Slug attack! What to do now?

[Timmy T]

Pretty hacked off this morning, as I found that nearly all our broccoli and cabbage plants had been devoured by slugs

We hadn't noticed slugs before, none of our flower tubs had been attacked, and seeing as the dogs have the run of the garden, we decided not to put any slug pellets down. Obviously we are now wondering quite what to do?

Firstly, what do people recommend as a pet safe slug guard? Nothing too technical please!

Secondly, is it too late to plant new plants to replace the cabbage and broccoli we've lost?

Thanks guy's, TT

[Veggiefirsttimer]

We use beer traps, just cheap plastic party cups with bitter in buried in holes, they fall in, it actually quite horrible emptying them to refill!

Keep them fresh and they should help!

[JoeDaStudd]

Go on a slug hunt, remove/kill as many as you can in the day by checking under stones, etc.
Then wait until 8ish at night hunt again (you'll get a lot more then during the day).

If you do it a few times and you can massively reduce there numbers. Combine it with beer traps and organic pellets (something to do with sheep) and your plants should be fairly safe.

[Two_Sheds]

Go on a slug hunt ... Combine it with beer traps and organic pellets

Yep that's right, you need a multi-pronged attack on slugs & snails. One method alone won't do it, and a blue carpet of pellets won't work at all (they avoid the pellets if there are too many, and go eat somewhere else).



Are you sure it was slugs and not pigeons? Woodpigeons will eat the lot if they aren't netted

[Tripmeup]

I would add that in these bright evenings 8pm is too early to be looking..wait til it is dark and then you will catch loads of the buggers.....Nightly patrols and home made nematodes and a bit of thinking around how I structure/surround beds is my modus operandi...

[PyreneesPlot]

Definately slug hunt after dark - 11pm last night for me after Rick Stein. That is my main attack and I've gone from 600 plus a night in the last few years to 2-300 a night now, so presumably have impacted on the breeding. We also have lots of spaces for toads and hedgehogs, a new pond and a growing glow worm colony.
I put down a beer trap on Sunday which so far has only seduced 2!

[chefgage]

Last year I put down quite a few beer traps using cheap supermarket brand beer/bitter, I caught loads and loads of the little buggers. This year I have not caught a single one even though they are clearly evident. They must have a more expensive taste now

[kentishgal]

I use nematodes, the safer type blue pellets, fencing around the veggie beds (for the dogs, not the slugs!) and regular slug patrols. I dont find that many as long as I keep up the routine.
The beer traps sound good but I worry that my dogs would find them too tasty. Nothing sadder then an alcoholic Chihuahua!!LOL