q. Something is eating my marigold plants. I don’t see anything but do notice a clear slime on them. — Pat from Walden

A. Snails and slugs eat irregular holes in marigold leaves and chew new flower buds before they open. They feed at night and affect the marigold plants at all stages of development.

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Slug injury is sometimes difficult to diagnose because slugs hide during the day.

Smaller leaves may be eaten entirely, while only the edges of larger leaves may be consumed. Thick leaves often are rasped from the leaf underside. The presence of slime trails often is the best indication of slug activity.

Slugs are susceptible to drying. Any practices that decrease moisture in a garden will reduce slug problems, although effects might not be seen immediately.

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To eliminate potential shelter for slugs, remove surface debris in and around the garden and be careful with excessive organic mulches (straw, grass clippings). Also, increase air movement around plants.

Use drip irrigation, soaker lines or other techniques to limit water and decrease the humidity around plants. Overhead irrigation should be done early in the day to allow more time for leaves and soil to dry before the nightly activity of slugs.

Slugs are attracted to chemicals produced by many fermenting materials. These materials can be used to make attractant traps. For example, pans of beer or sugar-water and yeast mixtures can effectively attract, trap and drown slugs. A single baiting can remain effective for several days, as long as sufficient liquid remains. However, because the range of such traps is only a few feet, they must be placed throughout the planting to significantly reduce slug populations. Alcohol is not an attractant to slugs.

Selective use of trap boards or moistened newspaper placed on the soil surface also can be used to concentrate slugs that seek shelter under them. Check these shelters every morning and kill any slugs found.

Slugs often avoid traveling over acid, alkali or abrasive materials. Diatomaceous earth, wood ashes and similar materials placed around plants provide some protection. However, moisture reduces the effect of these treatments.

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Bcause salt is toxic to slugs, direct applications of table salt to a slug can kill it, although excessive salt can also affect plants.

Certain metal ions also are highly repellent to slugs. Barriers of copper foil exclude slugs from greenhouse benches and raised bed plantings.

Pesticides effective against slugs and snails are known as molluscicides. These often are different chemicals than those used to control insects and other garden pests. Slugs are not susceptible to most insecticides.

Metaldehyde is the most commonly used and effective molluscicide.

Debbie Lester is the community horticulture educator at the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orange County.

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