To run pests off effectively, use anywhere from 2 – 5 lbs of coffee grounds per 100 square feet. If the coffee grounds work, the circle should keep the slugs inside the circle. From chips and dip to one-bite apps, finger foods are the perfect way to kick off a party. Some gardeners say that coffee grounds are a good pesticide. Apparently, there are insects in my coffee grounds. MyRecipes.com is part of the Allrecipes Food Group. And it just so happens that they are both very sensitive to the caffeine found in used coffee grounds. Clearly, they are not enough to protect their favorite foods. A lot of horticulturists believe that the mere smell of coffee can be a deterrent to the slugs and snails. I have observed that pillbugs will consume Repto-Cal reptile vitamin-mineral powder if it is mixed into their normal diet of ; Tetramin Fish Food Flakes (itself a … I have a theory for why this might be happening, maybe they're evolving, but maybe they're seeking the calcium in the plants. In fact when they reach a pile coffee grounds slugs and snails The second entrance consisted of a hill of sand which the ants had excavated. It was, I am sad to report, a veritable army of Rollie Pollies, Pill bugs in mass, Sow bugs on a mission, Woodlice at war. Use It as a Natural Dye. In just a short time, they will be gone. Slugs cannot bear the smell nor contact with coffee grounds, which are highly toxic for them. If you're looking for a simple recipe to simplify your weeknight, you've come to the right place--easy dinners are our specialty. Sowbugs also cannot roll into a ball like a pill bug can. I was also under the impression that they only ate decaying matter. Once dried, empty them onto a flat surface, you can use a plate covered in foil. But there is something a little disconcerting about eating bugs when you're not expecting it or don't know that it's even happening. I'm going to try the coffee ground method, thanks for the tip. The more I learn about the modern American food system, the more I realize that there's some... unexpected stuff floating around in the food I eat. I went on search(pch) and asked what to use to get these bugs away. For example, plants that need pH of 3.0 to 5.5 will thrive. Sowbugs are slightly smaller than pill bugs and have two small tail-like structures protruded from their back end that pill bugs lack. Especially in a large garden with a lot of slugs and snails, it will not be sufficient to put out a daily portion of coffee to repel them. On day three, a 2 inch wide, 1/4 inch deep, circle of coffee grounds was placed on the soil. It was not a long wait. Everybody understands the stuggle of getting dinner on the table after a long day. Instead of chemicals, use a caulking gun to close any cracks or crevices at or near ground level. Put coffee grounds and pills in plastic bag, and pour enough water in bag to cover them. I disturbed the plants and flicked them off and then I realized I. I thought I had noticed this was your first post...good to have you here. The FDA considers bugs "natural or unavoidable defects in foods for human use that present no health hazard." Whether you're cooking for yourself or for a family, these easy dinners are sure to leave everyone satisfied and stress-free. These critters can consume just about any organic substance to gain energy and nutrients. Used coffee grounds are one way to destroy medication. I have personally, firsthand, witnessed them eating my new transplants and have also personally removed and squished them while they were doing so. Pests tend to be attracted to gardens that have weakened or stressed plants, as … When it comes to mosquitoes and coffee, there is some evidence that it may be somewhat successful in repelling these pests. The methods outlined in this DIY pest control guide will help get you started on repelling those bugs and protein your hostas plant. Many ants were busy going and coming using this entrance. Keep this in mind if you choose to use them for pest management. And there's potentially a lot of bugs—and beans damaged by bugs—in that can of pre-ground coffee you bought the other day. That's why these limits exist. Ants arriving from distant lands went up to the coffee grounds, stopped, turned around and went away. ", "We're all just walking each other home." Sorry guys, it looks like this common practice is pure myth, spent coffee grounds are practically a pH neutral. For the most part, these bugs are harmless. Research from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates that "insects form part of the traditional diets of at least 2 billion people" across the globe. Don’t over-mulch with fresh coffee grounds. Zip up bag and mix well. Not only are slugs and snails slimy but they also are notorious for eating garden flowers, herbs, and vegetables. In our search for information on how to protect our new seedlings from, I too have heard that they "prefer" decaying matter over living. Using Coffee Ground to keep Bugs awayA great way to debug your yard for free. They must have been having babies, how did they get out. The Brilliant Secret to Making Better Mashed Potatoes, 65 Super Easy Finger Foods to Make for Any Party. What that means is that bugs naturally end up in coffee grounds and other foods during the manufacturing process. Houses built on a concrete slab poured directly on the ground, can have more of a problem with sow bugs or pill bugs if there is no moisture barrier under the concrete. For an easy supper that you can depend on, we picked out some of our tried-and-true favorites that have gotten us through even the busiest of days. Slugs in most cases come right up to coffee grounds but wouldn't cross over. Jay C. White Cloud wrote:Hi Jerry, Well...here I go again...another factoid of a multi decade debate with layfolk about "pill bugs" and "sow bugs," which are not a bug or any other type of insect as they have gills, and are actually a land crustacean. Pill bugs are no longer interested in our plants - prior to our application of coffee grounds any new transplant was mauled and gnawed to the ground within 24 hours of planting. In fact even this morning I observed a few of them on the onions where we had neglected to lay down coffee grounds. To me, it seems like adding insult to injury when a cutworm kills a plant by cutting it off … To control slugs, snails and pill bugs in the garden, broadcast coffee grounds around plants troubled by the little beasts at anywhere from 2 to 5 pounds of coffee grounds … The FDA will only regulate if more than 10 percent or more of green coffee beans, by count, are either insect-infested or insect-damaged. That’s pretty basic. Dry out your used coffee grounds by placing them in a bowl, cover with aluminum foil and store in a cool dark place. While coffee mosquito repellent is not as simple as sprinkling coffee grounds throughout the yard, studies have found that water containing coffee or used grounds deterred adult mosquitoes from laying eggs in those locations. I covered the hill with coffee grounds, making sure some sat right in the entrance hole. The experiments show that coffee grounds and powder have little effect on some slugs and snails. Regards, j Nice littel link about "pill and sow bugs. The US Food and Drug Administration—the agency that's in charge of regulating the safety and quality of America's food industry—not only knows that there are bugs in ground coffee, but regulates the number of bug and insect fragments that are allowed in our coffee (and other foods, for what it's worth). And really, there's nothing gross about eating bugs anyway. I thought permaculture insect control had failed me, but land racing saved the day! Pill bugs, also called roly-pollies, consume organic material that is either decaying is dead and decomposing. MyRecipes is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. Maybe when they eat plants it indicates a lack of decaying matter in the soil? © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. Pill bugs are no longer interested in our plants - prior to our application of coffee grounds any new transplant was mauled and gnawed to the ground within 24 hours of planting. I read that sprinkling coffee grounds around the plants will help with the squash bugs. 136,080 fragments of bugs in your coffee annually. It helps your garden soil. Using Coffee Ground to keep Bugs awayA great way to debug your yard for free. And the most shocking part of this revelation? Grow blue hydrangeas. Jerry, welcome to the forums! I am still waiting (35 years now...maybe this will be the one) where someone finds a garden variety of this animal that is actively eating a living plant...I am still waiting. The "coffee grounds are fecal pellets are kicked out of the colony by workers. These little guys are "garbage people" and eat decaying veg matter...(with very small mouth parts) and do not eat (or not very well or effectively at all) living plants. However, while I do not have any pictures as of yet I will get some for you when I see it happening. Anyone else have a … Coffee grounds were to be used. Your need to take action now to minimize damage caused by the termites. After applying the coffee grounds the pill bugs don't avoid the coffee grounds they just seem to ignore the plants. The introduction of caffeine in their system also stimulates the mucus production in their body making them slower. There is no scientific evidence that coffee grounds deter snails and slugs. Limited studies have been done on the subject of coffee grounds and plants, and there are no studies that observe the effects on hostas in specific. The reason I think that is because when I was helping my mom on a construction project the dry wall (gypsum) paste was all over the floors and the little buggers were going crazy for it. Coffee grounds can be used as a natural repellent against slugs and certain types of ants. 55+ Easy Dinner Recipes for Busy Weeknights. I check the undersides for eggs. I am one of those "naturalist geeks" that has actually sat (for up to five hours) with a "convinced" gardener that it is the sow bugs eating there plants...guess what...it has always turned out to be a slug, snail, catipiller, hopper, or some other nocternal villian and the little pill bug is just there eating there other favorite food....poop! I found a tiny bug with wings sticking up on the window of my monitor. Cutworms. Judith...I love your thinking on this...it is mine as well...or one of the hypotheses I have for why coffee grounds work this way. There were thousands of them muching. This year (June 2020) is the first time trying insect control using coffee grounds. The most popular ones are cutworks, beetles, aphids, grasshoppers, slugs, snails, pill bugs and spider mites. Conclusion: Advantages and Disadvantages. I too witnessed the pill/potato bug snacking down on my starts in my raised beds last year. We can all totally do that! Lara's Bootcamp/Wheaton Labs Experience/BRKish, permaculture bootcamp - learn permaculture through a little hard work. And remember, these so-called food defects have not been known to be a hazard to human health. They are amazing. Don’t use coffee grounds to manage heavy pest infestations. The snails will know to stay away. Or, at least fragments of insects. To control slugs, snails and pillbugs, broadcast coffee grounds around plants troubled by the little beasts. All you need to do is to sprinkle it on the ground, around the base of the plants. As for bugs, there are quite a few that feed on hostas leaves. Coffee grounds are often used to remove odors, prevent insects & pests, and scrub the body. The wait begins….. Test Results. What I can say is that mine is not suspicion. Hugelkultur, a breeding ground for pill bugs? So, if you have a picture of a sow bug or pill bug activly eating a plant...let me please see it. I think they mainly eat early morning and late evening while its darkish. One or two slugs may turn away from the coffee barrier, but there are bound to be pests that decide it’s a good idea to jump the makeshift fence. Some plant leaves and the 3 slugs were placed inside the circle. But did you know that gardeners also use the waste of the coffee to fertilize the garden, improve the soil quality, and so on?