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almosthooked

Diatomaceous Earth

No slugs out at the moment but has anyone used this and is it effective or just another one of the let try this stuff .

It is suppose to be good for people but will kill many bad insects
http://www.earthworkshealth.com/human-use.php

and for insect information
http://www.earthworkshealth.com/organic-pest-control.php

Has anyone thoughts of if it could be harmful to bees or birds?
Thanks, Faye

Comments (14)

  • mountainy man z8 Ireland
    9 years ago

    Hi Faye, Slugs are still active here.

    We use it to delouse the chickens and their coop so its bird friendly and works well , I can't attest to its slug deterring abilities but would say that to be effective it would need to be dry and would need to be constantly reapplied, I could be wrong I have never tried it for slugs.

    I don't think it would bother bees unless you poured it directly on one.

    Denis

  • bkay2000
    9 years ago

    I think it works best for hard shelled insects. It's good for fleas, ants and those types. I'm not sure about slugs.

    bk

  • dhaven
    9 years ago

    DE is the single best slug killer available. I try to sprinkle it liberally on every new bed I make, and have virtually no slug problems.

    You want the food grade DE without any additives, it's available at a very reasonable price from some feed stores and pool supply places. Just shake it on, spread it by hand, or put it in a talcum powder container or one of those pizza place parmesan sprinklers, and shake lightly over any infested plants, taking care to get it down into the stems. I also sprinkle it around plants, which keeps the slugs from getting to the hostas at all.

    DE works because it is made up of the tiny exoskeletons of diatoms, which are microscopic aquatic animals. The tiny pieces are very sharp, and they pierce the skin of the slug and eventually kill it. DE is safe for songbirds, it is used as a wormer for livestock, including alpacas and domestic pets, and as a flea killer for dogs and cats. It is not good for your earthworms, but won't wipe them out, just slightly reduce the numbers.

    Although DE is organic, non-toxic, and safe to handle without gloves, as with any fine particulate, avoid breathing it in as much as possible. One good application in the garden will last for many years. Some people claim that DE washes away in rain, and is therefore ineffective, but this is not the case--it gets into every nook and cranny and still deters slugs even if you can no longer see it. One of my original hosta beds at my current place is over 20 years old, got DE applied when I created the bed, and I've yet to see any slug damage to that bed. A bed 6 feet away that didn't get DE has slug damage every year.

  • josephines167 z5 ON Canada
    9 years ago

    dhaven, that is great comprehensive information, first-hand, on DE. I had a successful season using slug pellets but will try DE this year. The fact that there is no reapplication required after rainfall and its long-lasting effects really appeals to me. Thank you providing such great information.

    Jo

  • mountainy man z8 Ireland
    9 years ago

    dhaven, I happily stand corrected, great information, I will be giving this a go this coming season, thanks.

    Denis

  • almosthooked zone5
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Glad to hear this product is efficient even after watering and rain. I got a large container at the local health food store today. Because it is so good for many health related things , energy and weight loss and on and on , what a bonus for the health benefits too. The lady at the health store said it is also good for dewormer our pets and with our cats continually killing voles what a win win all around product for $21 for a large container.( probably less in the US) Still wondering how to get this into my cats though.

    Watch out slugs here we come with shaker in hand in the spring!

    Faye

  • in ny zone5
    9 years ago

    That's great, thanks dhaven!
    Price is only $10 per pound, just bought 2 pounds, will walk around outside in spring with a parmesan shaker and breathing mask.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Source for Diatomaceous Earth (food grade)

  • bkay2000
    9 years ago

    Faye, make sure it's food grade to feed your cats. You just sprinkle it on their food. I have used it for fleas. It works well. for that. I've never fed it to my dogs, though. I think I've heard Howard Garrett say he uses it for his dogs. He puts most everything on his website, so how much and how is probably there.

    bk

    Here is a link that might be useful: The dirt doctor site

  • Sweety2002
    9 years ago

    I would love to use this in my garden to get rid of the nasty slugs and other bugs that eat my dahlias!! However, I am concerned that it will kill the earthworms as well.

    For the slugs, I use Slug-B-Gon pellets. They work very well.

    I take DE everyday, myself. :)

  • almosthooked zone5
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Yes I knew you needed the food grade for people and pets or you can get 10 pounds for $15 at the farm and garden places for gardens and compost piles to control flies. I am going to start taking it tomorrow and see if the benefits are as good as my son stated and all the testimonials that say so too. Let you know if I have the energy of a 40 yr old after a month of taking this lol If it works on the slugs I will be forever sold on the product.

  • almosthooked zone5
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    This was a clipping on the internet refering to earth worms and seems there is no danger to them so that is a good thing to know. Diatomaceous Earth will not harm warm-blooded animals or earthworms
    from quote....
    Earthworm farmers use it to treat their worm beds for parasites, fungus gnat larva etc. Earth worms are structurally different from insects in that they can actually digest particles of DE. The particles are then eliminated in their castings

  • Jon 6a SE MA
    9 years ago

    I don't think DE kills slugs. Slugs do avoid it as they do any rough surfaces. Eating it may provide some calcium as it is skeletal, and may provide some roughage, but eating fiber and drinking milk would seem to be more effective than eating DE ??? In any event, if anyone wants to experiment by eating it, they should certainly ensure it is food grade from a reputable source. In small doses I think it is harmless and, however, IMO useless in anyone's diet

    DE is sprinkled on top of worm 'farms' to deter insects. Larvae will hatch. It is claimed that when they hatch the rough edges scratch the hatched fruit flies or other pests and they die. I don't know, maybe they just find it annoying and leave. It most likely keeps adults away from it and prevents more larval production. In any event worms do not digest DE. Small amounts simply pass through them harmlessly. It is not worm food. It is sprinkled on the top of worm beds not mixed into the soil.

    Jon

  • dg
    9 years ago

    I read somewhere (?) that DE works on cutworms, (but that might be a load of baloney... just sayin'...) So anyway, late in 2013, I sprinkled some DE on my potted hosta that were having problems with cut worms.

    Thing is, I also did the ammonia drench in spring of 2014.

    There were fewer problems with slugs and cut worms in those plants, but can't confirm what/which helped...or if either actually affected anything.

    Thanks for the shaker application idea. I'll be using that suggestion next spring on other areas along with the ammonia drench. Can't have too many tools in the arsenal, ya know.

  • rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
    9 years ago

    Do not obtain DE from a pool supply store. The DE used as filtering material has been processed in a way that not only makes it useless as a pest control, but very hazardous to work with.

    I'd like to remind everyone that horticultural/food grade DE is a broad spectrum pesticide, and can really wreak some havoc on the critters that it comes into contact with. Slugs? I guess. But certainly predaceous ground beetles, lighting bug larvae, spiders, and centipedes are at peril when DE is in their ecosystem. All of those arthropods are major slug predators and should be encouraged. And I'm not so sure that toads and frogs aren't irritated by the particles, either.

    Anyway, that's something to consider, perhaps. I don't use DE at all in the yard and gardens, but limit its use to my garage and screened in porch where black widows like to party.