Chewed Green Bean Sprouts in Denver: Slugs, Shade, and Soil Moisture

Contender bush beans in a first-year raised bed show chewing damage. The bed gets partial shade and was watered lightly daily—now soaked every other morning. Likely issues: excess moisture at soil level (slug haven) and insufficient sun.

Fixes:

• Mulch with grass clippings to moderate soil moisture and temperature.
• Set beer traps for slugs at night.
• For a slug barrier, mound sawdust 8 inches wide around the bed, trench the center, and fill with rock salt (covered with a board to keep salt out of soil).
• Remove slug eggs (tiny white spheres) when found.
• Thin nearby plants to increase light and airflow.

Beans prefer full sun, warm soil, and drier surface conditions. Adjust watering to deep, infrequent soakings.