Slug Pellets in Pots?

[vikkib]

I've got some 'Advanced Slug Pellets' that I want to use to try and keep the slimey wotsits off of my peppers and cukes which are in pots in my plastic greenhouse.

Is it ok to put them on the soil around the plant? The only other place I can think of putting them is in the watering trays I stand them in.

[Alice]

It's up to you VickiB. I don't like the idea of the chemicals in the slug pellets leeching into my food so I never put them on the soil around the plants. I put them on little plastic trays around the plants and that works well.
If you put them in the watering trays they will just dissolve in there. Is there space around the watering trays you could use.

[Two_Sheds]

You could put one or two on a separate saucer near the plants (you don't need more than that, because they attract the slugs)

[gadgetman]

I use coffee grinds around my chillies, and didnt have any slug issues last year. Most pests dont like it either.

But chillies absolutely love the acidity.

[vikkib]

Thanks guys (as usual)!

I knew I kept all those plastic milk cartons for something! I'll chop the bottoms off and use them to put a few pellets in around the plants.

Next time I'm up in town I will definitely pop into a coffee place and see if they have any grounds to get rid of - completely forgot about that idea!

Will they be okay around pepper's too? I'm guessing they like fairly similar conditions to chillies?!

[snohare]

What are "Advanced" slug pellets ? I've never heard of them before.
I'm really keen to avoid metaldehyde now - I got an email from a friend who works on water quality for SEPA saying that they were finding it in waterways at well above legal limits, it is a known nasty (carcionogenic, etc) and there is no way of removing it from drinking water supplies.
Must confess I'd forgotten about my packet of coffee grounds that I got from Costa's, sitting neglected in the shed.

[IgglePiggle]

What are "Advanced" slug pellets ? I've never heard of them before.
I'm really keen to avoid metaldehyde now - I got an email from a friend who works on water quality for SEPA saying that they were finding it in waterways at well above legal limits, it is a known nasty (carcionogenic, etc) and there is no way of removing it from drinking water supplies.
Must confess I'd forgotten about my packet of coffee grounds that I got from Costa's, sitting neglected in the shed.

The advance slug pellets are the organic one's, think they just have iron in them or something

Growing Success Advanced Slug Killer Rainfast Pellets 575g at Wilkinson Plus

From the official site

Growing Success Advanced Slug Killer is a truly 'advanced' Slug Killer completely out dating all Slug killers of the past. It will only kill slugs and snails, and will not harm children, pets, birds, animals or wildlife etc. if used as directed. This product has already enjoyed overwhelming success in Europe and America.

Growing Success Advanced Slug Killer is an important breakthrough in slug control, with many environmental benefits:

* It will only kill slugs and snails. There is no secondary poisoning of birds or hedgehogs etc. and they are completely safe even if they eat the pellets so long as the product has been used as directed.
* It is based on ferrous phosphate (iron phosphate - which is an organic compound) plus a bait, thus making it attractive to slugs and snails.
* The slugs and snails are attracted to the bait, ingest the pellets and then crawl away to die, leaving no dead slugs or snails around and no unsightly slime. Any bait not eaten breaks down rapidly to iron and phosphate nutrients as part of garden soil.
* It is safe to handle and apply
* It can be used safely around ornamentals, fruits and vegetables
* It is suitable for organic gardening

[thecarnage]

Oh dear I've been putting it next to my lettuce and on the soil in pots.

Am I going to get ill?!

[IgglePiggle]

Oh dear I've been putting it next to my lettuce and on the soil in pots.

Am I going to get ill?!

I think as long as its not touching the leaves etc it should be fine, it's no worse than what the farmers dump on their crops

[bluemoon]

I try not to use them, but sometimes my greenhouse becomes full of snails and no matter how hard I try I can't find them all. If you do use them just use a minimal amount as they could dissolve into the soil or go mouldy. As has been suggested putting them on a saucer works, anything deeper and they often ignore it unless it's sunk into the soil like a beer-trap.

[IgglePiggle]

I try not to use them, but sometimes my greenhouse becomes full of snails and no matter how hard I try I can't find them all. If you do use them just use a minimal amount as they could dissolve into the soil or go mouldy. As has been suggested putting them on a saucer works, anything deeper and they often ignore it unless it's sunk into the soil like a beer-trap.

When they go mouldy that's just them breaking down. I prefer to use these instead of the other one's

[Farmer_Gyles]

slug pellets kill slugs and snails slowly - if you put the pellets close to the plants, the slugs will munch the pellets then munch the plant - and because pellets attract slugs, you could find your veggies gone overnight
sprinkle the pellets all over your plot / greenhouse floor / all around the outside of your plot - just a light sprinkling every week will do the job

[snohare]

I've never used the ferrous pellets, so I didn't realise that they acted as a bait as well. Good point Farmer Gyles, never would have worked that out for myself !
I'm still inclined to try to encourage the frogs, toads and birds to eat the molluscs, rather than just do away with the molluscs and end up with none of the predators species in the food chain (which is what metaldehyde has been doing for many years I'm sure) but as long as the granules are ferrous, they are light years ahead of metaldehyde in terms of toxicity.

[gadgetman]

Thanks guys (as usual)!

I knew I kept all those plastic milk cartons for something! I'll chop the bottoms off and use them to put a few pellets in around the plants.

Next time I'm up in town I will definitely pop into a coffee place and see if they have any grounds to get rid of - completely forgot about that idea!

Will they be okay around pepper's too? I'm guessing they like fairly similar conditions to chillies?!

Should be OK.

Roses love coffee grounds too