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H&G2 - The Canadian Champion, Tueaday, June 3,1997 Protect your garden from slugs, snails Those pesky pests need to be taught a feu' lessons Their mouths have up to 27,000 razor- sharp, backward-facing ceqth that are trou- hinely bast and replaced. They cao eat sev- eral limes their weight in living or dead tlesh every day. They originated in the earth's early oceans, but they are nol sharks. They are the dreaded, slimy slugs and snails, and lhey have crawled onto land 10 devour your plants. Few pests inspire such intense dislike as the lOwly slug. Maybe il's beu;ause thcy're slimy. Perhaps it's the fact Ihat a single slug can loy as many as 500 eggs per year, so there always secot to be plenty around. Gardeners try a varieîy of methods to deal with these slimy monsters. Unfortunately, slugs are hard 10 kilI. They are large-bodied creatures compared to many pests, SO they have to cal a large amount of any poison to, die from it. Slugs and snails have been recognized as crop pests for several hundred.ycars, with few effective control strategies. For thc homne gardener, however, Ihere is good news. With a littie effort, you cao prevail over slugs and snails. Here are some weapons for your arsenal: 1. Aller the environment - San- italion will rid your garden of slug hiding places. Clear out plant rubbish, boxes, boards and other places where they cao lay their eggs. Keep the garden area trimmed of grasses and weeds. Avoid overwatering. Cultivate between rows, with a tiller if possible. Cultivation kilîs some slugs out- right and reduces the large cracks in the soil where they like to bide. 2. Create barriers - A new product available in garden centers and home- improvement stores, Conceru Slug Stop, is a bornier of coconut-oil soap that cornes in a tube like toothpasîe. Slugs hate Ibis stuff. They will try 10 go around il, but if your Slug Stop circle is unbroken, Ihey eventu- ally will give up and go elsewhere. Be sure 10 dlean up overhanging weeds and other debris around plants protecîed by Slug Stop. Slugs can climh trees, s0 apply a closed ring of Slug Stop directly 10 the trunk of your Iree or shrub, aI least a few inches off the ground. TMen, remove any low-hanging branches, and cul hack aIl] weedy growîh under the Iree. 3. Trapping - Put a hollowed-out haîf of a grapefruit or orange upside down in the garden, propped up on a stone or twig, 50 slugs con gel underneaîh. Clean out slugs in the morning. 4. Poison at your own risk - Slug and snail baits are responsible for many accidentaI poisoninga for Ibis simple rea- son -lhey look like food pellets 10 small animais. Somne brands are colored bright red and resemble candy t0 children. Il takes only 2 teaspoons of metaldehyde 10 kilI an adult human. Such a small lethal doemksthese products a serious hazard 10 pets, children and backyard birds. In addition, slugs and snails that die from eat- ing the bail are now poisonous 10 preda- tors, like birds. Il isn't worth it. Ask the right questions when buyi*ng a tractor Shopping for the right tractor for your yard can be confus- ing. There are many brands and, at first glance, they seem similar. To get your money's worth, asic these questions: HOW WELL US UT MADE? - Asic about the design and manufacture of the tractor to assess its quaiity and durability. To assure longevity, look for ail-steel construction, including the hood. Also, check the tractor's frame design. For maxi- mum durahility, look fbr a channel frame design, welded for added strength. Different gauges of steel support critical stress areas, making a channel framne more ntgged than the single- piece stamped frame usually found on Iess-expensive units. HOW WELL DOES IT CUT? - There are three keys tol a great eut: the mowing deck, the tuming radius and the traction. Examine how the mowing deck is mounted on the tractor. Look for an axle-mounted mowing deck that "floats" freely, adjusting to, changes in terrain. This deck mounting system follows the contours of your yard, reducingscalping and pro- viding a smooth, even cut. Another sign of a great cut is the ability to mapicure amound landscaping, minimizing the trimming required after mowing. Look for a tractor with a tight turning radius to complece the job efficiently, one that's capable of mowing around trees and shrubs in one pass. Finally, just like in a car, look for femtues that improve traction. Good traction ensures that the tractor's wheels will not slip when climbing steep inclines or mowing wet, slippery areas. HOW EASY US UT TO USE AND MAINTAIN? - Rem- ember that a tractor sh6uld make your yard chorea easier and Jets tiring. Thle design and ergonomics of a unit make a differ- ence. Simplicity suggests that you have the products demon- strated by dealers hefore you buy. You should sit in the seat and then asic yourself: Are the controls conveniently located? How simple are key operator tasks, like adjusting the cutting hieight or engaging the mower deck? Is the seat comfortable and easily adjustable for different operators? Alan, while you are at the dealership, maice sure that routine maintenance is truly routine. 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