Hurrah, Kevin, Amy thankful for the analytics in our midst!
Oh, Joy, Oh, Joy!!! I new feel smarter than your average slug!!
(But it took a bit of guidance from Gil!!)
It is with enormous pleasure that I report absolute success, at
least in the initial trial, in my efforts to prevent slugs from
being able to attack my plantlings.
I took a piece of window screen, 10" long, and 2" wide. I removed
3 strands from one "long side", and 3 strands from the end. I
bent the "spikes at right angles to the body of the screen. I
then roled it into a hoop, and overlapped both ends of the
screen, allowing the "end spikes" to enter the screen holes of
the other end; bending them over made a simple closed hoop.
I put 4 slugs in the compound. They did their "walk-about", and
the first fella found he could slither under the fence in one
location; I plugged this escape route. When completing a full
circle, the first one then climed up the screen with total ease,
until he came to the "bent inward pickets." This created an
"overhanging cliff effect", and he went about 1/3 the way around
the hoop. probing the "ceiling", but never attempting to crawl
"upside down" along it".
Even though the experiment was conducted in the shade, the
continuous exposure to dry air resulted in their expiry by
sundown. But NONE made it "over the top."
Subject to more extensive trials, I tentatively conclude as
follows:
1: The screen procedure is absolutely effective as a slug
barrier.
2: The technique is cheap, simple, and fully compliant with the
OG viewpoint.
3: The lower end of the screen barrier must be buried in soil, to
prevent them from sliding under the barrier.
4: The recommended way to make "slug screens" is as follows:
4:1 Cut strips of aluminum or copper window screening, about
10 to 20 mesh count, to a width of 3".
4:2 The length should be about 3 times the desired diameter
of the final hoop diameter.
4:3 Remove 4 strands of wire from the "top", the bottom", and
from one end, and bend the "spikes" at "right angles" to the body
of the screen, with all bends in the same direction.
4:4 Roll the screen into a hoop.
4:5 Slide around the stem of the plant you wish to protect,
and then insert the "end spikes" into the other end of the
screen, and fold over, to join the screen.
4:6 Bury the "bottom spikes" about 1/4" to 1/2" in the soil,
to prevent them from getting under the screen wall.
I would be very interested in the observations of any others who
wish to try the above technique. Especially, I am interested in
any shortcomings the procedure may have.
I hope you all had an exciting weekend, as I did!! ;-)
Kindest regards,
Kevin Chisholm
Reply from Kris Johnson to #99.6942108 From kchishol@FOX.NSTN.CA(Kevin Chisholm
Kevin,
Thanks for you research and description of the procedure. I have a question (below) for clarification.
--- Original Note #99.6942108 From kchishol@FOX.NSTN.CA(Kevin Chisholm
I'm presuming that you mean to bend the top strands out so the slugs won't climb over, but don't bend the bottom strands because you want to bury them in the soil (4:6). Kris
Kris
Kris Johnson - Habitat #22004 - gardening in
Williston, Ohio (near Toledo, close to Lake Erie, zone 6)
KRIS_JOHNSON.parti@ecunet.org
KRIS JOHNSON wrote:
Yes.
> but don't bend the bottom strands because you want to bury them in the soil (4:6).
No. Bend them also, so that they act as soil anchors, with soil rasting on them. This way, you don't have to shove them deep, and don't endanger roots.
> ...del...
> 4:6 Bury the "bottom spikes" about 1/4" to 1/2" in the soil,
> to prevent them from getting under the screen wall.
Best wishes to all, in our collective efforts to bugger the boogerly beasties. :-)
Kindest regards,
Kevin Chisholm
