No More Slugs

Slugs are devouring my zinnias! How can I keep them away from my flower beds?

—Marie Hartley, Sellersville, Pennsylvania

Melinda: Traps are the most effective way to combat slugs. You can make them yourself by filling shallow containers with beer and placing them throughout your flower beds. The slugs are attracted to the fermenting yeast, crawl inside and drown. Here's another method that works particularly well: Place half-empty beer bottles on their sides in garden areas that show slug damage. This trap has a convenient "roof" to keep rain from diluting the bait. In either case, tuck the containers below plants to keep your garden tidy. You also could try some of the new iron phosphate poisons, such as Sluggo and Escargo. These products eliminate slugs without harming pets, birds or wildlife.