Guest guest Posted June 29, 2004 Report Share Posted June 29, 2004 The raw feeding group I am a member of rawpaws/ does not recommend it for internal use. Cheers, Tas'. diatomous earth Does anyone here use diatomous earth for parasites in their animals and/or on their plants to kill slugs? If so, I have two questions: 1. What is the best brand (and where do you find it). 2. Does it kill earthworms? (Since it kills slugs and parasites, you would think it would kill earthworms). If so, how long does it stay in the soil? Thanks! -- Heidi Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 29, 2004 Report Share Posted June 29, 2004 > The raw feeding group I am a member of rawpaws/ does not recommend it for internal use. > > Cheers, > Tas'. > diatomous earth > > > > Does anyone here use diatomous earth for parasites in their > animals and/or on their plants to kill slugs? If so, I have two questions: > > 1. What is the best brand (and where do you find it). > > 2. Does it kill earthworms? (Since it kills slugs and parasites, you > would think it would kill earthworms). If so, how long does it > stay in the soil? > > Thanks! > > -- Heidi Jean > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 29, 2004 Report Share Posted June 29, 2004 I have some D.E. that I bought for killing garden insects. I don't think it kills earthworms, although I don't know why! Some people give it to their dogs to rid them of internal worms, others sprinkle it directly on the dogs their bedding and carpets to get rid of fleas. I don't like that idea much as there could be a problem for everyone when inhaling the stuff! However, if one is going to do that, it would be best to buy the natural kind of D.E. and not the kind used for swimming pools which would be toxic! I bought mine from a company called Gardeners Supply (in Vermont) who have a mail order section and are online. If you just want to kill slugs, you can use ground eggshells sprinkled around your plants. You can get copper strip which you'd have to use as a protective barrier. You can sprinkle salt directly onto slugs to kill them - yuck! A friend set out a trap for them using soggy newspaper, and disposed of it daily. You can set out saucers of beer to attract them and drown them, but it's a waste of good beer, and attracts them from a 50 mile radius {LOL} A friend used to work at Molsen Canada, and discovered that slugs really liked Molsen's strong dark beer called Brador. Sacrilege, but she got it free..... Just remembered that Heidi asked this question. Why not set the chickens on those slugs?????? Cheers, and the K9's >Does anyone here use diatomous earth for parasites in their animals and/or on their plants to kill slugs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 29, 2004 Report Share Posted June 29, 2004 > Does anyone here use diatomous earth >how long does it > stay in the soil? > > Being almost pure silica I would expect it would persist in the soil for an indefinite period of time. It is mined from fossil deposits, so the diatomaceous material has been around a long while to begin with. Diatomaceous earth kills a wide range of insects including bees, ants, ladybugs, and beetles, which can be beneficial predators in the garden. I've got to like ants since I learned that they eat slug eggs. : -) regards, Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 29, 2004 Report Share Posted June 29, 2004 Hello Heidi, I don't know about whether or not DE kills earth worms, but I know where you can get it. I get mine from Azure Standard. It is fairly inexpensive with no shipping. Look at http://azurefarm.com/ since you are in the pacnw. I give it to my goats sometimes, as it cuts down on internal parasites, but I heard that it shouldn't be given regularly because it could cause lung problems from the fact that it is so dusty. Anyway, I have an article about giving de to livestock that I can send to you if you are interested. Rebekah diatomous earth Does anyone here use diatomous earth for parasites in their animals and/or on their plants to kill slugs? If so, I have two questions: 1. What is the best brand (and where do you find it). 2. Does it kill earthworms? (Since it kills slugs and parasites, you would think it would kill earthworms). If so, how long does it stay in the soil? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 29, 2004 Report Share Posted June 29, 2004 >I have some D.E. that I bought for killing garden insects. I don't think it kills earthworms, although I don't know why! Interesting. Does it kill the garden insects? >Some people give it to their dogs to rid them of internal worms, others sprinkle it directly on the dogs their bedding and carpets to get rid of fleas. I don't like that idea much as there could be a problem for everyone when inhaling the stuff! However, if one is going to do that, it would be best to buy the natural kind of D.E. and not the kind used for swimming pools which would be toxic! I bought mine from a company called Gardeners Supply (in Vermont) who have a mail order section and are online. Thanks! The sites say it's better not to inhale it ... I'd think it would be like asbestos. Though people who inhale spun glass insulation don't seem to get more lung cancer ... no one knows why, it SHOULD have the same issues, but they are thinking the glass actually dissolves slowly. >If you just want to kill slugs, you can use ground eggshells sprinkled around your plants. You can get copper strip which you'd have to use as a protective barrier. You can sprinkle salt directly onto slugs to kill them - yuck! A friend set out a trap for them using soggy newspaper, and disposed of it daily. You can set out saucers of beer to attract them and drown them, but it's a waste of good beer, and attracts them from a 50 mile radius {LOL} A friend used to work at Molsen Canada, and discovered that slugs really liked Molsen's strong dark beer called Brador. Sacrilege, but she got it free..... They get trapped in soggy newspaper? Or just attracted to it? THAT is a new one! I couldn't bear the thought of using beer ... I don't have any GF beer yet and that is the ONE THING I really miss that has gluten in it. >Just remembered that Heidi asked this question. Why not set the chickens on those slugs?????? My chickens don't like slugs, I think. I did get 2 ducks, and THEY seem to love slugs. But we don't let either into the garden, because they eat the lettuce and dig up the little plants. I have been using an iron-based slug killer, which seems to work, but was planning on getting some DE for the goats since it seems like a less-toxic kind of worm killer. Then I read articles about it being good for the garden and other animals. >Cheers, > and the K9's -- Heidi Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 29, 2004 Report Share Posted June 29, 2004 >The raw feeding group I am a member of <rawpaws/>rawpaws/ does not recommend it for internal use. > >Cheers, >Tas'. Did they say why they don't recommend it? -- Heidi Jean > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 29, 2004 Report Share Posted June 29, 2004 >Being almost pure silica I would expect it would persist in the soil for an indefinite period of time. >It is mined from fossil deposits, so the diatomaceous material has been around a long while to begin with. Silica does dissolve slowly in an alkali environment, but yeah, my guess is it would stick around for awhile, which is what makes me leery. For a one-shot dewormer, that wouldn't be too bad though. >Diatomaceous earth kills a wide range of insects including bees, ants, ladybugs, and beetles, >which can be beneficial predators in the garden. > >I've got to like ants since I learned that they eat slug eggs. : -) > >regards, Bruce We have ants, but they don't make a dent in the slug population! I have nontoxic slug killer, but it adds iron to the soil, so I was thinking this might make a good alternative. -- Heidi Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 29, 2004 Report Share Posted June 29, 2004 >>>Did they say why they don't recommend it?<<< Can irritate mucous membranes and airways, I think. Cheers, Tas'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 30, 2004 Report Share Posted June 30, 2004 Hello all, I just read at the site you gave Rebekah that DE does not kill earthworms, birds, or animals. Thanks, SheilaN diatomous earth > > > > Does anyone here use diatomous earth for parasites in their > animals and/or on their plants to kill slugs? If so, I have two questions: > > 1. What is the best brand (and where do you find it). > > 2. Does it kill earthworms? (Since it kills slugs and parasites, you > would think it would kill earthworms). If so, how long does it > stay in the soil? > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 30, 2004 Report Share Posted June 30, 2004 > >>>Did they say why they don't recommend it?<<< > > Can irritate mucous membranes and airways, I think. > > Cheers, > Tas'. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 4, 2004 Report Share Posted July 4, 2004 I don't suppose you drink coffee? I've heard that coffee grounds are good for keeping slugs off the garden. If you don't drink it, maybe someone you know could save them for you. I would bet your nearest coffee shop would be only too glad to get rid of them. Cheers, Tas'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 6, 2004 Report Share Posted July 6, 2004 >I don't suppose you drink coffee? I've heard that coffee grounds are >good for keeping slugs off the garden. If you don't drink it, maybe >someone you know could save them for you. I would bet your nearest >coffee shop would be only too glad to get rid of them. > >Cheers, >Tas'. Hmm. Yep, I admit I drink coffee ... the plants would probably love the grounds. And the coffee filters might attract slugs or act as mulch (ugly though). -- Heidi Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 7, 2004 Report Share Posted July 7, 2004 >>>And the coffee filters might attract slugs or act as mulch (ugly though).<<< So don't put the filters on the garden Cheers, Tas'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 8, 2004 Report Share Posted July 8, 2004 >So don't put the filters on the garden > >Cheers, >Tas'. I was thinking about using them like old newspapers ... for the slugs to hide under (I don't get newspapers ... and newspapers would be about equally as ugly ...). -- Heidi Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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