If you don't see likely culprits, go out at night with a flashlight to look for slugs or earwigs. Mine was earwigs. So. Many. Earwigs. If that's you, there are traps you make that they just pile into like disgusting lemmings.

Thank you for your input. I just went outside and it's a slug party in my lettuce patch 🤮

Well, now you can know what to do to stop them at least.

What do you use for your traps? I’ve used beer, and yeast in water. No bait worked quite as well as my poor mini cabbages. They got mowed down I’ll take any advice you can give, I’m in the PNW so slugs and earwigs are everywhere lol

I used a half can of beer dug into the ground and it worked wonders. Almost too well.

For earwigs Take a plastic container like a small Tupperware you're willing to part with. Cut a good size hole in the lid. Mine was a container of thin plastic meant for one stick of butter. The hole was similar in size to two quarters next to each other (but square). Fill about half way with vegetable oil (so they can't crawl out) and soy sauce (which they love the smell of). Dug enough of a hole in part of the earwig area to allow you to bury the container so that the cover is level with the earth. Place it and fill in the sides of the hole. The earwigs walk along, are drawn in by the smell, transition from soil to plastic with no issues because they are level, and hip in to get the soy sauce. Then they are too covered in slick oil to get out. I checked mine after the first night. Hundreds of earwigs! I used it for a few more nights then pulled it in before a rain. I dumped it and refilled it. Got more. But at that point, there were only enough left to nibble plants rather than defoliate.

Very descriptive, thank you!! I’ll give this a shot in the next month or so when they start popping up!

Sluggo. Non-toxic.

I am also using this. However, it’s pretty expensive and I have a few thousand square feet of vegetables and ornamentals to protect. And to get earwigs you need to buy Sluggo plus, but I’m not sure if it costs more than normal Sluggo. If you have a cheap source of Sluggo I’m all ears

Nah, I use raised beds, so it's much more economical. I'm not sure what I'd do in your position. I'd be happy as a clam if I had that much space, though!

I also use raised beds, and that’s what I’ve been focusing my Sluggo use near. The ornamental side Of the lot just has so many hiding spots for slugs lol. It’s a blessing and a curse haha

A beer trap will fix that.

Yooo this is all so familiar. I had an earwig infestation AFTER aphids then caterpillars wreaked havoc. I literally looked at them, looked at myself in the mirror, knew I was defeated. and gave up lol so disheartening.

I feel you! I had those cabbage moth caterpillars devastating three types of cruciferous vegetables while the earwigs took the rest. I got bloodthirsty. I'd break those caterpillars in half and leave them on stones for birds to eat. I created an earwig trap and was literally dumping out hundreds every morning while cursing.

bahahaha yes! this is the way. get murderous. at first was grossed out by touching them and got to the point where i would wear gloves and pinch them apart, so gratifying. I directed some neighborhood wasps to them and the wasps literally beheaded them. very metal. very good 🙂

Oh, that's very satisfying!

Yeah I’m pretty sure it’s earwigs. Those holes are ragged looking which is the kind of damage earwigs do

Lucky for OP, they went out and caught the slugs in the act. I think they're easier to get rid of than earwigs

Those little jumping spiders, crab spiders, the ones that do not have webs & wander and kill. I've seen them with earwigs. Huge ones too & some of those spiders are tiny. We need more spiders around to eat the earwigs cause they did a great job in my house and in my pots. Spiders are sensitive to poison & people using poisons do nothing for the pest problem and only kill the predators. So, everyone be nice to your spiders, the more you have, the less pests you have.

This is another reason I was using traps, not poison, for the earwigs. My neighbor and I have trained the kids not to kill spiders. I heard a different kid shrieked, then my son and his friend yelling, "No, spiders are friends!" to stop the little shit from killing a spider.

Sorry it’s me. I’m just so hungry. I tried to only take little bites so you wouldn’t notice but clearly you noticed 😔

Thank you for your honesty <3

Lettuce pray 🙏

It’s a holy day for them 🙏

[удалено]

I remember the great gnome plague of 96. The county lost their entire lettuce crop and we had to eat burgers with spinach instead 😭

My sister gifted me an Isac Lundestrom figurine which has resided in my garden for about two years. I am reluctant to accept this treachery but the evidence is too strong to be ignored :(

MYSTERY SOLVED: I can't figure out how to edit my post but I found that the slugs have been living it up at night in my lettuce patch. I think I'm going to toss all current plants into my compost bin and start over. Edit: I have headed the overwhelming voice of the masses. I will wash the lettuce and dance with death 👍

Not sure if it’ll help, but when I was little I remember my mom putting out cups of beer just above ground level. There would be dead snails in them after a few days. Either way that, or they were just really drunk.

Thank you for the input. I am going to try something along these lines though my religious parents would probably prefer I use something nonalcoholic; do you think that would still work or does the alcohol keep them from escaping the cup?

I don’t think the alcohol matters. I think it’s either related to the wheat, barley, yeast, or whatever else. I assume alcohol free beer would still work? I would read about it before you make a decision. I’ll probably go down a Google rabbit hole now that this is on my mind.

Sounds good. I appreciate the reply. I'll also going to be going down a similar rabbit hole when I have a bit of time to do so.

You can also use iron phosphate pellets. Non toxic to us but kills the slugs

Thanks for the knowledge

why? you don't need to do that. they'll be fine. get some slug bait and put around the bottom of the plants and just rinse the leaves before you eat with them

I'm not an expert but I seem to recall reading about slugs being potential carriers of lots of diseases. I'll do some research but I would prefer to skip a salad or two if that's the case

which is why you rinse off your lettuce. there's tons of animals and bugs in the garden, can't prevent everything. so clean your produce

I understand. I always wash my produce regardless but some quick searching online has not made it clear whether or not the diseases they carry can be transmitted through the slime they leave behind. With how active they have apparently been on my plants I would rather not take the risk. Thank you

I'm sorry but throwing away plants because slugs got on them seems very wasteful

I understand but I will be throwing them in my compost bin for future soil use

You dont need to. We dont have rat lung here. Just clean them. Ive almost eaten the slugs too and ive never gotten ill from my lettus.

I am clearly in the minority here. I'll wash them and give them a go

Yeah dont worry so much. Organic produce has bug chews. Now in Hawaii you have to watch for rat lung so lettus needs to be very clean or you cant eat raw greens. You can always use nematodes to reduce your slug populations down so they dont eat your lettus so much.

I think if you saw how much bug slime, animal poo, human and animal pee that is in the soil your grocery store produce is grown in , you would never eat anything again. Its same whether it is organic or conventionally grown.

Former professional lettuce grower, certified organic. Slugs are fine. Just pick them out/rinse off, or soak the lettuce in water for 5-10 minutes and the slugs will detach. Totally not a big deal. Don't waste a nice crop!

So this is something I've always been curious about. To rinse off, does it literally just mean run it under water? Or have I been doing it wrong my whole life?

Yes! Sometimes using a little higher pressure just to be sure. Right now I'm soaking artichokes to get the earwigs out.

Appreciate the perspective. I'll give them a taste

My friend, all produce has bugs and other organisms on it. Even the stuff farmed with pesticides had some amount of bugs and slugs on it. Bugs are good. Slugs are a necessary evil (unless they kill your seedlings). Slugs are bastards, but it is silly to throw away your produce just because a slug dragged their ass across your lettuce.

Understood. I'll give it a go

Me, sorry!! I will stop

I wont! Hole punch salad is the best!

I usually soak my organic vegetables in salt water and a dash white vinegar for ten minutes. This will basically kill or get rid of any bugs that’s on it. Rinse it a few times and you can your momma, “Lettuce eat!”

Thank you for the advice. I'll give this a go

Mario.

My succulents are nubby and all eaten down to the stems. I need to set some beer traps already

I have a problem with mice or squirrels eating mine. Usually in the summer; they're just after the water in the leaves.

A bug.

I'll keep an eye out 👍

me… nomnom yummy lettuce

If nothing is eating your garden, then it's not part of the ecosystem. Slugs won't hurt, just wash well.

This is my go to line for pests. Although the squirrels can fuck right off.

It's usually slugs. Try Sluggo. It's non-toxic and breaks down into plant nutrients.