Q. "My astilbe and lupines have been badly damaged by slugs. Should I replace them in the fall or is there still a chance the plants might come back next year?"

- P. R., Walpole, MA

A. Both astilbe and lupine have reasonably hardy constitutions, so I wouldn't give up on them yet. If you can control further slug damage, the roots should be able to generate new foliage this year. There are several ways to minimize slug damage. You can hand pick them. (If you start early in the season, you may be able to keep the population in check for the entire season.) You can also use beer traps, or surround your planting with copper slug barrier -- the slugs won't cross the barrier because, for some reason, their "slime" reacts with the copper, giving them an electric shock. There is also a iron-phosphate-based slug bait that safely controls these pests.

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Q. Last year I had a terrible problem with slugs. How do I keep them away from my flowers?

- K. G., Seattle, WA

A. "There are lots of ways to foil slugs, and often a combination of tactics works best. You can make life hard for them by removing leaf litter or other mulch from the soil surface and spreading a thin layer of sand or crushed egg shells on the ground instead. This will do away with their daytime hiding places and create a rough crawling surface which they should avoid. Spreading a layer of diatomaceous earth around the base of your plants can help, too; the sharp particles slice open their tender bellies. Iron-phosphate-based slug baits also work well, and are safe to use around children and pets.

Other deterrents include beer traps and copper slug barrier tape. And it never hurts to go out at night with a flashlight and hand-pick the culprits!"

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Provided by NationalGardening.com, the online publisher of the National Gardening Association.

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