Killing slugs before they get big

This morning I found some baby slugs on some of the iris leaves and in the other foliage at the bases of the iris. I got out the household ammonia and and eyedropper and started battling the little devils. I finally got out a spray bottle and filled it with the ammonia. That way I could hit a whole nest of baby slugs or spray an entire pot side, bottom, etc. at one time. Unfortunately ammonia also kills earthworms so I had to be careful to try to not hit them or move them before spraying. I must have killed at least 50 little baby slugs in about 30 minutes. I tipped up pots, moved timbers edging beds, and sprayed entire hosta and iris plants.

I prefer ammonia to salt because it won't damage the soil or plants and it becomes fertilizer for the plants. I'm going to have to buy a couple or 3 gallons of household ammonia when I go to town just to keep up the fight.

The poultry would gladly eat the slugs but they would damage the plants badly getting to all these little ones.

Thanks for the tip, leaflady. I think I'm going to start battling here myself from the looks of my dutch iris and one of my hosta.

Do you dilute the ammonia or use it straight from the bottle??? I also have the babies...Eating the petunias, hostas, etc.....

I use it straight from the bottle. I don't find a % on the bottle so I don't know the strength of it. I can't see that it has hurt any of the plants sprayed tho.

Try one of the iron phospate products (Sluggo or Escargot). It doesn't harm other living creatures, but turns the slugs insides to goo. They quit feeding and die within a week. It comes in small pellets that you sprinkle sparingly around the areas where they feed: http://www.pestproducts.com/sluggo.htm

I have found them primarily in 4 of the beds on mostly iris, violets, and hosta. Some other plants are infested too but nothing like these 3. All types of iris seem to be affected. The ammonia kills the baby slugs immediately. In the mornings I sometimes find their gooey remains on a leaf where I sprayed them but often I don't find any remains. As long as I'm getting babies they don't get the chance to mature into the monsters my daughter tells about.

Whatever works for you, Leaflady, is the right thing to do.

Question.... does the amonia hurt worms? Ive been in my home 3 years and when I first started digging there were hardly any worms at all and now Ive got them everywhere. Id rather not hurt my worms but would really like to use the amonia if it doesnt do them any harm. Any ideas? If not Im off to buy Sluggo.

If at all possible remove any earthworms before you spray the ammonia. Yes it does burn the earthworms badly but I don't know if it killls them. Since the slugs move slowly, moving the earthworms won't cost you an opportunity to work on the slug population..