Brassica Collars

[snohare]

(Runs frantically to fetch net curtains and sewing kit...)

[King Carrot]

They only don't like copper, the rest of the metals they don't mind at all.

I have tried putting thick copper wire in loops round some lettuce seedlings today, we will see what happens.

You should try 2 - 3 inches of aluminium foil wrapped around the stem of any plant you want to protect

I would guess that laid flat like a collar it would be effective too – must try myself this summer!

[womble]

You should try 2 - 3 inches of aluminium foil wrapped around the stem of any plant you want to protect

I would guess that laid flat like a collar it would be effective too – must try myself this summer!

I will thanks.

The first test of the wire round the lettuces was the warm weather last night and it failed, one of the lettuces was chomped, only a bit, so it must either be a small slug or snail, or it felt threatened being in the copper circle. I will catch you, oh yes.

[King Carrot]

I tried using copper wire in the past on sunflowers - I tried a single ring - no good, and then I made it into a coil with 4 -5 rings which worked a bit better though not enough to prevent damage. I then wrapped tin foil around the stems - bingo.

Copper and Aluminium do work, but I reckon you need the correct circumstances - the bands or coils or the amount of copper or ally need to be of enough mass to create a potential difference or shock big enough to persuade the mollusc to go another direction. If the said mollusc is in touch with the soil (an electric conductor) then the shock is greater.

I’ve seen a couple of videos on slugs and copper which were made in daylight and in which slug has more than likely been placed near the copper barrier – it’s no surprise to me when the slug crosses the copper and one comparison would be if I was suddenly plucked out of my house and put in a hostile environment of some sort, I would probably go through barbed wire to make my escape without much thought. I think any valid experiment or demo has to be done at night in the molluscs natural surroundings with a protected and unprotected crop.

I’m still hoping to do a couple of experiments with this over the summer, time permitting and all – I’m also hoping to have a look at electric slug fencing as well.

Got to clear the kitchen table now and get all the seedlings outside in the "tent"