Over the last few weeks, I’ve been giving you the low-down on ways to reinvent items you may normally toss out without giving them a second thought. But wait—there’s so much more to my terrific Supermarkets Super Gardens book than that!  So this week, I’d like to share my latest and greatest tried-and-true methods for telling slugs to hit the slimy trail!

If slugs are driving you bonkers this summer, grab an empty baby wipe box. Those sturdy plastic boxes can perform almost as many jobs as the wipes themselves! Here’s how they can help you slap them slugs to Kingdom Come:

Sink a box in the soil (minus the lid), leaving about 1/8 inch sticking up above the surface. Then pour in your bait of choice. The slippery slimers will belly up to the bar, fall in, and die happy.

So what should you use for slug bait? Here’s some dandy choices—take your pick of whatever you have on hand:

  • Beer
  • Grape juice
  • Orange or grapefruit rinds
  • Avocado peels
  • Raw potato slices

And, if you can get your hands on some quack grass, these “baked goods” will save the day.

Mix 1 part each of finely chopped quack grass blades and wheat bran with 1 tablespoon of baking soda in a bowl. Then slowly add the beer, stirring until the mixture has the consistency of cookie dough. Run the dough through a meat grinder, or chop it into small bits (roughly 1/8 to 1/4 thick). Let the “cookies” air-dry overnight, and sprinkle them on the ground among your plants. The slugs will think it’s time to party when they get a yeasty whiff of the tasty treats. But after a couple of bites, they’ll have a killer of a hangover!

OK, I can’t help myself. Now I’m champing at the bit to let you in on a few more rip-roarin’ ways to reuse empty baby wipe containers! I already told you how they make the perfect slug traps. Just take a gander at these possibilities:

·        Building blocks. Just collect ‘em and let the kids build towers, bridges, castles, and even whole towns. They’re sturdy and waterproof, and with their rounded corners, they’re safe for even tiny tykes to play with.

·        Clutter busters. Use them as mini storage chests for all kinds of tiny odds and ends, such as hobby, craft, and sewing supplies; spare electrical parts; and small office gear.

·        First-aid kits. Fill ‘em up with essentials like bandages and antiseptic ointment, and keep them in your car, workshop, garden shed, or kitchen—anyplace accidents tend to happen.

·        Pitching-practice targets. Stake ‘em up outdoors, wind up, and let ‘er rip. Three strikes and you win!

·        Seed-starting trays. Sow your seeds in individual containers with drainage holes, and set two planting pots into each box.

·        Traveling trash can. Tuck a wipes box under the seat of your car. It’s sturdier than a bag, and when you have anything, um, fragrant to dispose of, you can snap the lid closed to contain the odor.

For more trash-to-treasure tips, garden-growin’ magic, weed whackers, and critter controls, check out my Supermarket Super Gardens book—FREE for 21 days! It’s filled with terrific tricks that’ll help you whip even the saddest yard into tip-top shape.

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