Celebrate Slugs Return from Capistrano Day Every May 28
Are you ready for a little silliness? May 28 is Slugs Return from Capistrano Day!
It’s the little-known sister day to the Swallows Return to Capistrano Day. On March 19 every year, migratory swallows return to their perch in La Misión de San Juan Capistrano. And the people rejoice.
But the slugs shudder. That swarm of birds is hungry after their long flight!
So the slugs all leave, heading back to the gardens they abandoned last fall.
Being slugs, they move kind of slowly. It takes them about two months to make the trek back.
Which brings us to May 28 and Slugs Return from Capistrano Day.
Just as you’ve gotten your garden planted, weeded and mulched, the slimy army returns. It’s ready to wreak havoc on your yard for another year.
This rather goofy day celebrating the return of slugs was created by Tom & Ruth Roy of Wellcat. They’ve created dozens of fun days over the years, most silly but all worth celebrating just for the fun of it.
Scroll down for some ideas on celebrating this slimy unofficial holiday.
Ideas For Celebrating Slugs Return from Capistrano Day
So we’re not sure the return of slugs to your garden is necessarily something to celebrate.
But maybe you could use the day to learn how to keep slugs away from your plants.
There are many things you can put around your plants to deter slugs. People report varying levels of success with them:
- Coffee grounds. Use caffeinated coffee … Apparently slugs prefer to avoid caffeine.
- Crushed egg shells. Apparently they’re quite scratchy on the soft little sluggy bodies.
- Strips of copper barrier. It gives the slugs a shock when they cross it.
- Red clover. Apparently given a choice, slugs will choose this plant over other nearby plants.
- You can also use a beer trap to drown them. Bury a shallow container so its edge it even with the soil. Fill with beer. Replace beer every few days (or when it’s disgustingly full of slug bodies. Ick.).
- Another option is a non-toxic slug bait called Sluggo. The company claims it’s safe for pets and wildlife. But it causes the slugs to stop eating and crawl underground and die.
Remember, the slimy army invades today, Slugs Return From Capistrano Day, so get your arsenal ready!
[…] Slugs Return from Capistrano Day: Shen the swallows returned to Capistrano back in March the slugs took off! They sure didn’t want to get eaten. And they’ve been slowly trekking back to gardens across the country. And here they are, ready to wreak their havoc on your new garden plants. […]