Slugs eating potato haulms

[kennethc]

Hi all

I've noticed the potato haulm is being attacked by slugs. In some cases the leaves have been stripped almost bare. I don't use slug pellets just the odd porter or stout trap or picking them by hand and disposing etc.

If the leaves are stripped will the potatoes continue to grow?
Can I employ any other techniques without using chemicals to keep them away from the potatoes?

Thanks in advance.

Kenneth

[rustylady]

If all the foliage is stripped then the tubers won't grow any more than they have at that stage. If you don't want to use chemicals then you need to do regular slug patrols and hand pick them. Throw them into a bucket of salty water.

[arpoet]

Same thing happened to me while the heavy rains were here.. the Harlequin tops (in tubs) got almost devoured in a single night and day. The slugs were small and white and very soft to i just sqeezed em to death but wat too late to save most plants. They also attacked the Charlottes in tubs but not the wilja.
Roger

[Kaiya]

Same here with my Anyas, despite slug removal on sight, application of nematodes to the bag and a garlic spray (both nematodes and garlic applied after the bulk of the damage had occured, but didn't stop further damage from where the haulms were touching the ground). I had a bag of KE and a bag of Anyas. The Anya foilage fell over and touched the ground, and the slugs had a field day. The KE are a little nibbled but otherwise fine. Last weekend (122 days after planting) I noticed I had about one hand sized bit of uneaten foilage on the Anyas, and I figured as RL said that that was it for tuber growth, so I called it a day. I got 870g from 3 seed potatoes, so wasn't too depressed. Plus I unceremoniously killed the three slugs I found napping near the bags. I'm glad though the KE weren't similarly affected as I doubt they're as far along - they need a good few more weeks minimum.

[alldigging]

They ate had my Maris pipers

[lottie dolly]

slugs must have run out of their regular food,like sqash,beans,brasicas,carrots,so in desperation now they have bread need more food,