Argh!!!! Slugs!!!!!!

[lottie dolly]

had a quick google ,seems they bin here for a while,possibly in food imports,they aprox 4 in long,and are canibals,as they eat whats been squashed by cars,as they cross the road,with some accidents caused by cars slipping in the slime they leave,and they also breed a lot quicker than ours,the writer of the artical said that our slugs are going extinct ,on another 1,said sales of slug pelets were up,this is the gist of what google says,if only the things were nearly extinct,we got to leave some food for the frogs,

[Florence Fennel]

They are also said to have good memories and ergo brains! They will try the taste of slug pellets and it makes them feel a bit ill, but they remember the sensation and don't go for them again. Drat. I can't think of anything worse than an intelligent slug. My fourth sowing of CACA salad has been grazed completely again.

[Bren In Pots]

I've been putting out half orange shells amongst my lettuce and that seems to attract slugs there's usually 4 or 5 of them to destroy each morning.

[Florence Fennel]

Glad something's working for you Bren. I think my only option as far as the containers is concerned is to tip out the compost (to get rid of the eggs) and start again. Trouble is, it would probably be cheaper to buy the salad!

[Bren In Pots]

It works Flo but catching 20 ish slugs a nights not making a dent in them

[binley100]

I found one on the inside of the roof of my blowaway last night ready to launch itself down onto my resown courgette plants........it was only little but it put up one hellova fight .....

[Florence Fennel]

They've even started on my latest bras (third or fourth attempt, I can't remember) and I waited until they were strong, healthy and tall before I planted them out. Absolutely sick of the darn things.

[chris]

Really impressed with the nematodes. My squashes are growing rapidly now, plot neighbours are being decimated!

Infact, I've hardly seen any slugs (on the surface) since applying it!

[arpoet]

Just been to pick some sprigs of mint for the tatties and it too is alive with little white slugs.... I must be killing about 30 each time it stops raining.
Roger

[Minamoo]

Putting down loads of slug pellets in the garden did help me. I've noticed a definite decline in the numbers of slugs and stuff is finally growing again. I've been watering everything with the water from the duck pond which is full of poo and everything has shot up in the last week. My courgette and bns nearly tripled in size in a week! I also keep going round the garden hunting them out of their hiding places. My log pile being a favourite hidey hole as well as the undersides of pots and boxes and the sides of the raised beds. I then feed them to the ducks who are very grateful. Some of the slugs I've found have been absolutely massive. I had to chop one into 3 before the ducks could eat it and they can eat even really big ones whole. Yesterday omnom ate one from my hand and they never take food from my hands. But then again...slugs are like crack cocaine to ducks. If only I could guarantee that they would only eat the slugs I would happily let them run around the garden but I know they're make a beeline for my brassicas. I'm tempted to put down more slug pellets but then I won't be able to bribe the ducks with slugs so I think I shall wait and see how it goes. If I can keep on top of the damage by just collecting them every day then I'll just keep doing that. I know the pellets are 'organic' but still...

[pdblake]

One of the kids spilled some dog biscuits on the patio the other night. It attracted dozens of huge slugs. A good way to collect them for home made nematodes maybe? I just salted the buggers though?

[Jimmy]

Garden doesn't like this weather.
I have some climbing french beans under a cloche due to the rain.
Took it off this morning as they are getting too big.
There on top was a SLUG having breakfast.
Dispatched it accordingly.
The garden is about an inch deep in slug pellets !

Think I might need to drink more homebrew so I can use the sediment in slug traps.

[chris]

Putting down loads of slug pellets in the garden did help me. I've noticed a definite decline in the numbers of slugs and stuff is finally growing again. I've been watering everything with the water from the duck pond which is full of poo and everything has shot up in the last week. My courgette and bns nearly tripled in size in a week! I also keep going round the garden hunting them out of their hiding places. My log pile being a favourite hidey hole as well as the undersides of pots and boxes and the sides of the raised beds. I then feed them to the ducks who are very grateful. Some of the slugs I've found have been absolutely massive. I had to chop one into 3 before the ducks could eat it and they can eat even really big ones whole. Yesterday omnom ate one from my hand and they never take food from my hands. But then again...slugs are like crack cocaine to ducks. If only I could guarantee that they would only eat the slugs I would happily let them run around the garden but I know they're make a beeline for my brassicas. I'm tempted to put down more slug pellets but then I won't be able to bribe the ducks with slugs so I think I shall wait and see how it goes. If I can keep on top of the damage by just collecting them every day then I'll just keep doing that. I know the pellets are 'organic' but still...

Take note of the instructions though MM, those pellets are only "safe" for pets/wildlife if applied correctly, and I believe a maximum of four times? I'm sure I read something about only putting them down 4 times - it's on the back of the tube.

[Minamoo]

Read every inch of the instructions and it says nothing about them being dangerous if used frequently etc. It just says that pellets should be 6-7cm apart and that you may need to reapply them. But I'll be careful anyway.

[Amymajik]

I have tried slug pellets (both sparingly and not sparingly) as well as coffee and egg shells and I am pleased to report my peas are in tatters! I am a big fan of the skewer approach also however the 'new' or 'foreign' spanish slugs do put up a fight when skewered so not for the squemish! This is the first year I have had a proper 'veg' patch so its comforting to read that others are struggling also and its not just my novice handling of it!!!