Hi Sadie – I did have a horrid slug problem before I adopted regenerative practices and stopped disturbing the soil/environment so much. Since I’ve perennialized my dahlias, slugs have diminished greatly because of what you have already started to observe there in your own space: the predators come when the ecosystem is stable. No only garter snakes but ground beetles. Ground beetles are voracious slug hunters, both of adults and eggs. But ground beetles hate disturbance so they won’t come into a growing space that’s subject to heavy mowing, tilling, digging, etc. The toads and salamanders will come too and eat slugs.

For a few years I did employ an organic product called Sluggo Plus to help get keep the slugs in check. But I don’t need that anymore now that the natural predators are there.

Regarding voles/moles, I’ve not had any issues with them in my overwintered dahlias. I have two cats that live outside on the farm and are constantly on the prowl.

I kept my tubers in an unheated storage unit in containers with sawdust and wood shavings and they got hammered – it froze in there two yrs in a row with record low temps in the teens – last yr my medium was just damp enough to form ice! Even this year in dry horse bedding shavings with the containers covered in blankets, they still froze and rotted. I was heartbroken. I lost favorites that I can’t even find anymore.

Now i never want to dig them again! So fed up with all that work only to lose them all! so I hope you have answers for how to repel slugs (and voles) without pesticides – and I intend to try this method and maybe only dig a very few favorites. I love the garter snakes and want to encourage them, even though they also eat frogs and salamanders and other beneficials. Slugs though… they are so tough to deal with! . Thanks for any help you can give on slug and snail control. So happy to find your youtube channel and this blog!

I’m not familiar with the Leafgro product, but I can say that regular old leaves collected in the fall do not bring in any extra weeds to the dahlia patch here at our farm. Our dahlias are virtually weed free anymore. So no need to seek out a special source/product.

Sure! The slight downside to dividing in the spring instead of the fall is that you’re not as likely to get early blooms. Instead they will act more like plants that are being treated as annuals instead of perennials.

Thanks,
Pavan

Yes, you’ll need to go a good bit deeper. Other growers in Zone 5 who have successfully overwintered have used about 2 feet deep leaves. Good luck! 🙂