Has anyone seen the article posted on GW brug forum about using coffe to kill slugs and snails. It is a very good article. You should check it out if you haven't.
Caffine a Slug & Snail Killer
Here is the link to the article. http://www.nature.com/nsu/020624/020624-8.html
Interesting article. I'd really like to know about the beneficials though before I use something that will get them too. Thanks for the link.
there was a thread here on DG that talked about this earlier this summer.
i use coffee grounds and tea pulps a lot on all my plants. i do not know the beneficial effects, but one thing sure, they promote glossy and luscious leaves growth. http://faq.gardenweb.com/faq/lists/soil/2000081841014638.html , http://www.cahe.nmsu.edu/ces/yard/2000/111800.html
I used over 1200 pounds- yes, 1200 pounds of starbucks coffee grounds on my shade bed. It didn't put a dent in the slug population. You could see slug goo trails all over the coffee grounds and holes in my plants to boot. On the plus side, the shade plants never looked better. The coffee grounds and worms broke up my clay soil and a added bonus, my yard smelled fantastic.
One note of caution. Coffee grounds are acidic- DO NOT place large quanties around your brugmansia. It will distort the leave and growth and cause a not so happy plant. Did this two years in a row (had to be sure,LOL). Not a good things for brugs. Maybe if it was composted for a bit.
Where in the world did you get 1200 lbs of coffee grounds? You must be near a coffee shop or something....... :-)
Brugie, Do you have a Starbucks coffee shop near you? They will gladly save and give you all the grounds they have. The Starbucks near us already has theirs spoken for or I would be getting them. They are great to use in compost and now I read they will help with the snails and slugs, that's great. Good thing this is one coffee drinking house, I don't think the coffee pot get turns off in my house until everyone has gone to bed.
Nope, no coffee shops around here. We kinda live in the boonies. Our house only has coffee when we have company that needs it. I quit drinking it a year or more ago. Maybe I better start again. I even have Starbucks coffee beans that are old. Maybe I'll grind them and put them around the hostas.
Yep Brugie I had a starbucks about two minutes from my old house in Northern Virginia. I'd bring home about 50 lbs or so every day. I do have a starbucks close to my new home here in New Jersey-but only get a couple of pounds a day, just a pain to drag the kids in and out of the car seats to get a few pounds. I suppose I'm greedy and use to the 50 lbs I was getting. Rain, sleet, or snow wouldn't keep me from my old coffee shop.
Sigh* I'm missing my old neighboorhood and my garden.....
My bf told me a while back that he read this article and my first question was, "yeah, but where do you find coffee cups small enough for the slugs?"
hehehe!!
Good one!!