Copper slug tape

[Philthy]

I was thinking of sticking some of this tape along the top edge of the gravel boards in my newly constructed veg plot. I figured although it would be a tad expensive in the short term, as I'd need about £50 worth, it would be a lot less hassle, mess, and ongoing expense in the long term, as oppose to gravel, pellets, beer traps etc.

Is copper tape as effective as it is claimed to be? Thanks

[chris]

It didn't work fir me - I watched slugs crawl straight over it.

[rustylady]

I think it's just an expensive gimmick TBH.

[chilli_grower]

maybe get a roll of coarsely grained sandpaper and staple it around the top outside edges?

I doubt slugs would like to slither over that?

[starloc]

I got copper tape a few years ago and it seemed to work fine on the fruit trees the snails used to climb up, i put the copper tape on the trunks it worked there and used less ,but I had problems with birds (mainly magpies) ripping it off the pots and knocking things over, so now I just go out in the night and murder the slugs and snails with meths instead

[cazp]

Not tried the copper tape but I did try a wide strip of snail shocka copper treated fabric around my newly installed raised beds last year , the beds still had a lot of slugs in throughout the summer. Maybe the tape would work better though.

I've resorted to the three stage nematode treatment this year but this is about £30 although it really seems to work - slugs have gone. I go halves with family members since it covers a wide area.

[Aberdeenplotter]

invest in slug nematodes. £ 50 will buy a lot

[Aberdeenplotter]

oh,and they do work

[snakeshack]

try scrap copper wire and a staple gun,won't cost you 50 quid either and the birds wont be able to pull it off

[hollychap]

copper tapes a waste of time , i had a problem with slugs attacking my chickens food so i bought two rolls and covered the whole bottom of the feeder didn't make a blind bit of difference the slugs just slid over it

[Philthy]

Okay, I'll lose the tape and try the nematodes. Be more versatile too.

Last year was a non-event as it was just too wet, but the year before, I tried a few root crops (carrot, parsnip, beetroot, radish etc.) Everything was utterly annihilated by slugs. On that occasion, I tried blue pellets, first an organic type, then something a bit stronger. Neither type made any real difference. Soon the slugs were out of control and the project had to be abandoned.

[spanish_gardener]

It didn't work fir me - I watched slugs crawl straight over it.

The tape didn't work for me either, but the copper wire scrubber did work well.



I attached mine to the raised bed frame and placed in some plants, like a cabbage collar.

You can buy a packet of 12 in most pound shops.

[Vince G]

Copper tape works OK for me, got it on the step of the door to the polytunnel. Obviously if they can be bothered to climb up, they can get around it, but very rarely get any snails or slugs in the PT.

Conducted a rather grisly experiment with copper tape. Put a slug directly on it. Didn't like it much and got off it sharpish!

Mine is 30mm wide. I wonder if they can get past narrower tape or wire, by getting their head past it and somehow lidting the rest of their body above the wire/tape as they pass over it....or am I crediting it with a little too much intelligence.....

[veggiechicken]

Can't remember where I saw it, but someone had put 3 copper coins (? 2pences) around the stems of their courgettes, so that each coin touched another. Thought I might try this as I have a bag of old pennies, in a sock under the bed

[veggiechicken]

The tape didn't work for me either, but the copper wire scrubber did work well.



I attached mine to the raised bed frame and placed in some plants, like a cabbage collar.

You can buy a packet of 12 in most pound shops.

That's a brilliant idea SG Slugs wouldn't enjoy crawling over that stuff either!