slug wars!

[Alice]

I have a book called "50 ways to kill a slug". Some suggestions serious, some funny. Is there any humane way to kill a slug. Fortunately I don't have a major problem with them - but not slug free. Who is. I put this down to the fox who traipses through the place every night and laps up all he can find. When desperate I confess to using slug pellets. Hate doing this as I do know how harmful they can be but.........needs must.

[smallblueplanet]

We never use pellets we're organic...we've used beer traps, but you have to be careful beneficial beetles don't fall in (put a stick in), but mainly its search them down and pick them off!

I found a rolled-up purple slug on our soil the other day, I wonder if it had been eating pellets??? There's so much wildlife round here birds, hedgehogs, frogs etc I'd hate to think I was feeding them poison.

For most stuff we grow we try to start them in modules to keep an eye on them. We occasionally cover small plants with half of a lemo bottle. The only other thing to do is grow one for you and one for the slugs/snails!

[number 1 suspect]

will be interested in finding out how the copper pipe layer gets on. Was looking at the spare pipe i have in my cellar the other day and wondering if it would be any good. Am going to flatten it and turn it into rings to lay round plant stems. Will try it this week and let you all know how it goes

[Strepsy]

Starting to feel slightly sorry for slugs after reading all these threads about torturing them and whatnot. Anyway, not all slugs are a danger to crops are they? Does anyone know which are which or know of a good site that can tell me. Can't seem to find anything good.

[smallblueplanet]

slug control methods - link

"I have just received my 1st GYO mag (march) and read it with great interest. Still waiting for the 2 back-dates.
I thought it would be interesting for us to make comments on some of the letters featured.

I had no idea there were good slugs!!! Anything leaving a slime trail is swiftly dealt with. Wouldn't it be useful to have large pictures of these slugs to be able to identify them?( Bit like edible mushrooms.) Have been on google for pictures but they are not as clear as I would like. I hate killing anything anyway and would prefer to leave the good slugs to the birds, frogs and hedgehogs. To think I have just ordered my nematodes too!" - Nicos 31/01/06

[gcroft]

feeling sorry

Starting to feel slightly sorry for slugs after reading all these threads about torturing them and whatnot. Anyway, not all slugs are a danger to crops are they? Does anyone know which are which or know of a good site that can tell me. Can't seem to find anything good.

Dying in a huge vat of beer cruel? it would do for me

[smallblueplanet]

From my link above

"From a garden wildlife point of view, therefore, slug pellets of either type should be avoided where possible. Birds and hedgehogs may under certain circumstances be killed by eating pellets, although the introduction of coloured pellets (usually blue) may deter the former so if you use molluscicides avoid the cheaper, non-coloured formulations. Wildlife may also be harmed by eating the poisoned slugs, although this probably only applies to methiocarb-based pellets. The formulation of slug pellets is very like that for dog food, with added poison, so it is little wonder that they are eaten by creatures other than those at which they are aimed. Indeed, the Ministry of Agriculture once advised the use of carbamate-based slug pellets for the control of small mammals on farms. The majority of poisonings of pets seen by vets are as a consequence of slug pellet use."

I know we all want to grow nice things but sometimes the cost is too high! They're only slugs.

[Doggler]

Think the dog would have a go at beer traps too, so have put some of that copper tape around my pots of french beans. Had a look this morning and no sign of any slime. I tried broken egg shells last year but whenever it rained it just washed them away and the slugs attacked.

[dexterdoglancashire]

many thanks for the warm welcome!

hi Everyone
Many thanks for all your very helpful suggestions regarding my slug problem! In the end I tried the grapefruit, beer and salt methods - all at the same time! So hopefully some died happy but drunk! (I havent checked yet!) I have also invested in a baby plastic greenhouse so have moved all seedlings into there - so far, so good!
Started to transplant seedlings into garden, so lets watch and see. I wasnt aware I could use pellets but if the problem raises its head again will give them a go.
I just hope that I havent left things too late for my seedlings, but as I only sorted the ground out at Easter due to the bad weather, Its a steep learning curve this year. Its very reasuring to know that I can type in my question and get useful answers! Watch this space!
Many thanks
Dexterdoglancashire

[Clarea1]

Whilst the copper rings are good, I would use them with some other method which doesn't just repel them to another plant! Beer traps are a fav method of mine. 4 tins for 88p on Tesco value larger!

[smallblueplanet]

...4 tins for 88p on Tesco value lager!

Just don't let your snobby mates see it in your garden shed, it can be very difficult to explain away!!!

I think that there are other liquids that can be used in 'beer traps' that are recconned to be better - read it somewhere but can't remember, sorry. (Was something like cabbage consume!?)

[Lesley Jay]

I can vouch for Tesco value lager - the slugs love the stuff!!

[supagranz]

Someone recomended rhubarb leaves for eliminating slugs

[bramble]

Don't know how true that is Aupagranz but the slugs have eaten holes in mine. Would be interested to hear if theres any truth in it though.

[smallblueplanet]

Think the rhubarb leaves were used as bait - leaves were left near tender plants (like an upturned brolly?) and then the slugs picked off and despatched - can't remember which thread on GYO it was on though, so might have got it wrong.