giving up organic -slugs have won!

[adam connor]

please some one give me some hope to say I should stay organic! I inherited a patch with my house/farm in aug 2005. i cleared the 170 sq.m plot by hand and developed raised wide beds with paths in between. I planted cabbages, beans, carrots, parsnps, kohl Rabi, Spinach and Chard varieties. i already had a 6sq.m asparagus patch. BUT slugs are decimating it. I hand pick-off twice daily 20-40 slugs each time 9mainly the asparagus and cabbages), there's virtually nothing left. I understand that nemaslug will take weeks to start working and there will be nothing left. All the "root" seeds above have failed - i think eaten as soon as emerging. My rows are bird-netted and so slug pellets would not enter the food chain - what would be the downside to do this to keep my crops alive till nemaslug gets to work??
yours despairing ADAM

[olde9856]

Fraid Ive gone down the same road for exactly the same reasons

[iainhawk]

Part of a post from a different thread on slugs: by Bugeyes


""New slug pellets from Gardening Success (I think) contain Ferramol and are kinder to wildlife and pets. They can also be used in organics as I understand things. I use them (B&Q and loads of places sell them now) and they have been very effective so far. ""


These work pretty well- i have tried them -just under cover and they are effective.

also i am trialing used coffee grounds sprinkled in ring around seedlings such as carrot- as i lose all of these to slugs as well. The coffee seems to work and seems to kill the slugs as well. You can pick the used grounds up from coffee shops at the end of the day- i get about 25kg at a time and use it liberally.

I also laid a couple of wood fence panels (the 6 foot ones) next to the crops and just turned them over every day and collected the slugs in a bottle and disposed of them. When i started that i was getting 200-400 slugs on each panel- within a month i was down to about 5 or 6. Hard work to begin with then it gets easier

By using a combination of tactics you will succeed.

[adam connor]

thank you for supportive words. I did feel I probably would win out eventually but my farm neighnbours a proper farm so that have acres to come in from. A slug proof barrier round might be an option for next year, then nemaslug the lot and apart from parachuting in they'd be scuppered. why do they have to be so horrid. I muust say I was phobic of the buggers till this year and would cringe at the mention of the "S" word but my love for my veggies won me over. I shall try the coffee grouts along with leaves - too late I think for my green cabbages but I shall fight them off in reddiness for forthcoming attractions
ADAM

[dwrudd]

Good luck adam,

I try as best as I can on my small garden to keep the nasties at bay and like many others spend hours chuffing around the garden preening and pruning but I draw a line when it needs one.

I have put nemaslug down this year and it does seem to be doing the trick but I'll be beggered if I will risk my crop.

I try to keep the faith and in my own way do as much as I can to remain as chemical free as possible but I use what I have to in order to keep my veg in shape, but hey, do what you have to and don't be downhearted. You are doing so much good to the environment in keeping a plot, you will come out on top anyway.

Darren

[poultrychat]

I'm sorry adam connor - maybe try getting some chooks to help you?

[smallblueplanet]

hey poultrychat - what about ducks too, don't they eat slugs?

keep trying adam - think of all the other lovely wildlife that will appreciate your efforts to be organic!

Of course they'll probably try and eat your crops too!!!

[Alice]

Adam, I know what you mean. I try to be as green as possible but sorry to say I do use slug pellets. I put them on little dishes to stop them contaminating the ground and clear away the dead ones to stop the birds getting them. I don't have a major problem with slugs but planning to start a bigger kitchen garden so may be a problem then. Wil definately gp down the nematode route before I plant anything.

[poultrychat]

Yes ducks will too but they also mess the place up and the mess for the compost isn't so good

[adam connor]

have chickens but if you let them in I wouldn't have to worry about the slugs. tried the rhubabrb na dcomfrey last night and seems to have helped a litte. i noted the comfrey smealls foul and wonder if that is what keeps slugs away?

[notmilk]

Another organic method i'm trying this year (although admitedly not a Quick Fix) is to install a small pond, populate it with frogspawn and hopefully the frogs will slug hunt. I will let you know how it goes - currently we have tadpoles; hope they mature soon as slug season is upon us!
Another thing I do is to plant at least twice as much so the slugs can have some and i'll have the rest. After all the slugs were probably here before us and are wondering why we keep stealing their food.;-0

[SueA]

I'm trying garlic granule barrier for the first time this year Adam as I don't like to use pellets. It seems to be working to some extent although I did find a slug on one of my dwarf broad beans the other night- might just be a brave one! Try lots of different barrier methods & the rhubarb leaves/ citrus halves /slug pub/hand picking methods as well & you may be able to get on top of it. It's really upsetting though isn't it when all your hard work goes down the throat of a slug or snail!

[Bugeyes]

Go for the organic pellets and the Nemaslug - this starts working as soon as the slugs are infected by the nematodes so you should see a reduction in numbers within days rather than weeks. You need to repeat applications every 6 weeks if the problem is really bad or use double strength to get on top of it quickly

[adam connor]

found pellets/granulses at B&Q whihc state are suitable for organic gardner. Don't knowwhat they meana by that but made me feel better buying them. as I say when controlled shall keep at bay with nematodes 9but with 170 sq.m of veg it is quite costly) I have a small farm - does anyone know where to get same supplies on agricultural scale??

[Jaxom]

Bugeyes may know. This will bump topic back to the top. you could also try a PM to Bugeyes.