really small holes on leaves? My plant is on 5 true leaves, seem to have small holes (pin tip, to eraser width) on my leaves, mostly just a few on each, some more than others. The leaves look normal unless you look real close. Plant is very healthy. Why does this happen? I can't find any bugs, could it be something burning them in my soil? Had it tested and ammended, should be ok, lots of manure and compost in the fall. No foliar feeding yet, any thoughts? Thanks Jim

5/24/2003 8:50:10 PM

porterville, calif.

Duster, I had earwigs coming at at nite, They destroyed my 840 D. At first i thought it was slugs. Check them around 10PM with a flashlight. I didn,t catch them quick enough had to replant my 840 D.

5/25/2003 1:12:21 AM

Western Pa.

I have some plants planted in the back for pollination purposes. This is a very wet patch, and at night I covered them with 5 gallon buckets to protect them. Slugs riddled them with holes, some were small and barely visible. A product called Slug-getta works for me!

5/25/2003 9:59:53 AM

Montoursville, PA

When I see this I think slugs and snails. Yes I have had them in spite of the fact it seems early. I use Escar-Go from Gardens alive. Works good for me and makes sense. Until this year I used several other brands with mixed results some of which may have been careless and inconsistant application. This year I am being very attentive. :)

5/25/2003 10:46:21 AM

[email protected]

I'd like to hear more about Dwaine's results with Escar-Go.

But being the skeptic I am, I have the usual box of Sluggo ready to roll if need be. Active ingredient of most conventional Slug killers is Metaldehyde sometimes mixed with Sevin. Good stuff but keep to the rate or dead Earthworms will result.

A good test for Slugs is a low can (like tuna fish or cat food) buried to the rim & filled with backwash from a spent beer. Slug's love beer!
A brick or 2x4 laying on the ground will also accumulate them. If either monitoring approach indicates a population, corrtective action may be in order.

Steve

5/25/2003 5:28:28 PM

Montoursville, PA

There isn't much more to hear. I had a few slugs showing up. I fed them Escar-Go. You can see in my pictures no leaf damage at this hour. I did not expect total control but for now I have no damage. The baited pellets keep going away so I assume I am feeding the critters Escar-Go.

Twenty yards away I have plants begining to be slug and snail eaten. Snails will travel to their food from afar.

One can use either method of control. Escar-Go leaves no undesirable residule and in fact becomes part of the fertilization in the ground where it breaks down.

I never had great luck running a beer garden for snails and slugs. The neighbor gives his cotton pickin dog beer and he likes it. That prissy little dog would rather lick the end of a Bud than chase a female in heat. In addition all I ever saw was "s" trails to the leaf surface with occasional barfs along the trail.

I feel like a gentleman democratic gardener feeding them Escar-Go. Free Lunch for one and all! Dying with a hungry belly is better than being drunk daily at lunch.

5/25/2003 9:53:51 PM

Caceres, mid west of Spain

In my place we had a loooooooooooooot of slugs in the early spring of this year, but they disapeared a month ago. I guess the knew the end of spring was going to be dry, as it is.

Don

5/26/2003 12:35:33 AM

[email protected]

Doc,
Is it a repellent or does it kill them?

5/26/2003 8:24:36 AM

Montoursville, PA

Escar-Go causes them to stop eating instantly. They starve to death. They seem to prefer the bait. Have not seen one on the plants since the day I saw just two going up the stump and a dozen or so under the trap boards. I keep pellets ringing the plants and a few around the cold frames assuming they are outside too. I see damage on my other plants which they always go after. I more or less figure those plants are attraction away from the pumpkin so did not treet those areas. I will later in experimentation.

The other poison based slug getters gave me some protection in years past but only partial. Equal to or even better comments was my attraction to Escar-Go through chatting with others. At this point I would have to agree.

My son uses Escar-Go in Portland, Oregon where snails are big enough to trip over. I just have little guys here but lots of them usually by June 15.

5/26/2003 3:56:26 PM